The Leary surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,505 people carried this name — #2,351 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,000 people counted. That is up 2% from 15,127 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Leary surname

A surname from Irish, an alternate anglicization of Ó Laoghaire (literally “descendant of Leary”) (O'Leary).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Leary» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 186 births for the Leary name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 8,300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Munster 142
Leinster 38
Connacht 3
Ulster 3

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

21 families named Leary, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 103 people lived in those households, 4.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 11
New York 4
Maryland 3
Virginia 2
Pennsylvania 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 249 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Leary in American newspapers,
1856–1896.

Newspaper page from Semi-weekly Register carrying the name Leary
Semi-weekly Register 1895-06-12
Newspaper page from Semi-weekly Register carrying the name Leary
Semi-weekly Register 1896-01-29
Newspaper page from The Weekly Portage Sentinel carrying the name Leary
The Weekly Portage Sentinel 1856-08-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Leary in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

55,492 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Leary. The most, 9,594, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 24,536
Victoria 8,708
Tasmania 8,185
Queensland 6,192
South Australia 5,289
Western Australia 2,182
ACT (Canberra) 266
Northern Territory 82

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Leary.

Who carried it

People named Leary,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Lewis Sheridan Leary
    Lewis Sheridan Leary 1835–1859 · abolitionist
  • Richard P. Leary
    Richard P. Leary 1842–1901 · military officer
  • John S. Leary
    John S. Leary 1845–1904 · lawyer
  • Eliza Ferry Leary
    Eliza Ferry Leary 1851–1935 · author
  • Frank Daniel Leary
    Frank Daniel Leary 1854– · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 113 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Leary,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States6,850 records

6,850 records of the Leary name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 3,424
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,278
  • Other U.S. records 2,148
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Daniel J. Leary

    Born 1915 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1941 at Boston; driver from Norfolk County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at St Francis Cemetery, Weymouth, Massachusetts.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margaret Leary

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 18; servant. From Gullan, Ireland; bound for Newark.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gary Hoyt Leary

    Born 1947; from Washington, North Carolina. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 6,850 records for Leary in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia1,728 records

1,728 records of the Leary name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 736
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 602
  • Other Australian records 390
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Elizabeth Leary

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Midlothian, sailing from Kingston in 1852. Native of Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1855. Married 1855 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Michael Leary

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Orator, sailing from Dublin in 1843. Native of Wexford. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1849 in Morven, Tasmania, aged 23.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Leary

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Albatross, aged 35; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,728 records for Leary in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada346 records

346 records of the Leary name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 317
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 9
  • Other Canadian records 20
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Leary

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the Crocodile, landing at Quebec, bound for Stratford, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Phoeba Leary

    Buried in 1981 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 86.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Anna Louisa Leary

    Died 1932 in Wolfville, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 346 records for Leary in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom36 records

36 records of the Leary name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 14
  • Stirling Council burial records 14
  • Other British records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Una Rose Leary

    Died 2000, aged 78; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Cornelius Leary

    Buried in 1832 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 39.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Daniel Leary

    Will proved in 1937; of Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 36 records for Leary in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand12 records

12 records of the Leary name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 10
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Stanislaus Leary

    Died 1987, aged 86; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Neville Mark Leary

    Died 1991; buried at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record E. Leary

    New Zealand Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Leary in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Ireland2 records

2 records of the Leary name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Leary

    Died 1976; buried at Labane, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Leary in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Leary name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Philippe Leary

    Born 1906 in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin); died 1984 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Leary name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Michael Joseph Leary

    Married in 1917 in Groningen; seaman.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Leary name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Margarett Leary

    Died 1907 in Kortijk.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Kortrijk (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Leary.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Leary is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Leary volume
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