NameCensus.

UK surname

Tumelty

A locational surname derived from a place name in Ireland, likely meaning "ridge of the sumac tree".

In the 1881 census there were 44 people recorded with the Tumelty surname, ranking it #27,447 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, up from #27,447 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Cardiff and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tumelty is 264 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 488.6%.

1881 census count

44

Ranked #27,447

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

2010

264 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tumelty had 44 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,447 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Tumelty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tumelty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tumelty 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 24 #29,038
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 44 #27,447
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 78 #25,500
1911 historical 68 #26,050
1997 modern 232 #16,012
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 228 #16,790
2000 modern 230 #16,644
2001 modern 223 #16,765
2002 modern 221 #17,206
2003 modern 223 #16,905
2004 modern 228 #16,723
2005 modern 232 #16,480
2006 modern 232 #16,600
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 238 #16,640
2009 modern 249 #16,466
2010 modern 264 #16,163
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 254 #16,726
2015 modern 252 #16,705
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Tumeltys 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 Copeland, Cardiff, Gateshead and Sunderland. 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 Copeland 001 Copeland
2 Cardiff 005 Cardiff
3 Gateshead 026 Gateshead
4 Sunderland 035 Sunderland
5 Cardiff 037 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tumelty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tumelty

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tumelty is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Tumelty 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

Tumelty falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tumelty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Tumelty

The surname Tumelty is believed to have originated in Ireland, specifically in the northern regions of the island. It is thought to derive from the Irish Gaelic word "tuaim," meaning a small hill or mound, and "leittir," meaning a wet or marshy place. Thus, the name likely referred to a person who lived near a small hill or mound in a marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tumelty can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 15th century. Here, the name is spelled "Tuamlidhir," which is believed to be a variant of the modern spelling.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official records from the Tudor period in Ireland. This suggests that the Tumelty family had some prominence during this time.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Tumelty is Conall Tumelty, who lived in County Antrim, Ireland, in the late 16th century. He is recorded as having been a landowner and influential figure in the local community.

Another notable figure with the Tumelty surname is Fergus Tumelty, who was born in County Derry, Ireland, in the early 17th century. He was a prominent poet and bard, and his works were widely celebrated in his time.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Tumelty family settled in the area around Ballymoney, County Antrim. One member of this branch, Michael Tumelty, was a successful merchant and landowner who lived from 1725 to 1798.

The name Tumelty has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Tumelty Brae in County Antrim and Tumelty Lough in County Tyrone. These place names likely derive from the same linguistic roots as the surname itself.

Throughout history, the Tumelty surname has been spelled in various ways, including Tumlety, Tumlity, and Tumulty. However, the modern spelling of Tumelty is now the most widely accepted form.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tumelty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tumelty 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. Cumberland leads with 24 Tumeltys recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.95x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 24 64.95x
Lancashire 10 1.96x
Durham 5 3.92x
Angus 4 10.06x
Northumberland 1 1.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cleator in Cumberland leads with 12 Tumeltys recorded in 1881 and an index of 779.22x.

Place Total Index
Cleator 12 779.22x
Whitehaven 12 609.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 71.88x
Benfieldside 4 476.19x
Liff Benvie 4 66.23x
Toxteth Park 2 11.60x
Elswick 1 19.61x
Hetton Le Hole 1 61.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Honorah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Henry 2
James 2
Patrick 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Mathew 1
Thos. 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 Tumelty households.

FAQ

Tumelty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tumelty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44 people were recorded with the Tumelty surname. That placed it at #27,447 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tumelty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Tumelty a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Tumelty surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Ireland, likely meaning "ridge of the sumac tree".

What does the Tumelty map show?

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