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
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%

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Dunurlin
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%

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Marhin
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%

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Kilmalkedar
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%

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Kilquane
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

Pádraig de brún, "a census of the parish of Ferriter, January 1835", Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, No. 7, 1974, pp. 37-70.