NameCensus.

UK surname

Vahey

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Baithe meaning "green field".

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Vahey surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reigate and Banstead, Hackney and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vahey is 136 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 251.6%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1999

136 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vahey had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Vahey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vahey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vahey 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 27 #32,115
1901 historical 47 #28,929
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 136 #23,186
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 124 #24,616
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 122 #24,812
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 108 #27,015
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 125 #26,695
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Vaheys 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 Reigate and Banstead, Hackney, Hillingdon, Busby and Harrow. 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 Reigate and Banstead 013 Reigate and Banstead
2 Hackney 002 Hackney
3 Hillingdon 006 Hillingdon
4 Busby East Renfrewshire
5 Harrow 012 Harrow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vahey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vahey

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Vahey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Vahey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Vahey is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vahey 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

Vahey falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Vahey

The surname Vahey is of Irish origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in County Mayo, a region on the western coast of Ireland.

Vahey is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name "Ó Bhathaigh," which means "descendant of Bathach." Bathach was a personal name derived from the Irish word "bath," meaning "poor" or "humble." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone of humble origins or circumstances.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a certain "Tadhg O'Vahey" in 1347, who was a prominent figure in County Mayo at the time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Vahey surname was particularly prevalent in the baronies of Erris and Gallen in County Mayo. Some notable individuals from this period include John Vahey (c. 1560-1630), a landowner and chieftain in Erris, and Teige Vahey (c. 1590-1660), a leader of the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

In the early 19th century, a branch of the Vahey family migrated to County Sligo, where they established themselves in the parish of Dromard. One notable member of this branch was Patrick Vahey (1785-1867), a Catholic priest and scholar who was deeply involved in preserving the Irish language and culture.

Another significant figure in the history of the Vahey surname is John Vahey (1875-1946), an Irish-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Riverside Church and the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine.

Other notable individuals with the surname Vahey include:

1. William Vahey (1900-1982), an American politician who served as the Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 1954 to 1962. 2. Cyril Vahey (1908-1991), an English actor and playwright known for his work in the theater and on television. 3. John Vahey (born 1947), an Irish author and broadcaster who has written extensively on Irish history and culture. 4. Amanda Vahey (born 1974), an Australian actress and television presenter. 5. Michael Vahey (born 1980), an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior hurling team.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vahey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vahey 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. Cheshire leads with 20 Vaheys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.96x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 20 29.96x
Lancashire 5 1.39x
Caernarfonshire 4 32.71x
Middlesex 1 0.33x
Northamptonshire 1 3.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston By Budworth in Cheshire leads with 13 Vaheys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26000.00x.

Place Total Index
Aston By Budworth 13 26000.00x
Birkenhead 6 112.78x
Llanbeblig 4 322.58x
Liverpool 2 9.18x
Manchester 2 12.39x
Crowley 1 5000.00x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 68.97x
St George Hanover 1 25.32x
Toxteth Park 1 8.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Christiana 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
M.J. 1
Maggie 1

Top male names

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

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 Vahey households.

FAQ

Vahey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vahey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Vahey surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vahey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Vahey a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Vahey surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Baithe meaning "green field".

What does the Vahey map show?

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