NameCensus.

UK surname

Beagan

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Beachán, meaning descendant of Beachán, a diminutive of the name Beach.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Beagan surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, up from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumchapel North, Erskine Central and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beagan is 159 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 166.7%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

1998

159 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beagan had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 57 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Beagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beagan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beagan 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 30 #30,188
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 45 #30,747
1901 historical 53 #28,271
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 153 #20,868
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 159 #21,030
2000 modern 153 #21,520
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 150 #21,830
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 152 #22,022
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 150 #22,937
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Beagans 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 Drumchapel North, Erskine Central, South Lakeland, Carnwadric West and Renfrew West. 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 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
2 Erskine Central Renfrewshire
3 South Lakeland 004 South Lakeland
4 Carnwadric West Glasgow City
5 Renfrew West Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beagan

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Beagan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Beagan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Beagan 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

Beagan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beagan falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Beagan

The surname BEAGAN is believed to have originated in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "beag" meaning "small" or "little," suggesting that the name may have been used to describe a person of small stature or a younger son.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BEAGAN can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where it is mentioned in reference to a family from County Donegal. The name also appears in various land records and legal documents from the same period, indicating that it was a well-established surname in parts of Ulster and Connacht.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, the BEAGAN name spread to other parts of Ireland as families migrated or were displaced from their ancestral lands. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. John BEAGAN (c. 1620-1690), a landowner and merchant from County Fermanagh, who played a significant role in the local economy during the latter half of the 17th century.

2. Bridget BEAGAN (c. 1670-1745), a renowned herbalist and midwife from County Sligo, whose knowledge of traditional Irish medicine was widely respected in her community.

3. Patrick BEAGAN (1780-1846), a soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later settled in County Leitrim, where he became a respected farmer and community leader.

4. Mary BEAGAN (1820-1895), a poet and storyteller from County Mayo, whose works helped preserve and celebrate the rich oral traditions of her native region.

5. Michael BEAGAN (1865-1932), a prominent figure in the Irish independence movement, who participated in the Easter Rising of 1916 and later served as a member of the Irish parliament.

While the BEAGAN surname is most commonly associated with Ireland, it has also been documented in various parts of the United Kingdom and North America, likely due to emigration from Ireland in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beagan 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. Lancashire leads with 26 Beagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 26 3.94x
Westmorland 15 122.75x
Durham 11 6.65x
Lanarkshire 5 2.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 16 Beagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.93x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 16 39.93x
Kirkland 15 5769.23x
Darlington 10 156.49x
Chorley 7 189.19x
Barony 5 10.99x
Everton 3 14.27x
South Shields 1 68.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Margaret 4
Catherine 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anastaisa 1
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Cath. 1
Cathrine 1
Ellen 1
Lucy 1
Sarah 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
James 4
John 3
Patrick 3
Peter 2
Joseph 1
Partarick 1
Pat. 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 Beagan households.

FAQ

Beagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Beagan surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Beagan a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Beagan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Beachán, meaning descendant of Beachán, a diminutive of the name Beach.

What does the Beagan map show?

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