NameCensus.

UK surname

Tarmey

A surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Tarmey, England.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Tarmey surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Doncaster and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tarmey is 145 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 357.7%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

1997

145 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tarmey had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 37 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Tarmey surname distribution map

The map shows where the Tarmey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Tarmey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tarmey over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 4 #32,658
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 33 #31,681
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 145 #22,392
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Tarmeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Doncaster and Stockport. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 022 Barnsley
3 Doncaster 020 Doncaster
4 Stockport 004 Stockport
5 Stockport 023 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tarmey

These lists show first names that appear often with the Tarmey surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tarmey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tarmey, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Tarmey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Tarmey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tarmey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tarmey is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tarmey falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tarmey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tarmey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tarmey

The surname Tarmey has its origins in Ireland, specifically in the region of Ulster. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic personal name Tormaidh, which itself is a variant of the name Tormod or Tormot. These names are thought to stem from the Norse name Þórmóðr, meaning "Thor's brave one."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tarmey surname appears in the Ulster Plantation Rolls of the early 17th century, where it is listed as Tarmey and Tarmay. These records document the settlement of English and Scottish Protestant planters in the Irish province of Ulster during the Plantation of Ulster, a organized colonization effort overseen by King James I.

The Tarmey surname is also found in various forms in historical records from County Donegal, where it may have evolved from the Gaelic name Ó Tarmadaigh or Ó Tarmadaigh. This name is believed to be derived from the Irish word "tarmad," meaning "crossing" or "passing through."

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Tarmey surname was Patrick Tarmey, a Catholic priest from County Donegal who was executed in 1654 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland for his involvement in the Irish Confederate Wars.

Another prominent individual with the Tarmey surname was John Tarmey (1907-1976), an Irish-American labor union leader who served as the president of the National Maritime Union from 1945 to 1973.

Brian Tarmey (1947-2020) was a British actor and writer best known for his roles in television shows such as Coronation Street and Brookside.

Kathleen Tarmey (1946-2014) was an Irish poet and novelist whose works often explored themes of identity, memory, and the Irish diaspora.

In the realm of sports, Liam Tarmey (born 1982) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2001 to 2009.

Overall, the Tarmey surname has a rich history rooted in Ireland, particularly in the regions of Ulster and Donegal, with various spellings and derivations reflecting its Gaelic and Norse origins. It has been borne by notable figures across different fields, from religion and labor movements to literature and sports.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tarmey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tarmey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 10 Tarmeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.67x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 10 24.67x
Warwickshire 9 14.07x
Lancashire 4 1.33x
Hampshire 2 3.85x
Cheshire 1 1.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glanford Brigg in Lincolnshire leads with 10 Tarmeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7142.86x.

Place Total Index
Glanford Brigg 10 7142.86x
Aston 6 34.07x
Birmingham 3 14.08x
Reddish 3 731.71x
Portsea 2 19.63x
Norton 1 3333.33x
Openshaw 1 70.92x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tarmey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 3
Alice 2
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Bridgett 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tarmey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 2
Luke 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
James 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tarmey households.

FAQ

Tarmey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tarmey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Tarmey surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tarmey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Tarmey a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Tarmey surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Tarmey, England.

What does the Tarmey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tarmey bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.