NameCensus.

UK surname

Treacy

A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic Ó Treasaigh, meaning "descendant of Treasach", possibly a personal name meaning "contentious".

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Treacy surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,160, ranked #5,089, up from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Winwick, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, East Lindsey and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Treacy is 1,160 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1833.3%.

1881 census count

60

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

1,160

2016, ranked #5,089

Peak year

2016

1,160 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Treacy had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,160 in 2016, ranked #5,089.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Treacy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Treacy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Treacy 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 60 #25,133
1891 historical 82 #26,494
1901 historical 103 #22,444
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 1,046 #5,286
1998 modern 1,079 #5,339
1999 modern 1,068 #5,404
2000 modern 1,062 #5,418
2001 modern 1,044 #5,393
2002 modern 1,071 #5,390
2003 modern 1,049 #5,381
2004 modern 1,069 #5,310
2005 modern 1,081 #5,201
2006 modern 1,071 #5,242
2007 modern 1,075 #5,278
2008 modern 1,072 #5,321
2009 modern 1,094 #5,347
2010 modern 1,125 #5,332
2011 modern 1,108 #5,341
2012 modern 1,108 #5,260
2013 modern 1,118 #5,302
2014 modern 1,135 #5,267
2015 modern 1,125 #5,252
2016 modern 1,160 #5,089

Geography

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Where Treacys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Winwick, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Manchester and Norton-under-Cannock with Little Wyrley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, East Lindsey, Coventry, Harrow and Maldon. 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 Winwick Lancashire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Norton-under-Cannock with Little Wyrley Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire
2 East Lindsey 005 East Lindsey
3 Coventry 016 Coventry
4 Harrow 013 Harrow
5 Maldon 007 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Treacy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Treacy

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Treacy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Treacy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Treacy 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

Treacy 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

Treacy falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Treacy 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 Treacy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Treacy

The surname Treacy has its roots in Ireland, where it originated as an Anglicized form of the ancient Irish Gaelic name "O'Treasaigh." This name is derived from the word "treasach," meaning "quarrelsome" or "warlike." The Treacys were a prominent family in County Sligo, located in the northwestern region of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Treacy can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals reference several members of the Treacy clan, including Richard Treacy, who was killed in a battle in 1317.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the Treacy family played a significant role in the Irish resistance against English rule. John Treacy, born around 1550, was a notable figure in this conflict, leading Irish forces against the English in County Sligo.

The Treacy surname has also been recorded in various spellings throughout history, such as Treacy, Tracey, Trasy, and Tressy. These variations emerged due to regional dialects and the phonetic transcription of the name by English scribes.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Maynooth Treacy, born in County Sligo around 1420. He was a prominent landowner and chieftain of the Treacy clan.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Treacy, born in 1588, who served as a soldier and military commander during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s. He fought valiantly against the English forces and was eventually captured and executed in 1647.

In the 18th century, John Treacy (1670-1752) was a respected Catholic priest and scholar who taught at the Irish College in Paris, contributing to the preservation of Irish culture and education during a time of religious persecution in Ireland.

The Treacy surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Tressy, a townland in County Sligo, and Treacy's Wood, a forested area near the town of Boyle, also in County Sligo.

Throughout history, several other notable individuals have borne the Treacy surname, including Michael Treacy (1839-1904), an Irish-American politician and lawyer, and Austin Treacy (1902-1974), an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of the Irish Parliament.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Treacy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Treacy 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 25 Treacys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.60x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 25 3.60x
Yorkshire 10 1.72x
Middlesex 7 1.20x
Cheshire 4 3.10x
Durham 4 2.30x
Ayrshire 2 4.57x
Hampshire 2 1.67x
Surrey 2 0.70x
Derbyshire 1 1.09x
Dunbartonshire 1 6.36x
Essex 1 0.87x
Staffordshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Widnes in Lancashire leads with 10 Treacys recorded in 1881 and an index of 199.60x.

Place Total Index
Widnes 10 199.60x
Holy Trinity 9 64.52x
St Pancras London 6 12.74x
Hulme 5 34.48x
Everton 4 18.08x
Liverpool 4 9.49x
Runcorn 4 134.23x
Hetton Le Hole 3 135.75x
Farnborough 2 158.73x
Streatham 2 46.08x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 6.59x
Beith 1 76.34x
Chesterfield 1 29.15x
Esh 1 78.74x
Largs 1 97.09x
Manchester 1 3.20x
Row 1 49.26x
Sheffield 1 5.42x
St Benet Pauls Wharf 1 5000.00x
Tamworth 1 94.34x
Wanstead 1 49.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Laucy 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
John 4
William 4
Alfred 2
George 2
Martin 2
Michael 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Dennes 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Timothy 1
Walter 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 Treacy households.

FAQ

Treacy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Treacy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Treacy surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Treacy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,160 in 2016. That gives Treacy a modern rank of #5,089.

What does the Treacy surname mean?

A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic Ó Treasaigh, meaning "descendant of Treasach", possibly a personal name meaning "contentious".

What does the Treacy map show?

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