NameCensus.

UK surname

Clougher

A local surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from a rocky area.

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Clougher surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Wychavon and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clougher is 124 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 463.6%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

2016

124 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clougher had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Clougher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clougher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clougher 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 31 #30,058
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 13 #33,099
1901 historical 24 #31,365
1911 historical 29 #30,190
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 107 #26,555
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 100 #27,402
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 122 #26,876
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Cloughers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, Wychavon and Walsall. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 011 Birmingham
2 Birmingham 014 Birmingham
3 Wychavon 006 Wychavon
4 Birmingham 022 Birmingham
5 Walsall 039 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clougher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clougher

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clougher, 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 Clougher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Clougher 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Clougher 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

Clougher is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clougher 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 Clougher 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Clougher

The surname Clougher is believed to have originated in Ireland, specifically in the northern counties of Ulster. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "cluain," which means "meadow" or "pasture." The earliest known spelling of the name was "Clougher," which is still commonly used today.

In the 16th century, records show the Clougher name appearing in the parish registers of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Clougher, who was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, in 1587.

The name Clougher is also closely associated with the Irish town of Clougher, located in County Tyrone. This town likely took its name from the nearby Clougher Valley, which was once a lush and fertile area suitable for grazing livestock.

During the 17teenth century, the Clougher surname began to spread beyond Ulster as families migrated to other parts of Ireland and eventually to other countries, particularly Scotland and England. One notable individual from this period was Robert Clougher, a merchant from County Antrim who settled in Glasgow, Scotland, in the late 1600s.

In the 18th century, the Clougher name appeared in various records and documents across Ireland and Great Britain. One prominent figure was Sir William Clougher, a wealthy landowner from County Tyrone who served as a member of the Irish Parliament in the 1770s.

As the centuries passed, the Clougher surname continued to spread worldwide, with many individuals emigrating to North America, Australia, and other parts of the world. One example is James Clougher, an Irish immigrant who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the early 1800s and became a successful merchant.

Another notable individual was Mary Clougher, a writer and activist born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1854. She was a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement and campaigned for equal rights and social reform.

While the surname Clougher is not among the most common Irish surnames, it has left its mark on history and continues to be carried by families across the globe, reflecting its humble beginnings in the meadows and pastures of Ulster.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clougher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clougher 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 9 Cloughers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.54x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 3.54x
Cardiganshire 5 95.60x
Middlesex 5 2.33x
Lanarkshire 1 1.44x
Monmouthshire 1 6.45x
Staffordshire 1 1.38x

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 7 Cloughers recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.31x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 7 45.31x
Cardigan St Mary 5 2500.00x
St George Martyr London 5 1162.79x
West Derby 2 26.88x
Govan 1 5.83x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 78.13x
Trevethin 1 68.49x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 1
Patrick 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 Clougher households.

FAQ

Clougher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clougher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Clougher surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clougher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Clougher a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Clougher surname mean?

A local surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from a rocky area.

What does the Clougher map show?

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