NameCensus.

UK surname

Brannagan

An Irish surname derived from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Branáin meaning "descendant of Branán".

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Brannagan surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 176, ranked #21,298, down from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, St Bees and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Govan and Linthouse, Epping Forest and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brannagan is 176 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.9%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

176

2016, ranked #21,298

Peak year

2016

176 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brannagan had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 176 in 2016, ranked #21,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Brannagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brannagan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brannagan 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 91 #25,239
1901 historical 78 #25,500
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 139 #22,884
2000 modern 152 #21,603
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 154 #21,576
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 168 #21,290
2010 modern 171 #21,481
2011 modern 173 #21,172
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 176 #21,298

Geography

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Where Brannagans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, St Bees, Gateshead, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Govan and Linthouse, Epping Forest, Hillingdon, Milton West and Salford. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 St Bees Cumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City
2 Epping Forest 003 Epping Forest
3 Hillingdon 011 Hillingdon
4 Milton West Glasgow City
5 Salford 028 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brannagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brannagan

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Brannagan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Brannagan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Brannagan 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

Brannagan is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brannagan 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 Brannagan 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 Brannagan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brannagan

The surname Brannagan is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "bran," which means "raven" or "crow," combined with the diminutive suffix "-agan." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with dark features or perhaps a nickname related to the bird.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Brannagan name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a certain "Brannagan O'Mulvey" who lived in County Sligo in the 14th century.

The name Brannagan has been historically concentrated in the western counties of Ireland, particularly in Connacht and Munster. It is believed to have been most prevalent in areas such as County Mayo, County Sligo, and County Limerick.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Donnchadh Brannagan was recorded as a distinguished Gaelic poet and a member of the Bardic Order, a group of professional poets and historians in medieval Ireland.

During the 17th century, the Brannagan name appears in various Land Commission records, indicating that some families bearing the surname were landowners or tenants in counties such as Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon.

In the 18th century, a Reverend Patrick Brannagan was a prominent Catholic priest and educator in County Mayo, known for his efforts in establishing schools for the local community.

Another notable figure with the Brannagan surname was Michael Brannagan, born in County Sligo in the late 18th century. He was a successful merchant and businessman who emigrated to the United States, where he became a prominent figure in the Irish-American community in Philadelphia.

Throughout the 19th century, the Brannagan surname continued to be present in various Irish records, including birth, marriage, and death registers, as well as census documents.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brannagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brannagan 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 29 Brannagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 2.43x
Durham 22 7.36x
Lanarkshire 14 4.31x
Cumberland 10 11.56x
Midlothian 6 4.46x
Renfrewshire 6 7.71x
Yorkshire 5 0.50x
Ayrshire 2 2.66x
Staffordshire 2 0.59x
Cheshire 1 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.70x
Fife 1 1.68x
Hampshire 1 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.74x
Royal Navy 1 8.35x
Warwickshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southwick in Durham leads with 14 Brannagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 494.70x.

Place Total Index
Southwick 14 494.70x
Glasgow 10 17.33x
Bishopwearmouth 8 31.18x
Gorton 7 62.44x
Liverpool 7 9.67x
Great Bolton 6 38.00x
Liberton 6 288.46x
West Derby 6 17.20x
Paisley Middle Church 4 88.30x
Barony 3 3.65x
Shipley 3 58.03x
Whitehaven 3 65.08x
Alrewas 2 606.06x
Cockermouth 2 109.89x
Kilmarnock 2 22.35x
Manchester 2 3.73x
Preston Quarter 2 82.64x
St Mary Within 2 185.19x
Thornaby 2 53.76x
West Greenock 2 14.31x
Auchterderran 1 66.67x
Coleshill 1 123.46x
Elton 1 24.27x
Hamilton 1 11.04x
Kirkintilloch 1 27.25x
Lamplugh 1 232.56x
Liscard 1 25.00x
Newport 1 89.29x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.85x
Royal Navy 1 9.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Margaret 5
Elizabeth 4
Ann 3
Anne 2
Bridget 2
Ellen 2
Agnes 1
Barbara 1
Betsy 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Edward 5
James 5
Thomas 5
Michael 3
Henry 2
Patrick 2
William 2
Arthura 1
Dominick 1
Gerge 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
Samuel 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 Brannagan households.

FAQ

Brannagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brannagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Brannagan surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brannagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 176 in 2016. That gives Brannagan a modern rank of #21,298.

What does the Brannagan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Branáin meaning "descendant of Branán".

What does the Brannagan map show?

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