NameCensus.

UK surname

Canavan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Caomhain," meaning "descendant of Caomhan" (a personal name meaning "gentle" or "beautiful").

In the 1881 census there were 350 people recorded with the Canavan surname, ranking it #8,762 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,736, ranked #3,603, up from #8,762 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Greenock and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kilsyth East and Croy, Leeds and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Canavan is 1,738 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 396.0%.

1881 census count

350

Ranked #8,762

Modern count

1,736

2016, ranked #3,603

Peak year

2014

1,738 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Canavan had 350 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,762 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,736 in 2016, ranked #3,603.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 433 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Canavan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Canavan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Canavan 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 350 #8,762
1891 historical 379 #9,254
1901 historical 433 #8,954
1911 historical 324 #10,814
1997 modern 1,557 #3,788
1998 modern 1,630 #3,771
1999 modern 1,623 #3,819
2000 modern 1,617 #3,811
2001 modern 1,598 #3,781
2002 modern 1,633 #3,771
2003 modern 1,609 #3,740
2004 modern 1,604 #3,774
2005 modern 1,596 #3,739
2006 modern 1,596 #3,748
2007 modern 1,629 #3,712
2008 modern 1,651 #3,697
2009 modern 1,696 #3,678
2010 modern 1,718 #3,716
2011 modern 1,665 #3,782
2012 modern 1,659 #3,723
2013 modern 1,726 #3,653
2014 modern 1,738 #3,649
2015 modern 1,733 #3,622
2016 modern 1,736 #3,603

Geography

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Where Canavans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Greenock, Liverpool, Glasgow and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kilsyth East and Croy, Leeds, Copeland, Merthyr Tydfil and Lancaster. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Greenock Renfrew
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
2 Leeds 065 Leeds
3 Copeland 005 Copeland
4 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Lancaster 011 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Canavan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Canavan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Canavan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Canavan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Canavan is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Canavan is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Canavan

The surname Canavan has its origins in Ireland and is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. It is a variant of the Gaelic name O'Canavan, which is derived from the Irish word "canamnach," meaning "wolf-like" or "fierce."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Canavan name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century, which mentions a member of the O'Canavan clan named Ferghal O'Canavan who lived in the 14th century.

The Canavan name was particularly concentrated in the counties of Longford and Westmeath, where the O'Canavan clan held significant influence and territories. The name was also found in other parts of Ireland, including County Cavan, which may have contributed to its alternative spellings, such as Cavanagh or Kavanaugh.

Notable individuals with the Canavan surname include:

1. John Canavan (1785-1860), an Irish politician and member of the United Kingdom Parliament for the constituency of Westmeath from 1832 to 1852.

2. Michael Canavan (1796-1879), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in Ireland and served as the parish priest of Banagher, County Offaly.

3. Mary Canavan (1858-1937), an Irish-American labor activist and suffragist who played a significant role in the labor movement in New York City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

4. Edward Canavan (1879-1959), an American lawyer and judge who served as a justice on the New York Supreme Court from 1931 to 1949.

5. Gregor Canavan (born 1967), an Irish film director and screenwriter known for his work on films such as "Life for Rent" and "Calvary."

While the Canavan surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name found in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries with significant Irish diaspora populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Canavan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Canavan 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 142 Canavans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 142 3.51x
Yorkshire 39 1.15x
Lanarkshire 32 2.90x
Durham 31 3.05x
Cumberland 20 6.80x
Middlesex 15 0.44x
Staffordshire 15 1.30x
Derbyshire 8 1.50x
Renfrewshire 8 3.02x
Surrey 7 0.42x
Glamorgan 6 1.01x
Midlothian 6 1.31x
Cheshire 5 0.66x
Kent 5 0.43x
Dunbartonshire 2 2.18x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Sussex 2 0.35x
Anglesey 1 1.65x
Angus 1 0.32x
Essex 1 0.15x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.22x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

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 34 Canavans recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.82x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 34 13.82x
Blackburn 18 16.70x
Widnes 18 61.60x
West Derby 10 8.44x
Arlecdon 9 115.09x
Blantyre 9 78.26x
Bromley London 8 10.65x
Chesterfield 8 39.92x
Thornaby 8 63.29x
Walton On Hill 8 36.45x
Bury 7 15.13x
Crompton 7 60.66x
Glasgow 7 3.57x
Govan 7 2.56x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 15.91x
Kirkdale 7 10.27x
Preston 7 6.46x
Battersea 6 4.78x
Esh 6 81.19x
Manchester 6 3.29x
Moss Side 6 28.14x
Old Monkland 6 13.69x
Ryhope 6 85.11x
Willenhall 6 27.79x
Barnsley 5 14.33x
East Greenock 5 20.01x
Egremont 5 71.33x
Holy Trinity 5 6.14x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 13.11x
Biddulph 4 61.54x
Knaresborough 4 75.33x
St Andrew Holborn London 4 27.06x
Sunderland 4 22.30x
Batley 3 9.33x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 9.33x
Burslem 3 9.09x
Chester Le Street 3 38.46x
Cleator 3 24.51x
Cockpen 3 56.07x
Ealing 3 9.83x
Gate Fulford 3 37.97x
Halifax 3 6.04x
Leeds 3 1.57x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 5.25x
Paisley High Church 3 14.24x
Roath 3 11.11x
Salford 3 2.52x
South Leith 3 5.83x
Barony 2 0.72x
Birkenhead 2 3.33x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.29x
Bradford 2 2.44x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 16.46x
Cheltenham 2 3.87x
Dover St James 2 39.22x
Dumbarton 2 15.66x
Gateshead 2 2.63x
Hove 2 7.92x
Wolverhampton 2 2.26x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 8.64x
Bingley 1 4.64x
Birmingham 1 0.35x
Crosscanonby 1 10.29x
Croydon 1 1.08x
Dundee 1 0.85x
Hamilton 1 3.25x
Heath Charnock 1 92.59x
Heworth 1 5.00x
Holyhead 1 8.87x
Lenton 1 9.23x
Liscard 1 7.36x
Litherland 1 11.81x
Nether Hallam 1 2.18x
North Meols 1 2.52x
Plumstead 1 2.58x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 11.53x
Rottington 1 1250.00x
Stockport 1 2.58x
Whitehaven 1 6.38x
Whittingham 1 56.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Margaret 11
Bridget 10
Elizabeth 9
Ellen 9
Ann 8
Catherine 8
Annie 6
Jane 6
Julia 4
Kate 4
Adelaide 2
Alice 2
Cathrine 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Beesy 1
Bridgett 1
Catharine 1
Cathne. 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Georgiana 1
Henrietta 1
Maggie 1
Margarett 1
Margt. 1
Mariette 1
Opal 1
Rosannah 1
Rose 1
Sabina 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1
Sushannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
James 16
Thomas 14
Patrick 13
William 8
Martin 6
Michael 5
Peter 4
Cornelius 3
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Charles 2
David 2
Francis 2
George 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Bernard 1
Bidelia 1
Frederick 1
Gabriel 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jos.F. 1
Michan 1
Nicholas 1
Owen 1
Pat. 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Roger 1
Stephen 1
Willm. 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Canavan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Canavan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 350 people were recorded with the Canavan surname. That placed it at #8,762 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Canavan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,736 in 2016. That gives Canavan a modern rank of #3,603.

What does the Canavan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Caomhain," meaning "descendant of Caomhan" (a personal name meaning "gentle" or "beautiful").

What does the Canavan map show?

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