Surname Distribution
in Ballyferriter Catholic Parish
1834-1835

W.J. Mansfield

This is a survey of the distribution of surnames within the Catholic parish of Ballyferriter, County Kerry. The figures given are based on the results of a religious census which was taken by Father Casey in 1834 or 1835. This census, one of the few to survive, lists the heads of household living in each town and parish, as well as the number of males and females in each residence.

By assuming, for the purpose of estimation, that the persons within each residence have the same surname as the householder, one can make several general observations about the relative frequency and geographical distribution of each surname.

Under the previous assumption, here is the total number of persons of each surname within each parish:

Surname Dunquin Dunurlin Marhin Kilmalkedar Kilquane TOTAL
Aherin 10 0 0 0 0 10
Ash 5 0 14 35 5 59
Baker 4 5 0 49 0 58
Barry 5 0 0 0 0 5
Begley 3 47 2 6 124 182
Bell 0 0 0 3 0 3
Boland 21 8 9 32 0 70
Bowler 7 99 4 15 15 140
Brick 0 0 0 0 1 1
Brien (O') 21 0 5 32 22 80
Brosnahan 5 0 0 9 13 27
Brown 4 19 13 8 15 59
Cahalane 0 0 0 18 12 30
Calan 0 0 0 2 0 2
Callaghan 0 0 0 0 33 33
Carney 9 0 0 0 0 9
Carthy (Mc) 0 2 0 0 0 2
Casey 0 0 0 6 0 6
Chenoweth 0 7 0 0 0 7
Cleary 0 0 0 9 0 9
Clifford 0 0 0 6 0 6
Collins 0 0 0 17 0 17
Connell (O') 11 77 26 30 4 148
Connor 76 57 47 173 158 511
Costello 6 5 0 0 0 11
Coughlan 0 0 0 13 0 13
Counihan 10 0 0 0 0 10
Crean 0 0 0 9 8 17
Crohan (Mc) 41 0 5 5 37 88
Curran 0 10 9 22 68 109
Daly 56 0 0 0 0 56
Daniel 0 0 0 8 0 8
Davis 0 0 0 3 0 3
Deady 0 0 0 14 33 47
Devane 17 22 12 27 0 78
Dinneen 0 0 0 0 2 2
Donnell (Mc, O') 0 44 62 27 6 139
Donohy 0 6 0 20 0 26
Doody 0 0 4 26 0 30
Duhig 0 0 0 0 1 1
Dunlea 9 0 0 14 0 23
Dunleavy 0 0 0 2 0 2
Elligott (Mc) 0 0 0 6 0 6
Falay 0 0 0 7 0 7
Farrell 6 0 0 4 9 19
Feneighty 16 14 0 15 0 45
Ferris 0 0 16 22 0 38
Ferriter 0 54 5 0 0 59
Finegan 0 0 18 4 0 22
Finerty 0 6 0 0 0 6
Finn 0 0 0 10 0 10
Fitzgerald 42 113 99 188 192 634
Flaherty 26 19 29 6 3 83
Flahive 0 0 6 0 5 11
Foley 4 27 0 2 0 33
Francis 0 0 0 0 22 22
Gallivan 0 0 0 3 0 3
Garvey 30 36 43 18 53 180
Gloster 0 0 0 54 9 63
Goggin 0 0 11 0 0 11
Gorman 0 0 0 36 17 53
Grady 0 0 0 4 14 18
Granfield 0 53 0 15 15 83
Griffin 0 0 0 21 57 78
Grimmell 0 0 0 11 0 11
Gubbins 0 2 0 0 0 2
Guiheen 72 5 8 0 22 107
Gurnet 0 0 0 5 0 5
Hannafin 17 62 6 9 8 102
Harrington 0 0 6 2 9 17
Heller 0 0 0 19 0 19
Hickson 0 8 0 0 0 8
Higgins 0 11 0 0 2 13
Hill 0 4 0 4 0 8
Hir 0 0 0 12 0 12
Hoare 0 27 0 0 5 32
Hoolahan 15 19 25 13 26 98
Horgan 0 0 0 17 4 21
Hurley 0 0 0 12 0 12
Hussey 0 0 0 9 0 9
Hyde 0 0 0 5 0 5
Jane 8 0 0 0 0 8
Johncock 0 6 0 0 0 6
Johnson 0 15 0 21 43 79
Kane 17 21 0 4 10 52
Kavanagh (Keavane) 111 138 0 42 15 306
Keating 9 22 0 0 0 31
Keeffe 0 11 6 0 6 23
Kelliher 0 5 12 20 1 38
Kelly 0 0 0 6 0 6
Kenna (Mc) 0 0 13 0 0 13
Kennedy 23 18 56 71 43 211
Lander 12 71 0 11 4 98
Leahy 25 0 0 6 64 95
Leary 0 0 0 0 4 4
Lee (O') 0 0 0 0 25 25
Long 39 22 34 12 0 107
Lovett 0 5 2 37 0 44
Lucitt 0 0 13 0 0 13
Lynch 0 0 11 39 7 57
Lyne 13 54 10 0 5 82
Mahon (Mc) 0 0 0 15 0 15
Mahony 0 0 0 14 0 14
Malone 35 7 13 8 5 68
Manning 35 199 82 0 0 316
Mansfield (Mansell) 0 10 5 47 0 62
Martin 0 0 6 39 17 62
Mitchell 48 14 0 0 5 67
Moore 28 20 6 15 53 122
Moran 21 0 11 68 31 131
Moriarty 82 207 63 128 219 699
Moynahan 0 0 10 19 9 38
Murphy 39 8 3 49 32 131
Nehaly 0 0 0 0 14 14
Nehan 0 0 0 13 0 13
Neill (O') 0 0 0 0 17 17
Neligan 4 0 4 0 0 8
Pindy 0 11 0 0 0 11
Quinn 0 0 0 0 11 11
Ray 0 0 0 0 8 8
Regan 0 5 0 0 0 5
Rourke 0 0 0 22 0 22
Rowney 0 0 0 7 0 7
Russell 0 0 0 45 0 45
Scanlan 0 21 0 0 49 70
Sears 12 17 9 20 0 58
Shea 81 87 3 172 66 409
Sheehan 0 8 0 0 0 8
Sheehy 39 0 8 22 5 74
Shoughrue 0 0 6 12 0 18
Stack 0 10 0 0 52 62
Stoat 4 0 0 0 0 4
Stritton 0 0 0 7 0 7
Sullivan 35 129 117 142 119 542
Tailor 0 0 0 8 0 8
Thomas 0 3 8 41 0 52
Thompson 0 2 0 0 0 2
Walker 0 0 0 28 6 34
Walsh 0 15 5 82 54 156
Ward 0 3 0 10 0 13
Webb 0 0 8 0 0 8
Williams 0 5 0 0 0 5
Wren 0 8 0 0 0 8
TOTAL 1268 2045 1008 2475 2028 8824

Using the above data, the percentage of persons in each parish with a given surname can be calculated. Here, as elsewhere, the parishes are listed left-to-right, southwest-to-northeast:

Surname Dunquin Dunurlin Marhin Kilmalkedar Kilquane TOTAL RANK
Aherin 0.79% 0.11% 100
Ash 0.39% 1.39% 1.41% 0.25% 0.67% 42
Baker 0.32% 0.24% 1.98% 0.66% 45
Barry 0.39% 0.06% 126
Begley 0.24% 2.30% 0.20% 0.24% 6.11% 2.06% 9
Bell 0.12% 0.03% 133
Boland 1.66% 0.39% 0.89% 1.29% 0.79% 34
Bowler 0.55% 4.84% 0.40% 0.61% 0.74% 1.59% 13
Brick 0.05% 0.01% 142
Brien (O') 1.66% 0.50% 1.29% 1.08% 0.91% 29
Brosnahan 0.39% 0.36% 0.64% 0.31% 66
Brown 0.32% 0.93% 1.29% 0.32% 0.74% 0.67% 42
Cahalane 0.73% 0.59% 0.34% 64
Calan 0.08% 0.02% 136
Callaghan 1.63% 0.37% 60
Carney 0.71% 0.10% 103
Carthy (Mc) 0.10% 0.02% 136
Casey 0.24% 0.07% 120
Chenoweth 0.34% 0.08% 116
Cleary 0.36% 0.10% 103
Clifford 0.24% 0.07% 120
Collins 0.69% 0.19% 79
Connell (O') 0.87% 3.77% 2.58% 1.21% 0.20% 1.68% 12
Connor 5.99% 2.79% 4.66% 6.99% 7.79% 5.79% 4
Costello 0.47% 0.24% 0.12% 94
Coughlan 0.53% 0.15% 86
Counihan 0.79% 0.11% 100
Crean 0.36% 0.39% 0.19% 79
Crohan (Mc) 3.23% 0.50% 0.20% 1.82% 1.00% 25
Curran 0.49% 0.89% 0.89% 3.35% 1.24% 18
Daly 4.42% 0.63% 48
Daniel 0.32% 0.09% 106
Davis 0.12% 0.03% 133
Deady 0.57% 1.63% 0.53% 52
Devane 1.34% 1.08% 1.19% 1.09% 0.88% 31
Dinneen 0.10% 0.02% 136
Donnell (Mc, O') 2.15% 6.15% 1.09% 0.30% 1.58% 14
Donohy 0.29% 0.81% 0.29% 67
Doody 0.40% 1.05% 0.34% 64
Duhig 0.05% 0.01% 142
Dunlea 0.71% 0.57% 0.26% 69
Dunleavy 0.08% 0.02% 136
Elligott (Mc) 0.24% 0.07% 120
Falay 0.28% 0.08% 116
Farrell 0.47% 0.16% 0.44% 0.22% 75
Feneighty 1.26% 0.68% 0.61% 0.51% 53
Ferris 1.59% 0.89% 0.43% 56
Ferriter 2.64% 0.50% 0.67% 42
Finegan 1.79% 0.16% 0.25% 71
Finerty 0.29% 0.07% 120
Finn 0.40% 0.11% 100
Fitzgerald 3.31% 5.53% 9.82% 7.60% 9.47% 7.18% 2
Flaherty 2.05% 0.93% 2.88% 0.24% 0.15% 0.94% 26
Flahive 0.60% 0.25% 0.12% 94
Foley 0.32% 1.32% 0.08% 0.37% 60
Francis 1.08% 0.25% 71
Gallivan 0.12% 0.03% 133
Garvey 2.37% 1.76% 4.27% 0.73% 2.61% 2.04% 10
Gloster 2.18% 0.44% 0.71% 38
Goggin 1.09% 0.12% 94
Gorman 1.45% 0.84% 0.60% 49
Grady 0.16% 0.69% 0.20% 77
Granfield 2.59% 0.61% 0.74% 0.94% 26
Griffin 0.85% 2.81% 0.88% 31
Grimmell 0.44% 0.12% 94
Gubbins 0.10% 0.02% 136
Guiheen 5.68% 0.24% 0.79% 1.08% 1.21% 19
Gurnet 0.20% 0.06% 126
Hannafin 1.34% 3.03% 0.60% 0.36% 0.39% 1.16% 21
Harrington 0.60% 0.08% 0.44% 0.19% 79
Heller 0.77% 0.22% 75
Hickson 0.39% 0.09% 106
Higgins 0.54% 0.10% 0.15% 86
Hill 0.20% 0.16% 0.09% 106
Hir 0.48% 0.14% 92
Hoare 1.32% 0.25% 0.36% 62
Hoolahan 1.18% 0.93% 2.48% 0.53% 1.28% 1.11% 22
Horgan 0.69% 0.20% 0.24% 74
Hurley 0.48% 0.14% 92
Hussey 0.36% 0.10% 103
Hyde 0.20% 0.06% 126
Jane 0.63% 0.09% 106
Johncock 0.29% 0.07% 120
Johnson 0.73% 0.85% 2.12% 0.90% 30
Kane 1.34% 1.03% 0.16% 0.49% 0.59% 50
Kavanagh (Keavane) 8.75% 6.75% 1.70% 0.74% 3.47% 7
Keating 0.71% 1.08% 0.35% 63
Keeffe 0.54% 0.60% 0.30% 0.26% 69
Kelliher 0.24% 1.19% 0.81% 0.05% 0.43% 56
Kelly 0.24% 0.07% 120
Kenna (Mc) 1.29% 0.15% 86
Kennedy 1.81% 0.88% 5.56% 2.87% 2.12% 2.39% 8
Lander 0.95% 3.47% 0.44% 0.20% 1.11% 22
Leahy 1.97% 0.24% 3.16% 1.08% 24
Leary 0.20% 0.05% 131
Lee (O') 1.23% 0.28% 68
Long 3.08% 1.08% 3.37% 0.48% 1.21% 19
Lovett 0.24% 0.20% 1.49% 0.50% 55
Lucitt 1.29% 0.15% 86
Lynch 1.09% 1.58% 0.35% 0.65% 47
Lyne 1.03% 2.64% 0.99% 0.25% 0.93% 28
Mahon (Mc) 0.61% 0.17% 83
Mahony 0.57% 0.16% 84
Malone 2.76% 0.34% 1.29% 0.32% 0.25% 0.77% 36
Manning 2.76% 9.73% 8.13% 3.58% 6
Mansfield (Mansell) 0.49% 0.50% 1.90% 0.70% 39
Martin 0.60% 1.58% 0.84% 0.70% 39
Mitchell 3.79% 0.68% 0.25% 0.76% 37
Moore 2.21% 0.98% 0.60% 0.61% 2.61% 1.38% 17
Moran 1.66% 1.09% 2.75% 1.53% 1.48% 15
Moriarty 6.47% 10.12% 6.25% 5.17% 10.80% 7.92% 1
Moynahan 0.99% 0.77% 0.44% 0.43% 56
Murphy 3.08% 0.39% 0.30% 1.98% 1.58% 1.48% 15
Nehaly 0.69% 0.16% 84
Nehan 0.53% 0.15% 86
Neill (O') 0.84% 0.19% 79
Neligan 0.32% 0.40% 0.09% 106
Pindy 0.54% 0.12% 94
Quinn 0.54% 0.12% 94
Ray 0.39% 0.09% 106
Regan 0.24% 0.06% 126
Rourke 0.89% 0.25% 71
Rowney 0.28% 0.08% 116
Russell 1.82% 0.51% 53
Scanlan 1.03% 2.42% 0.79% 34
Sears 0.95% 0.83% 0.89% 0.81% 0.66% 45
Shea 6.39% 4.25% 0.30% 6.95% 3.25% 4.64% 5
Sheehan 0.39% 0.09% 106
Sheehy 3.08% 0.79% 0.89% 0.25% 0.84% 33
Shoughrue 0.60% 0.48% 0.20% 77
Stack 0.49% 2.56% 0.70% 39
Stoat 0.32% 0.05% 131
Stritton 0.28% 0.08% 116
Sullivan 2.76% 6.31% 11.61% 5.74% 5.87% 6.14% 3
Tailor 0.32% 0.09% 106
Thomas 0.15% 0.79% 1.66% 0.59% 50
Thompson 0.10% 0.02% 136
Walker 1.13% 0.30% 0.39% 59
Walsh 0.73% 0.50% 3.31% 2.66% 1.77% 11
Ward 0.15% 0.40% 0.15% 86
Webb 0.79% 0.09% 106
Williams 0.24% 0.06% 126
Wren 0.39% 0.09% 106
TOTAL 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

(A similar table, showing the percentages of persons with each surname residing in each parish is available here.)

Clearly, each surname had its own geographical distribution. Here are the most frequent surnames for each parish, where the surnames listed represent roughly 50% of the population of the parish: (Full-length tables for each parish are also available.)

Dunquin

(Full-length table)
Rank Overall Surname Num %
1 7 Kavanagh (Keavane) 111 8.75%
2 1 Moriarty 82 6.47%
3 5 Shea 81 6.39%
4 4 Connor 76 5.99%
5 19 Guiheen 72 5.68%
6 48 Daly 56 4.42%
7 37 Mitchell 48 3.79%
8 2 Fitzgerald 42 3.31%
9 25 Crohan (Mc) 41 3.23%
10 19 Long 39 3.08%
10 15 Murphy 39 3.08%
10 33 Sheehy 39 3.08%

Dunurlin

(Full-length table)
Rank Overall Surname Num %
1 1 Moriarty 207 10.12%
2 6 Manning 199 9.73%
3 7 Kavanagh (Keavane) 138 6.75%
4 3 Sullivan 129 6.31%
5 2 Fitzgerald 113 5.53%
6 13 Bowler 99 4.84%
7 5 Shea 87 4.25%
8 12 Connell (O') 77 3.77%

Marhin

(Full-length table)
Rank Overall Surname Num %
1 3 Sullivan 117 11.61%
2 2 Fitzgerald 99 9.82%
3 6 Manning 82 8.13%
4 1 Moriarty 63 6.25%
5 14 Donnell (Mc, O') 62 6.15%
6 8 Kennedy 56 5.56%
7 4 Connor 47 4.66%

Kilmalkedar

(Full-length table)
Rank Overall Surname Num %
1 2 Fitzgerald 188 7.60%
2 4 Connor 173 6.99%
3 5 Shea 172 6.95%
4 3 Sullivan 142 5.74%
5 1 Moriarty 128 5.17%
6 11 Walsh 82 3.31%
7 8 Kennedy 71 2.87%
8 15 Moran 68 2.75%
9 38 Gloster 54 2.18%
10 45 Baker 49 1.98%
10 15 Murphy 49 1.98%
12 39 Mansfield (Mansell) 47 1.90%
13 53 Russell 45 1.82%

Kilquane

(Full-length table)
Rank Overall Surname Num %
1 1 Moriarty 219 10.80%
2 2 Fitzgerald 192 9.47%
3 4 Connor 158 7.79%
4 9 Begley 124 6.11%
5 3 Sullivan 119 5.87%
6 18 Curran 68 3.35%
7 5 Shea 66 3.25%
8 24 Leahy 64 3.16%
9 31 Griffin 57 2.81%

The most frequently-occurring surnames in Ballyferriter Catholic Parish are listed below. About one half of the entire population shared the following thirteen surnames: (Full-length table)

Overall Surname Num %
1 Moriarty 699 7.92%
2 Fitzgerald 634 7.18%
3 Sullivan 542 6.14%
4 Connor 511 5.79%
5 Shea 409 4.64%
6 Manning 316 3.58%
7 Kavanagh (Keavane) 306 3.47%
8 Kennedy 211 2.39%
9 Begley 182 2.06%
10 Garvey 180 2.04%
11 Walsh 156 1.77%
12 Connell (O') 148 1.68%
13 Bowler 140 1.59%

Source

W.J. Mansfield (neriezpas@yahoo.com) 1