NameCensus.

UK surname

Tighe

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Taidhe," meaning "poet" or "philosopher."

In the 1881 census there were 689 people recorded with the Tighe surname, ranking it #5,250 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,103, ranked #3,074, up from #5,250 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Hull Holy Trinity and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, North Lincolnshire and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tighe is 2,152 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 205.2%.

1881 census count

689

Ranked #5,250

Modern count

2,103

2016, ranked #3,074

Peak year

2009

2,152 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tighe had 689 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,250 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,103 in 2016, ranked #3,074.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,009 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Tighe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tighe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tighe 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 300 #7,650
1861 historical 302 #8,393
1881 historical 689 #5,250
1891 historical 734 #5,406
1901 historical 957 #4,908
1911 historical 1,009 #4,510
1997 modern 1,974 #3,086
1998 modern 2,072 #3,073
1999 modern 2,119 #3,039
2000 modern 2,096 #3,051
2001 modern 2,057 #3,034
2002 modern 2,066 #3,088
2003 modern 2,012 #3,099
2004 modern 2,052 #3,052
2005 modern 2,017 #3,064
2006 modern 2,039 #3,032
2007 modern 2,103 #2,985
2008 modern 2,108 #2,992
2009 modern 2,152 #3,017
2010 modern 2,151 #3,076
2011 modern 2,111 #3,090
2012 modern 2,071 #3,094
2013 modern 2,117 #3,080
2014 modern 2,135 #3,073
2015 modern 2,110 #3,079
2016 modern 2,103 #3,074

Geography

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Where Tighes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Hull Holy Trinity, Eccles, Manchester and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, North Lincolnshire, Dudley and Burnley. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
2 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
3 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire
4 Dudley 002 Dudley
5 Burnley 011 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tighe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tighe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tighe, 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 Tighe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tighe 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tighe is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tighe 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

Tighe 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 Tighe 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 Tighe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tighe

The surname Tighe is of Irish origin and is believed to have emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic surname "O'Taidhg," which means "descendant of Tadhg." Tadhg is an old Irish personal name that translates to "poet" or "philosopher."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Tighe date back to the 13th century when it appeared in various Irish annals and manuscripts. One of the earliest documented references is in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a "Tighe O'Brien" in the year 1234.

The Tighe surname was particularly prevalent in County Westmeath, Ireland, where it is believed to have originated. The name is also associated with several notable place names in Ireland, such as Tighemon in County Wicklow and Tighery in County Westmeath.

One of the most prominent historical figures bearing the surname Tighe was William Tighe (1766-1816), an Irish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for County Wicklow in the Irish House of Commons.

Another notable individual was Mary Tighe (1772-1810), an Irish poet and writer best known for her work "Psyche, or the Legend of Love." Her poetry was highly acclaimed during her lifetime and influenced many Romantic poets of the era.

In the 16th century, there was a Richard Tighe (1537-1597) who served as Archbishop of Armagh and was a prominent figure in the Irish Catholic Church during the Reformation period.

Edward Tighe (1629-1703) was an Irish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for County Kilkenny in the Irish Parliament of 1689.

John Tighe (1768-1837) was an Irish botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of Irish flora and fauna. He published several works, including "The Flora of County Kilkenny" and "Statistical Observations Relative to the County of Kilkenny."

While the surname Tighe has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tighe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tighe 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 220 Tighes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 220 2.74x
Yorkshire 123 1.83x
Middlesex 54 0.80x
Cheshire 43 2.88x
Durham 42 2.09x
Staffordshire 27 1.18x
Essex 26 1.95x
Northumberland 24 2.38x
Warwickshire 19 1.11x
Surrey 18 0.55x
Kent 15 0.65x
Midlothian 14 1.54x
Lanarkshire 12 0.55x
Northamptonshire 10 1.57x
Devon 8 0.57x
Hampshire 7 0.50x
Worcestershire 7 0.79x
Flintshire 4 2.20x
Derbyshire 3 0.28x
Isle of Man 3 2.39x
Leicestershire 3 0.40x
Angus 2 0.32x
Lincolnshire 2 0.18x
Shropshire 2 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.23x
Herefordshire 1 0.36x
Hertfordshire 1 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 46 Tighes recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.73x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 46 12.73x
Liverpool 28 5.74x
Poplar London 26 20.35x
Dewsbury 25 36.34x
Dukinfield 20 28.96x
Leeds 18 4.75x
Pendlebury 17 100.24x
Birmingham 15 2.64x
Holy Trinity 13 8.06x
Toxteth Park 13 4.78x
Burnley 12 17.74x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 12.61x
West Ham 11 3.73x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 2.74x
Kingsthorpe 9 127.12x
Lee 9 26.83x
Newington 9 48.73x
Salford 9 3.81x
West Derby 9 3.83x
Hackney London 8 2.11x
Northowram 8 17.01x
Sedgley 8 9.43x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 3.99x
Haslingden 7 21.05x
Idle 7 22.50x
Seaton Carew 7 172.84x
Weardley 7 1944.44x
Westoe 7 6.13x
Battersea 6 2.41x
Bollington In 6 45.11x
Brewood 6 91.05x
Little Ilford 6 259.74x
Lower Bebington 6 67.57x
Oldham 6 2.31x
Tonge 6 35.61x
Upperswinford 6 80.21x
Woodford 6 39.66x
York St Lawrence 6 85.71x
Altrincham 5 19.15x
Armley 5 16.90x
Barony 5 0.90x
Byker 5 10.04x
Everton 5 1.95x
Exeter St Lawrence 5 471.70x
Great Bolton 5 4.70x
Heap 5 11.73x
Islington London 5 0.76x
Iveston 5 53.88x
Morpeth 5 42.23x
Newton 5 8.08x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 2.06x
Wallsend 5 15.65x
Westgate 5 8.02x
Ardsley 4 51.75x
Brandon Byshottles 4 15.85x
Burslem 4 6.11x
Clapham 4 4.73x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.25x
Droylsden 4 15.26x
Edinburgh Old 4 72.73x
Overton 4 207.25x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.18x
Warwick St Nicholas 4 31.95x
Windle 4 8.85x
Bilston 3 6.77x
Brinnington 3 21.49x
Elvet 3 20.63x
Farnworth 3 6.23x
Govan 3 0.55x
Hamilton 3 4.91x
Hammersmith London 3 1.80x
Lanchester 3 81.08x
Ormesby 3 16.64x
St Pancras London 3 0.55x
Stoke 3 19.27x
Wardleworth 3 6.53x
Chorley 2 4.44x
Holdenhurst 2 5.49x
Lambeth 2 0.34x
North Bierley 2 5.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Ellen 23
Catherine 20
Elizabeth 17
Margaret 17
Bridget 14
Ann 13
Jane 12
Sarah 9
Annie 8
Eliza 6
Kate 6
Florence 5
Agnes 4
Francis 4
Susan 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Isabella 2
Maggie 2
Margeret 2
Margrett 2
Marie 2
Martha 2
Bertha 1
Catrarine 1
Cecilia 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florri 1
Honora 1
Laura 1
Lena 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Linnia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Winifride 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
James 45
Patrick 32
Thomas 31
Michael 23
William 15
Francis 9
Charles 7
Edward 7
Martin 7
Peter 7
Henry 6
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Richard 5
Bernard 4
George 4
Owen 4
Robert 4
Thos. 4
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Anthony 2
Hugh 2
Lawrance 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
Cuthbert 1
D. 1
Dennis 1
Fidelis 1
Franciss 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
H.E. 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Laurance 1
Lt. 1
Malasha 1
Matthew 1
Morris 1
Noah 1
Pat 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tighe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tighe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 689 people were recorded with the Tighe surname. That placed it at #5,250 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tighe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,103 in 2016. That gives Tighe a modern rank of #3,074.

What does the Tighe surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Taidhe," meaning "poet" or "philosopher."

What does the Tighe map show?

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