UK surname
A variant Irish spelling of the surname Kearns, derived from Irish Gaelic meaning "small, little, or puny."
In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Carran surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #20,127 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Liverpool and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carran is 156 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.2%.
1881 census count
97
Ranked #20,127
Modern count
89
2016, ranked #32,297
Peak year
1891
156 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Carran surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Carran surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 63 | #22,069 |
| 1861 | historical | 125 | #17,678 |
| 1881 | historical | 97 | #20,127 |
| 1891 | historical | 156 | #17,842 |
| 1901 | historical | 145 | #18,426 |
| 1911 | historical | 112 | #21,274 |
| 1997 | modern | 74 | #30,218 |
| 1998 | modern | 80 | #29,966 |
| 1999 | modern | 90 | #29,056 |
| 2000 | modern | 90 | #29,068 |
| 2001 | modern | 88 | #29,056 |
| 2002 | modern | 82 | #30,181 |
| 2003 | modern | 81 | #30,311 |
| 2004 | modern | 81 | #30,569 |
| 2005 | modern | 85 | #30,219 |
| 2006 | modern | 84 | #30,665 |
| 2007 | modern | 87 | #30,666 |
| 2008 | modern | 89 | #30,713 |
| 2009 | modern | 90 | #31,094 |
| 2010 | modern | 96 | #30,854 |
| 2011 | modern | 89 | #31,659 |
| 2012 | modern | 95 | #31,107 |
| 2013 | modern | 95 | #31,523 |
| 2014 | modern | 94 | #31,909 |
| 2015 | modern | 99 | #31,168 |
| 2016 | modern | 89 | #32,297 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Glasgow, Paisley Abbey and Wallasey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 2 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 3 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| 4 | Paisley Abbey | Renfrew |
| 5 | Wallasey | Cheshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Carran surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carran, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Carran surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Carran household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Carran is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carran is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Carran, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Carran originated in Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Gaelic name Ó Corráin, which means "descendant of Corran." Corran itself is a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "corr," meaning "odd" or "crooked."
The name is primarily associated with County Sligo, located in the northwestern part of Ireland. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were administrative records from the 16th century.
In the Annals of the Four Masters, a influential manuscript chronicling Irish history, there is a reference to a notable figure named Tadhg O'Corran, who served as the Chief Brehon (judge) of Brefny in the 14th century.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Carran surname was John Carran, who was born in County Sligo around 1620. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to play influential roles in the region for generations.
Another notable individual was William Carran (1738-1818), an Irish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for County Sligo in the late 18th century. He was a staunch supporter of the Act of Union, which unified the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801.
In the realm of literature, Patrick Carran (1820-1898) was a renowned poet and author from County Sligo. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "The Lyrics of Lough Gill," which celebrated the beauty of his native land.
During the 19th century, the Carran surname also made its way to other parts of the world through Irish emigration. One notable figure was Michael Carran (1845-1912), an Irish-American businessman who established a successful brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Another individual of note was John Carran (1856-1933), a Canadian politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the riding of Huron South in Ontario. He was a prominent advocate for farmers' rights and played a crucial role in shaping agricultural policies during his time in office.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carran surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Isle of Man leads with 81 Carrans recorded in 1881 and an index of 251.24x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | 81 | 251.24x |
| Lancashire | 44 | 2.14x |
| Cheshire | 19 | 4.96x |
| Middlesex | 12 | 0.69x |
| Midlothian | 5 | 2.15x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 0.71x |
| Sussex | 3 | 1.02x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.39x |
| Herefordshire | 2 | 2.81x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.34x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.29x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.17x |
| Wigtownshire | 1 | 4.34x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.06x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Patrick in Isle of Man leads with 38 Carrans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2420.38x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Carran surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 10 |
| Jane | 9 |
| Margaret | 8 |
| Catherine | 5 |
| Ellen | 5 |
| Alice | 4 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Isabella | 4 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Eleanor | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Elizabeth | 3 |
| Bridget | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Effie | 1 |
| Elenor | 1 |
| Elizh | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Josephine | 1 |
| Katie | 1 |
| Marion | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Minnie | 1 |
| Sarah | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Theresa | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Carran surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Carran households.
FAQ
In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Carran surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Carran a modern rank of #32,297.
A variant Irish spelling of the surname Kearns, derived from Irish Gaelic meaning "small, little, or puny."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carran bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.