NameCensus.

UK surname

Tierney

An Irish surname derived from Ó Tighearnaigh, meaning "descendant of Tighearnach," a personal name meaning "lord" or "master."

In the 1881 census there were 1,235 people recorded with the Tierney surname, ranking it #3,279 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,848, ranked #1,149, up from #3,279 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Manchester and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, Castlemilk and West Calder and Polbeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tierney is 5,964 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 373.5%.

1881 census count

1,235

Ranked #3,279

Modern count

5,848

2016, ranked #1,149

Peak year

2014

5,964 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tierney had 1,235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,279 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,848 in 2016, ranked #1,149.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,764 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Tierney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tierney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Tierney 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 426 #5,735
1861 historical 369 #6,919
1881 historical 1,235 #3,279
1891 historical 1,323 #3,286
1901 historical 1,764 #2,942
1911 historical 1,389 #3,473
1997 modern 5,338 #1,217
1998 modern 5,504 #1,232
1999 modern 5,554 #1,232
2000 modern 5,593 #1,218
2001 modern 5,452 #1,219
2002 modern 5,623 #1,207
2003 modern 5,510 #1,201
2004 modern 5,496 #1,202
2005 modern 5,499 #1,173
2006 modern 5,562 #1,165
2007 modern 5,650 #1,155
2008 modern 5,723 #1,147
2009 modern 5,818 #1,154
2010 modern 5,957 #1,156
2011 modern 5,887 #1,157
2012 modern 5,775 #1,155
2013 modern 5,914 #1,146
2014 modern 5,964 #1,146
2015 modern 5,899 #1,148
2016 modern 5,848 #1,149

Geography

Back to top

Where Tierneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Manchester, Castlemilk, West Calder and Polbeth, Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill and Liverpool. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Manchester 050 Manchester
2 Castlemilk Glasgow City
3 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian
4 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City
5 Liverpool 012 Liverpool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Tierney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Tierney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tierney, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Tierney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tierney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tierney 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

Tierney is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tierney 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 Tierney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Tierney

The surname Tierney originates from Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic "O'Tighearnaigh," meaning "the descendant of the lord." It is believed that the name first appeared in County Mayo, Ireland, in the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Tierney clan was one of the most powerful families in County Mayo, holding significant lands and influence in the region. The name is also found in other parts of Ireland, particularly in Counties Sligo and Galway, where various branches of the family settled over the centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention Tadhg O'Tighearnaigh, a prominent figure from County Mayo, who lived in the late 14th century.

The Tierneys were heavily involved in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 17th century, fighting against English rule in Ireland. Notable figures from this period include Sir Edward Tierney, a military commander, and Christopher Tierney, a member of the Irish Confederation's Supreme Council.

In the 18th century, the Tierney family produced several notable figures, including George Tierney (1761-1830), an English politician and member of parliament, and Michael Tierney (1753-1820), an Irish author and historian.

During the 19th century, the Tierney name gained prominence in the United States, with many Irish immigrants bearing the surname settling in cities like Boston and New York. One notable American Tierney was Michael Tierney (1839-1908), a Civil War veteran and prominent journalist in New York City.

Other notable individuals with the surname Tierney include:

1. Kevin Tierney (born 1951), a Canadian filmmaker and writer known for his work on movies like "Bon Cop, Bad Cop" and "Twist." 2. Pat Tierney (1926-2022), an American professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from 1951 to 1963. 3. Michael Tierney (1894-1975), an Irish politician and member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament. 4. Brendan Tierney (1958-2018), an Irish singer-songwriter and musician best known for his work with the band The Hothouse Flowers. 5. Gene Tierney (1920-1991), an American actress who starred in classic films like "Laura" and "Leave Her to Heaven."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Tierney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tierney 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. Lancashire leads with 359 Tierneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 359 2.51x
Lanarkshire 161 4.13x
Middlesex 102 0.85x
Warwickshire 65 2.14x
Cheshire 63 2.37x
Yorkshire 61 0.51x
Renfrewshire 50 5.36x
Durham 33 0.92x
Midlothian 33 2.04x
Staffordshire 30 0.74x
Ayrshire 27 2.99x
Surrey 25 0.43x
Essex 23 0.97x
West Lothian 22 12.13x
Dunbartonshire 16 4.94x
Channel Islands 15 4.20x
Northumberland 15 0.84x
Angus 14 1.25x
Derbyshire 11 0.58x
Hampshire 11 0.45x
Devon 10 0.40x
Dumfriesshire 10 3.76x
Glamorgan 9 0.43x
Kent 9 0.22x
Oxfordshire 9 1.21x
Sussex 8 0.39x
Stirlingshire 7 1.58x
Northamptonshire 6 0.53x
Fife 4 0.56x
Gloucestershire 4 0.17x
Buteshire 3 4.11x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.59x
Cumberland 3 0.29x
Leicestershire 3 0.22x
Lincolnshire 3 0.16x
Monmouthshire 2 0.23x
Ross-shire 2 0.60x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Argyllshire 1 0.30x
Cornwall 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 54 Tierneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.33x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 54 5.33x
Barony 50 5.07x
Govan 50 5.19x
Liverpool 44 5.07x
Glasgow 30 4.34x
St Pancras London 25 2.58x
Preston 22 5.75x
Oldham 21 4.55x
Little Bolton 18 9.79x
Islington London 17 1.46x
Manchester 17 2.64x
Warrington 17 10.03x
Great Bolton 16 8.45x
Blackburn 15 3.94x
Uphall 15 75.19x
St Helier 14 12.05x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 4.16x
Liff Benvie 12 7.08x
North Meols 12 8.58x
Salford 12 2.85x
Bothwell 11 10.41x
Camberwell 11 1.43x
Cardross 11 28.30x
St George Hanover 11 7.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 2.55x
Toxteth Park 11 2.27x
Annan 10 43.74x
Clifford Cum Boston 10 93.20x
Monks Coppenhall 10 9.97x
South Leith 10 5.51x
Birkenhead 9 4.25x
Bradford 9 13.45x
Dalziel 9 21.47x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 5.80x
Oswaldtwistle 9 17.82x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 4.66x
Rowley Regis 9 7.94x
Wardleworth 9 11.02x
West Greenock 9 5.37x
Abbey 8 5.62x
Brinnington 8 32.21x
Bury 8 4.90x
Cathcart 8 15.84x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 3.52x
East Greenock 8 9.07x
Edgbaston 8 8.49x
Forest Gate 8 243.16x
Huddersfield 8 4.60x
Kilbirnie 8 36.95x
Lasswade 8 21.68x
Port Glasgow 8 17.73x
Roath 8 8.40x
Windle 8 9.95x
Burslem 7 6.01x
Chelsea London 7 1.93x
Dalmeny 7 100.86x
Dronfield 7 28.96x
Elvet 7 27.06x
Escomb 7 42.50x
Hulme 7 2.35x
Kirkdale 7 2.91x
Larbert 7 26.36x
Royton 7 16.01x
St Marylebone London 7 1.09x
Beswick 6 16.41x
Chester St John Baptist 6 12.55x
Dalry 6 14.14x
Dukinfield 6 4.88x
Leftwich 6 50.80x
Neithrop 6 24.00x
Portsea 6 1.24x
Wath On Dearne 6 25.19x
West Ham 6 1.14x
Westminster St John 6 4.09x
Batley 5 4.41x
Habergham Eaves 5 3.83x
Hexham 5 18.02x
Marple 5 27.38x
St Quivox 5 16.40x
Wigan 5 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 113
Margaret 38
Catherine 29
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 22
Ellen 21
Ann 20
Annie 19
Bridget 18
Jane 13
Eliza 8
Alice 7
Maria 7
Agnes 6
Anne 5
Emily 5
Hannah 5
Julia 5
Emma 4
Margt. 4
Ada 3
Elizth. 3
Harriet 3
Amy 2
Anna 2
Cathrine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Mabel 2
Margarett 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Norah 2
Barbra 1
Budget 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Deborah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Honar 1
Honora 1
Isabella 1
Winneford 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 77
James 60
Thomas 38
Michael 30
Patrick 28
William 27
Edward 20
Joseph 11
Peter 10
George 9
Martin 7
Matthew 5
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Hugh 4
Thos. 4
Timothy 4
Charles 3
Christopher 3
Cornelius 3
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Gerald 3
Jas. 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Luke 2
Mathew 2
Maurice 2
Owen 2
Dennis 1
Dominick 1
Edd. 1
Edw. 1
Edwin 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Mark 1
Micheal 1
Michiel 1
Michl. 1
Onay 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tierney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tierney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,235 people were recorded with the Tierney surname. That placed it at #3,279 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tierney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,848 in 2016. That gives Tierney a modern rank of #1,149.

What does the Tierney surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Tighearnaigh, meaning "descendant of Tighearnach," a personal name meaning "lord" or "master."

What does the Tierney map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tierney 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.