NameCensus.

UK surname

Traynor

An Irish occupational surname referring to a carpenter or builder, derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac an Trénora."

In the 1881 census there were 706 people recorded with the Traynor surname, ranking it #5,148 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,767, ranked #1,797, up from #5,148 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Lochee and Greenend and Carnbroe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Traynor is 3,901 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 433.6%.

1881 census count

706

Ranked #5,148

Modern count

3,767

2016, ranked #1,797

Peak year

2010

3,901 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Traynor had 706 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,148 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,767 in 2016, ranked #1,797.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,412 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Traynor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Traynor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Traynor 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 706 #5,148
1891 historical 963 #4,293
1901 historical 1,412 #3,580
1911 historical 1,087 #4,266
1997 modern 3,519 #1,839
1998 modern 3,628 #1,861
1999 modern 3,684 #1,847
2000 modern 3,681 #1,832
2001 modern 3,534 #1,873
2002 modern 3,647 #1,858
2003 modern 3,598 #1,836
2004 modern 3,545 #1,866
2005 modern 3,637 #1,796
2006 modern 3,634 #1,797
2007 modern 3,663 #1,797
2008 modern 3,691 #1,795
2009 modern 3,798 #1,789
2010 modern 3,901 #1,779
2011 modern 3,845 #1,785
2012 modern 3,721 #1,806
2013 modern 3,775 #1,815
2014 modern 3,808 #1,806
2015 modern 3,798 #1,791
2016 modern 3,767 #1,797

Geography

Back to top

Where Traynors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Lochee, Greenend and Carnbroe and Dundyvan. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
2 Lochee Dundee City
3 Greenend and Carnbroe North Lanarkshire
4 Knowsley 008 Knowsley
5 Dundyvan North Lanarkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Traynor

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Traynor

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

Traynor 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

Traynor 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 Traynor is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Traynor

The surname Traynor has its origins in Ireland, specifically in the northern counties of Ulster. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic name "O'Treanoir," which means "descendant of the strong man" or "descendant of the powerful one." This name can be traced back to the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Traynor can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written by monks in the 15th century. The Annals mention several individuals with the name, including Aedh O'Treanoir, who was a leader in County Armagh in the 1300s.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various administrative records and legal documents, such as the Fiants of the Tudor monarchy in Ireland. One notable individual from this period was Seamus Traynor, who was a landowner in County Antrim in the late 1500s.

As the centuries passed, the name spread to other parts of Ireland, and various spelling variations emerged, including Traynor, Treanor, and Trainor. These variations reflect the differences in pronunciation and local dialects across the island.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Traynor was Patrick Traynor, a Roman Catholic priest born in County Armagh in the late 17th century. He was a prominent figure during the Penal Laws era, when Catholics faced significant discrimination and persecution in Ireland.

Another notable figure was Micheal Traynor, born in County Down in 1768, who was a renowned Irish harpist and composer. He was one of the last great practitioners of the ancient Irish harp tradition and played a significant role in preserving this cultural heritage.

In the 19th century, several Traynors gained prominence in various fields. Michael Traynor (1807-1866) was an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for County Armagh. John Traynor (1828-1899) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from County Tyrone, known for his support of education and charitable causes.

As the Irish diaspora spread worldwide, the surname Traynor travelled with emigrants to various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Individuals with this surname can be found in numerous professions and walks of life, contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural diversity in their adopted homelands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Traynor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Traynor 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 344 Traynors recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.20x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 344 4.20x
Lanarkshire 74 3.32x
Yorkshire 44 0.64x
Cheshire 34 2.23x
Midlothian 25 2.71x
Northumberland 24 2.34x
Durham 23 1.12x
Angus 20 3.13x
Middlesex 20 0.29x
Fife 18 4.41x
Hampshire 18 1.27x
Monmouthshire 17 3.41x
Cumberland 10 1.68x
Surrey 10 0.30x
Derbyshire 6 0.56x
Ayrshire 3 0.58x
Renfrewshire 3 0.56x
Anglesey 2 1.64x
Devon 2 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.22x
Warwickshire 2 0.12x
Essex 1 0.07x
Glamorgan 1 0.08x
Kent 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 1.22x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 80 Traynors recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.10x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 80 16.10x
Salford 27 11.22x
Toxteth Park 25 9.02x
Birkenhead 23 18.95x
New Monkland 21 31.85x
Everton 20 7.67x
Beath 18 139.53x
Glasgow 18 4.54x
Widnes 18 30.50x
St Woollos 16 28.76x
Ashton Under Lyne 14 7.83x
Old Monkland 13 14.69x
Manchester 12 3.26x
Parr 11 37.57x
West Derby 11 4.59x
Edinburgh Old 10 178.25x
Linthorpe 10 24.52x
Livesey 10 69.64x
Preston 10 4.57x
Wigan 10 8.74x
Holy Trinity 9 5.48x
Westgate 9 14.16x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 12.56x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 12.31x
Huyton With Roby 8 83.42x
Liff Benvie 8 8.25x
Northwood 8 39.74x
Elswick 7 8.55x
Great Crosby 7 31.38x
Hulme 7 4.10x
Kirkdale 7 5.09x
Wavertree 7 26.73x
Dundee 6 2.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.61x
Govan 6 1.09x
Hensingham 6 123.71x
Lochee 6 105.26x
Pendleton In Salford 6 6.15x
Rutherglen 6 18.34x
Southwark St Thomas 6 326.09x
St Anne Soho London 6 15.24x
Gateshead 5 3.25x
Glossop Dale 5 9.89x
Greencroft 5 132.98x
Leeds 5 1.30x
Little Bolton 5 4.75x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 37.06x
Westleigh 5 26.91x
Westminster St John 5 5.95x
Beswick 4 19.11x
Blantyre 4 17.23x
Chester St Michael 4 223.46x
Crumpsall 4 20.74x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 4 74.35x
Heworth 4 9.89x
Islington London 4 0.60x
Openshaw 4 10.44x
Southampton St Mary 4 4.50x
Barony 3 0.53x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.24x
Kirkham 3 27.73x
Lower Darwen 3 27.93x
Portsmouth 3 9.22x
Aldershot 2 4.22x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.14x
Cheetham 2 3.28x
Eastwood 2 6.08x
Edinburgh New 2 27.86x
Fulham London 2 2.00x
Great Bolton 2 1.85x
Hamilton 2 3.21x
Holyhead 2 8.78x
Lytham 2 16.01x
Middlesbrough 2 2.25x
Much Woolton 2 18.02x
Oldham 2 0.76x
Ratcliffe London 2 5.25x
Sculcoates 2 1.85x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.44x
Walton On Hill 2 4.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Elizabeth 20
Catherine 19
Margaret 18
Bridget 17
Ann 15
Ellen 13
Annie 12
Sarah 11
Jane 7
Rose 7
Alice 6
Eliza 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Anne 3
Elizth. 3
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Harriett 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Cathne. 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ellinor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Frankenburg 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Joanna 1
Joseph 1
Lettica 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Luisa 1
Madeline 1
Margaretta 1
Margt. 1
Mariana 1
Mariann 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
James 31
Thomas 29
William 19
Patrick 17
Edward 13
Francis 11
Peter 11
Michael 10
Hugh 9
Joseph 8
Bernard 6
Charles 6
Owen 6
Daniel 4
Henry 4
Philip 4
Alfred 3
George 3
Thos. 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Frank 2
Lawrence 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
... 1
Anthony 1
Augustine 1
Bernent 1
Chris 1
Christie 1
Ernest 1
Jane 1
Jemie 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Michl. 1
Miles 1
Percy 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Ted 1
Thomes 1
Thos 1

FAQ

Traynor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Traynor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 706 people were recorded with the Traynor surname. That placed it at #5,148 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Traynor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,767 in 2016. That gives Traynor a modern rank of #1,797.

What does the Traynor surname mean?

An Irish occupational surname referring to a carpenter or builder, derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac an Trénora."

What does the Traynor map show?

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