NameCensus.

UK surname

Clingan

An Irish surname likely derived from the Gaelic word "cloingeannach" meaning "hard-headed" or "bald-headed."

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Clingan surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 169, ranked #21,884, up from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Borgue, Toxteth Park and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Abbey, Summerville and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clingan is 179 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 125.3%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

169

2016, ranked #21,884

Peak year

1999

179 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clingan had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016, ranked #21,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 137 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Clingan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clingan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clingan 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 70 #21,020
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 60 #26,808
1997 modern 176 #19,091
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 174 #19,829
2001 modern 172 #19,696
2002 modern 175 #19,902
2003 modern 176 #19,623
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 164 #20,715
2007 modern 164 #20,973
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 165 #22,026
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 174 #21,401
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 166 #22,159
2016 modern 169 #21,884

Geography

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Where Clingans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Borgue, Toxteth Park, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Kirkpatrick-Durham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Abbey, Summerville, Peterborough, Stratford-on-Avon and Mid Nithsdale. 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 Borgue Kirkcudbright
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kirkpatrick-Durham Kirkcudbright

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Abbey Dumfries and Galloway
2 Summerville Dumfries and Galloway
3 Peterborough 021 Peterborough
4 Stratford-on-Avon 011 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clingan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clingan

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Clingan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clingan 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

Clingan falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clingan 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Clingan

The surname Clingan is of Scottish origin, originating in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "clingean," meaning "to cling or adhere." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was particularly tenacious or persistent.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the Scottish Exchequer Rolls, where a John Clyngane is mentioned in 1499. There are also references to a Roger Clingan in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls submitted to Edward I of England.

The Clingan name is closely associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the counties of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. The name is also found in various spellings, such as Clyngane, Clyngan, and Clyngham, reflecting the phonetic variations of the time.

One notable early bearer of the name was Robert Clingan (1592-1672), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the rector of the University of St. Andrews. Another was John Clingan (1685-1763), a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned estates in Galloway.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Clingan surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Ireland and England. One prominent figure was James Clingan (1720-1789), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, the Clingan name began to appear in historical records in North America, likely due to Scottish and Irish immigration. One example is William Clingan (1809-1888), a Scottish-American farmer and politician who served in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Another notable bearer of the name was Andrew Clingan (1830-1913), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist who made a fortune in the lumber industry. He donated funds to establish the Clingan Memorial Library in his hometown of New Concord, Ohio.

Throughout its history, the Clingan surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, merchants, soldiers, farmers, and philanthropists. While relatively uncommon, it remains a distinctive name with deep Scottish roots and a rich cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clingan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clingan 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. Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 22 Clingans recorded in 1881 and an index of 207.74x.

County Total Index
Kirkcudbrightshire 22 207.74x
Lanarkshire 17 7.19x
Ayrshire 13 23.74x
Lancashire 8 0.92x
Dumfriesshire 6 37.13x
Middlesex 4 0.55x
Midlothian 4 4.08x
Surrey 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Clingans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.05x.

Place Total Index
Barony 15 25.05x
Borgue 8 2857.14x
Toxteth Park 8 27.22x
New Cumnock 7 736.84x
Holywood 6 2222.22x
Kirkcudbright 6 681.82x
Colmonell 5 909.09x
Kirkpatrick Durham 5 1515.15x
St Pancras London 4 6.79x
South Leith 3 27.20x
Glasgow 2 4.76x
Urr 2 144.93x
Dalmellington 1 62.11x
Duddingston 1 50.76x
Richmond 1 20.04x
Troqueer 1 71.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Emily 1
Margt. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Thomas 3
George 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 Clingan households.

FAQ

Clingan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clingan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Clingan surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clingan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016. That gives Clingan a modern rank of #21,884.

What does the Clingan surname mean?

An Irish surname likely derived from the Gaelic word "cloingeannach" meaning "hard-headed" or "bald-headed."

What does the Clingan map show?

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