NameCensus.

UK surname

Colligan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Ceallachain," meaning "descendant of Ceallachán," a personal name meaning "bright-headed."

In the 1881 census there were 261 people recorded with the Colligan surname, ranking it #10,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 729, ranked #7,469, up from #10,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, Auchtermuchty and Gateside and Carntyne West and Haghill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colligan is 729 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 179.3%.

1881 census count

261

Ranked #10,752

Modern count

729

2016, ranked #7,469

Peak year

2016

729 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colligan had 261 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 729 in 2016, ranked #7,469.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 421 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Colligan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colligan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Colligan 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 254 #9,741
1881 historical 261 #10,752
1891 historical 411 #8,675
1901 historical 421 #9,141
1911 historical 224 #13,914
1997 modern 645 #7,704
1998 modern 682 #7,628
1999 modern 678 #7,703
2000 modern 676 #7,695
2001 modern 640 #7,883
2002 modern 649 #7,959
2003 modern 658 #7,764
2004 modern 639 #7,931
2005 modern 657 #7,709
2006 modern 652 #7,782
2007 modern 656 #7,806
2008 modern 672 #7,711
2009 modern 683 #7,791
2010 modern 707 #7,724
2011 modern 708 #7,642
2012 modern 694 #7,659
2013 modern 704 #7,690
2014 modern 718 #7,630
2015 modern 709 #7,646
2016 modern 729 #7,469

Geography

Back to top

Where Colligans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Carntyne West and Haghill, Cannock Chase and Liverpool. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 017 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
3 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City
4 Cannock Chase 006 Cannock Chase
5 Liverpool 010 Liverpool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Colligan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Colligan

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Colligan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Colligan is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Colligan 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 Colligan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Colligan

The surname Colligan is of Irish origin and is believed to have originated in the late medieval period, possibly as early as the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "coll" meaning "hazel tree" and "gan" meaning "without," suggesting it may have been a descriptive name for someone living near or in an area without hazel trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of public records from the 16th century. In these records, a John Colligan is mentioned as having received a grant of land in County Westmeath, Ireland, in 1586.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. This work mentions a Dermot Colligan who was involved in a skirmish in County Sligo in the year 1495.

The Colligans were particularly prominent in County Mayo, where the name is believed to have originated. One notable figure was Patrick Colligan, a Catholic priest and historian who lived from 1764 to 1846. He wrote extensively on the history and antiquities of County Mayo.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Colligan family settled in County Tipperary. A member of this branch, Thomas Colligan (1765-1842), was a successful merchant and landowner. He is recorded as having donated funds for the construction of a Catholic church in the town of Clonmel.

Another notable individual with the surname Colligan was John Colligan (1829-1899), a prominent Irish-American businessman and philanthropist. He emigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century and became a successful merchant in New York City, amassing a considerable fortune.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Colligan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colligan 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 64 Colligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.12x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 64 2.12x
Lanarkshire 55 6.68x
Angus 31 13.14x
Renfrewshire 22 11.15x
Yorkshire 19 0.75x
Ayrshire 11 5.77x
Hampshire 10 1.92x
Cumberland 8 3.65x
Warwickshire 8 1.25x
Dunbartonshire 6 8.77x
Cheshire 5 0.89x
Derbyshire 5 1.25x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.46x
East Lothian 4 11.86x
Stirlingshire 2 2.13x
Durham 1 0.13x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 2.71x
Middlesex 1 0.04x
Perthshire 1 0.88x
Sussex 1 0.23x
West Lothian 1 2.61x

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 31 Colligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.90x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 31 16.90x
Dundee 27 30.66x
Govan 11 5.40x
Lochwinnoch 10 340.14x
Bury 9 26.08x
Toxteth Park 9 8.80x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 41.73x
Portsea 8 7.82x
Cambuslang 7 84.34x
East Kilbride 6 169.97x
Egremont 6 114.72x
Kirkintilloch 6 64.59x
Ashton In Makerfield 5 58.14x
Birkenhead 5 11.16x
Bothwell 5 22.39x
Dalmellington 5 89.29x
Glasgow 5 3.42x
Kilbirnie 5 109.17x
Leeds 5 3.51x
Lesmahagow 5 57.41x
Litchurch 5 31.17x
New Monkland 5 20.54x
Nottingham St Mary 5 5.63x
Ormesby 5 73.75x
West Greenock 5 14.12x
Blantyre 4 46.67x
Haddington 4 80.32x
Liff Benvie 4 11.17x
Shotts 4 40.61x
Barnsley 3 11.53x
Everton 3 3.12x
Hunslet 3 7.63x
Neilston 3 30.30x
Salford 3 3.38x
Denny 2 40.08x
Farnborough 2 36.50x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 2 238.10x
Manchester 2 1.47x
Middle Greenock 2 37.17x
Workington 2 15.94x
Auchtergaven 1 52.08x
Barony 1 0.48x
Beith 1 17.57x
Boness 1 18.90x
Dalziel 1 11.29x
Hackney London 1 0.70x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.05x
Littlehampton 1 29.15x
Old Monkland 1 3.06x
Paisley High Church 1 6.37x
Paisley Middle Church 1 8.70x
Troqueer 1 20.66x
Walton On Hill 1 6.11x
Whitby 1 11.76x
Wuerdle Wardle 1 10.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Bridget 5
Jane 4
Margaret 4
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Adelaide 1
Allen 1
Allice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Briget 1
Dinah 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Lillian 1
M. 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Marjory 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Colligan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colligan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 261 people were recorded with the Colligan surname. That placed it at #10,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colligan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 729 in 2016. That gives Colligan a modern rank of #7,469.

What does the Colligan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Ceallachain," meaning "descendant of Ceallachán," a personal name meaning "bright-headed."

What does the Colligan map show?

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