NameCensus.

UK surname

Conlan

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Connalláin," meaning "descendant of Conallán," a personal name meaning "hero."

In the 1881 census there were 541 people recorded with the Conlan surname, ranking it #6,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 988, ranked #5,859, up from #6,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Liverpool and Sauchie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conlan is 1,023 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.6%.

1881 census count

541

Ranked #6,379

Modern count

988

2016, ranked #5,859

Peak year

2010

1,023 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conlan had 541 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 988 in 2016, ranked #5,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 556 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Conlan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conlan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conlan 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 267 #8,342
1861 historical 247 #9,977
1881 historical 541 #6,379
1891 historical 556 #6,822
1901 historical 547 #7,555
1911 historical 388 #9,497
1997 modern 931 #5,812
1998 modern 941 #5,952
1999 modern 963 #5,888
2000 modern 954 #5,907
2001 modern 939 #5,870
2002 modern 959 #5,876
2003 modern 958 #5,799
2004 modern 969 #5,748
2005 modern 966 #5,698
2006 modern 961 #5,739
2007 modern 984 #5,681
2008 modern 988 #5,702
2009 modern 1,006 #5,740
2010 modern 1,023 #5,772
2011 modern 990 #5,865
2012 modern 945 #6,008
2013 modern 978 #5,920
2014 modern 982 #5,944
2015 modern 988 #5,866
2016 modern 988 #5,859

Geography

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Where Conlans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Liverpool, Sauchie and Alva. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 004 Burnley
2 Burnley 014 Burnley
3 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
4 Sauchie Clackmannanshire
5 Alva Clackmannanshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conlan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conlan

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

Conlan 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

Conlan 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 Conlan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Conlan

The surname Conlan is primarily of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic name "O Conghalaigh," which means "descendant of Conghalach." Conghalach was a personal name derived from the Old Irish words "con" (hound) and "gal" (valor), essentially translating to "valorous hound" or "brave warrior."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, where it was primarily concentrated in the counties of Galway and Mayo in the western part of Ireland. Some of the earliest documented references to the name include entries in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Conolan, Connolan, and Connollan, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era. It is worth noting that the Conlan surname shares a common ancestry with the more prevalent Connolly surname, as both stem from the same root name, Conghalach.

One notable figure associated with the surname was Felim Conlan, an Irish chieftain who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. Another historical figure was John Conlan, a 17th-century Irish Catholic priest who was executed for his faith during the Irish Confederate Wars.

In the 18th century, the name gained prominence in Ulster, particularly in counties Antrim and Down. One prominent bearer of the name from this period was James Conlan, a United Irishman and rebel leader who participated in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

As the Irish diaspora spread around the world, the Conlan surname traveled with it. In the 19th century, notable individuals with the surname included Michael Conlan, an Irish-American politician who served as the Mayor of Savannah, Georgia, from 1869 to 1870, and Patrick Conlan, an Irish immigrant to Australia who became a successful businessman and landowner in the colony of New South Wales.

Throughout its history, the Conlan surname has maintained a strong association with its Irish roots, reflecting the resilience of cultural identity and the enduring legacy of personal names passed down through generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conlan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conlan 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 215 Conlans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.43x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 215 3.43x
Yorkshire 72 1.37x
Lanarkshire 55 3.22x
Middlesex 31 0.59x
Durham 29 1.84x
Cheshire 24 2.06x
Staffordshire 13 0.73x
Cumberland 12 2.64x
Hampshire 11 1.02x
Warwickshire 10 0.75x
Northumberland 8 1.02x
Denbighshire 7 3.50x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.84x
Dunbartonshire 5 3.52x
Essex 5 0.48x
Surrey 5 0.19x
Derbyshire 4 0.48x
Devon 4 0.36x
Glamorgan 4 0.43x
Kent 3 0.17x
Perthshire 3 1.26x
Renfrewshire 3 0.73x
Shropshire 2 0.44x
Wigtownshire 2 2.85x
Ayrshire 1 0.25x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.47x
Hertfordshire 1 0.27x
Lincolnshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.11x
West Lothian 1 1.26x
Wiltshire 1 0.21x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

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 61 Conlans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.01x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 61 16.01x
Barony 26 6.01x
Govan 23 5.44x
Hulme 22 16.80x
Manchester 16 5.67x
Bootle Cum Linacre 15 30.11x
Salford 15 8.13x
Wortley In Bramley 14 33.73x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 8.75x
Dewsbury 11 20.47x
Everton 11 5.50x
Linthorpe 11 35.18x
Leeds 10 3.38x
Penrith 9 53.51x
Arreton 8 230.55x
Aston 8 2.18x
Bethnal Green London 8 3.48x
Burnley 8 15.14x
Great Crosby 8 46.78x
Haswell 8 70.98x
Limehouse London 8 13.78x
Stockport 8 13.32x
Wakefield 8 19.89x
Berwick Upon Tweed 7 41.99x
Bradford 7 5.52x
Toxteth Park 7 3.30x
West Derby 7 3.81x
Wolverhampton 7 5.10x
Esh 6 52.40x
Glasgow 6 1.98x
Monkwearmouth 6 39.84x
Pendleton In Salford 6 8.03x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 5 378.79x
New Kilpatrick 5 36.98x
Poplar London 5 5.01x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 5 66.84x
Ardwick 4 7.07x
Cardiff St John 4 13.30x
Hyde 4 11.61x
Kirkdale 4 3.79x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.17x
Wrexham Abbot 4 79.68x
Chester Holy Trinity 3 54.84x
Derby St Werburgh 3 6.28x
Droylsden 3 14.66x
Lambeth 3 0.65x
Perth Middle Church 3 33.63x
Sunderland 3 10.80x
Wardleworth 3 8.37x
Wrexham Regis 3 20.23x
Birkenhead 2 2.15x
Birmingham 2 0.45x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.48x
Broseley 2 24.63x
Cheadle 2 8.97x
Clarborough 2 37.52x
Conside Knitsley 2 16.35x
Crosscanonby 2 13.29x
Crumpsall 2 13.52x
Great Little Marsden 2 6.96x
Halifax 2 2.60x
Horton In Bradford 2 2.44x
Lewisham 2 2.08x
Lidford 2 40.49x
Litherland 2 15.24x
Middlesbrough 2 2.93x
Port Glasgow 2 10.10x
Sedgley 2 3.02x
Sutton 2 9.51x
Wigtown 2 49.88x
Auckinleck 1 8.16x
Croydon 1 0.70x
East Greenock 1 2.58x
Eastbourne 1 2.44x
Great Grimsby 1 1.86x
Higher Bebington 1 13.39x
Normanby In 1 7.14x
Stafford St Mary 1 3.96x
Tottenham 1 1.19x
Wednesfield 1 3.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Bridget 19
Catherine 19
Margaret 14
Ellen 13
Ann 12
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 9
Jane 6
Annie 5
Rose 5
Alice 4
Agnes 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Maggie 2
Martha 2
Betsy 1
Catharine 1
Catheran 1
Cecelia 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Eose 1
Florence 1
Hanora 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Honor 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Johannah 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margarite 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Nellie 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 33
John 29
Thomas 20
Patrick 16
Michael 12
Peter 10
William 9
Martin 7
Thos. 7
Edward 5
Henry 5
Charles 4
Frank 4
Mathew 4
Timothy 4
Arthur 3
Bernard 3
Francis 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Bartholomew 2
George 2
Jno. 2
Mich. 2
Owen 2
Partrick 2
Phelix 2
Thady 2
Antony 1
Barnard 1
Calude 1
Christopher 1
Cristr. 1
Dan 1
E.Arthur 1
Edmond 1
Ernest 1
Esther 1
Farrell 1
Fred. 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Langwrans 1
Michal 1
Miles 1
Patk. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Conlan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conlan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 541 people were recorded with the Conlan surname. That placed it at #6,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conlan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 988 in 2016. That gives Conlan a modern rank of #5,859.

What does the Conlan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Connalláin," meaning "descendant of Conallán," a personal name meaning "hero."

What does the Conlan map show?

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