NameCensus.

UK surname

Carrigan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Carragáin," meaning "descendant of Carragán" (a diminutive of "carrach," meaning "scabby" or "mangy").

In the 1881 census there were 578 people recorded with the Carrigan surname, ranking it #6,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,333, ranked #4,512, up from #6,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Auchinairn, Scotstoun South and West and Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carrigan is 1,333 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 130.6%.

1881 census count

578

Ranked #6,027

Modern count

1,333

2016, ranked #4,512

Peak year

2010

1,333 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carrigan had 578 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,333 in 2016, ranked #4,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 908 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carrigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carrigan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carrigan 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 222 #9,597
1861 historical 403 #6,372
1881 historical 578 #6,027
1891 historical 749 #5,317
1901 historical 908 #5,113
1911 historical 435 #8,724
1997 modern 1,188 #4,746
1998 modern 1,220 #4,822
1999 modern 1,232 #4,808
2000 modern 1,258 #4,714
2001 modern 1,224 #4,726
2002 modern 1,242 #4,751
2003 modern 1,214 #4,759
2004 modern 1,210 #4,785
2005 modern 1,218 #4,694
2006 modern 1,223 #4,703
2007 modern 1,235 #4,708
2008 modern 1,260 #4,639
2009 modern 1,287 #4,648
2010 modern 1,333 #4,592
2011 modern 1,305 #4,627
2012 modern 1,279 #4,642
2013 modern 1,309 #4,626
2014 modern 1,332 #4,577
2015 modern 1,322 #4,566
2016 modern 1,333 #4,512

Geography

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Where Carrigans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Auchinairn, Scotstoun South and West, Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Blairdardie East and Hillhead. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Auchinairn East Dunbartonshire
2 Scotstoun South and West Glasgow City
3 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City
4 Blairdardie East Glasgow City
5 Hillhead East Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carrigan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carrigan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carrigan, 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 Carrigan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Carrigan 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Carrigan is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Carrigan 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

Carrigan 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 Carrigan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Carrigan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carrigan

The surname Carrigan originates from Ireland and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic word "carrigan," meaning "rocky land" or "rough terrain." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a descriptive term referring to the landscape inhabited by the family's earliest ancestors.

The Carrigan surname can be traced back to the 12th century, with records indicating its presence in various parts of Ireland, particularly in the counties of Leitrim, Sligo, and Mayo. The earliest known bearer of this name was Gillebertus Carriganus, mentioned in the Annals of Ulster in 1181.

In the 13th century, the Carrigan family held lands in County Leitrim, and their name appears in the Annals of Connacht, an important medieval Irish chronicle. One notable entry mentions Muircheartach Carrigan, a local chieftain who was slain in a battle in 1256.

The surname Carrigan has also been recorded in various spellings throughout history, such as Carrigan, Carragan, Carraghan, and Carigan. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the transition from Gaelic to English spelling conventions.

Among notable individuals bearing the Carrigan surname, one can mention:

1. Sir William Carrigan (1814-1895), an Irish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1888 to 1892.

2. Denis Carrigan (1848-1924), an Irish priest and historian who wrote extensively on the history of the Diocese of Ossory and the local folklore of County Kilkenny.

3. John Carrigan (1887-1960), an Irish author and journalist who published several novels and short stories depicting life in rural Ireland.

4. Kathleen Carrigan (1902-1982), an Irish writer and playwright known for her works depicting the struggles of working-class women in Dublin.

5. Michael Carrigan (1920-2000), an Irish artist and painter renowned for his landscapes and seascapes of the west of Ireland.

While the Carrigan surname has its origins in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carrigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carrigan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 181 Carrigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.82x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 181 9.82x
Lancashire 91 1.35x
Northumberland 39 4.60x
Renfrewshire 38 8.61x
Durham 30 1.77x
Dunbartonshire 27 17.64x
Midlothian 20 2.62x
Yorkshire 19 0.34x
West Lothian 18 20.98x
Angus 17 3.22x
Stirlingshire 13 6.19x
Cheshire 11 0.87x
Ayrshire 9 2.11x
Middlesex 9 0.16x
Kent 8 0.41x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.04x
Surrey 8 0.29x
Gloucestershire 6 0.54x
Essex 5 0.44x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.76x
Channel Islands 4 2.37x
Worcestershire 4 0.54x
Glamorgan 3 0.30x
Hampshire 3 0.26x
Royal Navy 3 4.42x
Lincolnshire 2 0.22x
Banffshire 1 0.85x
Buteshire 1 2.90x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Roxburghshire 1 0.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 51 Carrigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.59x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 51 15.59x
Govan 49 10.75x
Barony 36 7.72x
Liverpool 23 5.60x
Maryhill 15 41.59x
Dundee 14 7.11x
Blantyre 13 67.78x
Dumbarton 13 61.00x
Abercorn 11 647.06x
Row 11 55.56x
Caistron 10 16666.67x
Little Ryle 10 12500.00x
Edinburgh New North 9 135.54x
Everton 8 3.71x
Ormskirk 8 61.87x
Boness 7 59.17x
Denny 7 62.61x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 9.54x
Middle Greenock 7 58.09x
West Greenock 7 8.83x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 5.70x
Paddington London 6 2.86x
Paisley Middle Church 6 23.35x
Tweedmouth 6 56.76x
Abbey 5 7.42x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.44x
Bothwell 5 10.01x
Brandon Byshottles 5 23.55x
East Greenock 5 11.99x
Kilmarnock 5 9.85x
Middlesbrough 5 6.80x
Moss Side 5 14.06x
Neilston 5 22.56x
Pendleton In Salford 5 6.21x
South Leith 5 5.82x
Stirling 5 18.88x
Thornton In Fylde 5 33.81x
York St Saviour 5 92.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 4.05x
Blackburn 4 2.22x
Cambuslang 4 21.54x
East Denton 4 207.25x
Elswick 4 5.91x
Esh 4 32.44x
Fulwood 4 54.79x
Linthorpe 4 11.87x
Lower Bebington 4 53.55x
Manchester 4 1.32x
Newington 4 1.90x
Preston 4 2.21x
Rochester St Nicholas 4 66.12x
Rutherglen 4 14.80x
St Saviour 4 42.87x
West Derby 4 2.02x
West Ham 4 1.61x
Wigan 4 4.23x
Aldershot 3 7.67x
Bedford 3 21.22x
Escomb 3 38.51x
Hambledon 3 102.04x
Higher Bebington 3 37.27x
Kidderminster Borough 3 6.89x
Liff Benvie 3 3.74x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 3.15x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.51x
Paisley High Church 3 8.53x
Royal Navy 3 5.17x
Spotland 3 3.99x
Beith 2 15.72x
Chester St John Baptist 2 8.85x
Embleton 2 110.50x
Eston 2 16.27x
Great Grimsby 2 3.46x
Hammersmith London 2 1.43x
Haswell 2 16.46x
Lenton 2 11.06x
Mansfield 2 7.53x
Toxteth Park 2 0.87x
Golborne 1 11.35x
Walmer 1 11.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Ann 9
Catherine 9
Sarah 8
Ellen 6
Margaret 6
Eliza 5
Bridget 4
Elizabeth 4
Alice 2
Anne 2
Cathrine 2
Ony 2
Susan 2
Agnas 1
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Johannah 1
Kate 1
Margret 1
Marguerite 1
Maria 1
Nora 1
Rosa 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Carrigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carrigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 578 people were recorded with the Carrigan surname. That placed it at #6,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carrigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,333 in 2016. That gives Carrigan a modern rank of #4,512.

What does the Carrigan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Carragáin," meaning "descendant of Carragán" (a diminutive of "carrach," meaning "scabby" or "mangy").

What does the Carrigan map show?

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