NameCensus.

UK surname

Conlon

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Connalláin," meaning "descendant of Connallán" (a diminutive of Conall, meaning "strong wolf").

In the 1881 census there were 649 people recorded with the Conlon surname, ranking it #5,499 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,183, ranked #2,134, up from #5,499 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sunderland, Gateshead and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Bridgend and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conlon is 3,277 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 390.4%.

1881 census count

649

Ranked #5,499

Modern count

3,183

2016, ranked #2,134

Peak year

2014

3,277 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conlon had 649 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,499 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,183 in 2016, ranked #2,134.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 916 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Conlon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conlon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conlon 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 288 #7,884
1861 historical 368 #6,935
1881 historical 649 #5,499
1891 historical 632 #6,123
1901 historical 884 #5,206
1911 historical 916 #4,879
1997 modern 2,799 #2,302
1998 modern 2,979 #2,263
1999 modern 2,999 #2,262
2000 modern 2,957 #2,286
2001 modern 2,914 #2,258
2002 modern 2,945 #2,288
2003 modern 2,935 #2,234
2004 modern 2,940 #2,233
2005 modern 2,935 #2,209
2006 modern 2,958 #2,189
2007 modern 2,995 #2,177
2008 modern 3,035 #2,164
2009 modern 3,193 #2,117
2010 modern 3,245 #2,127
2011 modern 3,182 #2,143
2012 modern 3,193 #2,110
2013 modern 3,253 #2,107
2014 modern 3,277 #2,106
2015 modern 3,230 #2,117
2016 modern 3,183 #2,134

Geography

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Where Conlons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sunderland, Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Bridgend and Stroud. 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 Sunderland Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 008 Sunderland
2 Sunderland 004 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 005 Sunderland
4 Bridgend 009 Bridgend
5 Stroud 005 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conlon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conlon

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

Conlon is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Conlon 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 Conlon 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 Conlon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Conlon

The surname Conlon originates from Ireland, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Gaelic name O'Conallain, meaning "descendant of Conallain," where Conallain is a diminutive form of the name Conall, which means "strong wolf" or "mighty as a wolf."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Conlon can be traced back to the 13th century in County Galway, Ireland. It was predominantly found in the western regions of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Galway, Mayo, and Sligo. The name was also associated with the ancient Irish kingdom of Connacht.

In historical records, the name Conlon appeared in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. One notable entry mentions a Brian O'Conallain, a prominent figure in County Galway during the 14th century.

Over the centuries, the name Conlon has undergone various spellings, including Conlan, Connollan, and Connellan, reflecting the fluidity of Irish naming conventions and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Conlon throughout history:

1. John Conlon (1826-1887), an Irish-American politician who served as the Mayor of New York City from 1868 to 1870. 2. Michael Conlon (1810-1876), an Irish civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Grand Canal in Ireland. 3. Gale Conlon (1914-1998), an American actress and dancer who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and Hollywood films. 4. Siobhan Conlon (born 1977), an Irish novelist and short story writer, known for her works exploring contemporary Irish life. 5. Patrick Conlon (1858-1927), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Conlon Catering Company in New York City.

The name Conlon has maintained a strong presence in Ireland, and its variants can be found among Irish diaspora communities around the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Australia, where Irish immigrants settled in significant numbers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conlon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conlon 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. Durham leads with 144 Conlons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.58x.

County Total Index
Durham 144 7.58x
Lancashire 135 1.78x
Yorkshire 125 1.97x
Lanarkshire 47 2.27x
Staffordshire 30 1.39x
Northumberland 28 2.95x
Midlothian 22 2.57x
Cheshire 17 1.21x
Flintshire 10 5.82x
Kent 10 0.46x
Cumberland 9 1.64x
Caernarfonshire 8 3.10x
Royal Navy 8 10.51x
West Lothian 8 8.31x
Middlesex 7 0.11x
Lincolnshire 6 0.59x
Cornwall 5 0.69x
Leicestershire 5 0.71x
Warwickshire 5 0.31x
Angus 4 0.68x
Roxburghshire 4 3.46x
Worcestershire 4 0.48x
Hampshire 3 0.23x
East Lothian 2 2.36x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Renfrewshire 2 0.40x
Shropshire 2 0.36x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Berkshire 1 0.21x

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 26 Conlons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.65x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 26 5.65x
Bradford 19 12.40x
Salford 18 8.07x
Glasgow 17 4.63x
Middlestone 17 446.19x
Sculcoates 16 15.94x
Bishopwearmouth 14 8.58x
Bishop Auckland 13 50.98x
Darlington 13 17.71x
Stone 13 47.12x
Sutton Stoneferry 12 66.23x
Barony 11 2.10x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 3.19x
Manchester 11 3.23x
Manningham 11 14.10x
Normanby In 11 64.97x
Batley 10 16.62x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 16.61x
Dawdon 10 42.77x
Hexham 9 61.18x
Holywell 9 41.74x
Sunderland 9 26.81x
Bothwell 8 14.28x
Brandon Byshottles 8 33.60x
Cheetham 8 14.15x
Coundon 8 103.76x
Eirias 8 462.43x
Hulme 8 5.05x
Rastrick 7 39.80x
Rickergate 7 60.14x
Runcorn 7 21.53x
Tudhoe 7 42.09x
Burnley 6 9.40x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 10.57x
Oldham 6 2.45x
Pegswood 6 281.69x
Ryhope 6 45.45x
St Swithin Lincoln 6 37.36x
Toxteth Park 6 2.34x
Warrington 6 6.68x
Birmingham 5 0.93x
Gorbals 5 40.75x
Halifax 5 5.38x
Leeds 5 1.40x
Leicester St Margaret 5 2.89x
Mawgan In Pyder 5 322.58x
Monkwearmouth 5 27.49x
Northowram 5 11.26x
Odd Rode 5 71.53x
Wallsend 5 16.58x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.41x
Burton Extra 4 32.34x
Crook Billy Row 4 16.43x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.38x
Dudley 4 3.94x
Durham St Nicholas 4 85.65x
Folkestone 4 9.46x
Govan 4 0.78x
Hawick 4 15.44x
Linlithgow 4 32.41x
Reedley Hallows 4 273.97x
Rotherham 4 11.21x
Sutton 4 15.73x
Walsall Foreign 4 3.59x
Westoe 4 3.71x
Whitburn 4 28.78x
Armthorpe 3 348.84x
Cowpen Bewley 3 139.53x
Dundee 3 1.36x
Elland Cum Greetland 3 10.52x
Middlesbrough 3 3.64x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 8.09x
Penshaw 3 52.54x
Stockport 3 4.13x
Walsall Borough 3 17.92x
Chebsey 2 181.82x
Crichton 2 83.68x
Ditton Priors 2 152.67x
Edinburgh St Johns 2 37.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 69
Catherine 23
Bridget 18
Elizabeth 17
Margaret 17
Ellen 15
Annie 11
Sarah 11
Jane 10
Ann 8
Cathrine 4
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Rose 4
Anne 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Emma 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Alexandrine 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Beattrice 1
Briget 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Eugenie 1
Fanny 1
Isabella 1
Juley 1
Lilian 1
Maggie 1
Marg 1
Margreat 1
Maude 1
Merria 1
Polly 1
Priscilla 1
Selita 1
Sibina 1
Susanah 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
James 45
Patrick 32
Thomas 28
Michael 14
William 10
Bernard 9
Joseph 9
Charles 8
Edward 8
Peter 7
Hugh 5
Andrew 4
Francis 4
Owen 4
Anthony 3
Daniel 3
Martin 3
Matthew 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Alfred 2
Barnard 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Luke 2
Michel 2
Philip 2
Wm. 2
Eugene 1
Frances 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Hame 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hy. 1
Jas. 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Mathew 1
Mattew 1
Michial 1
Michl. 1
Pat. 1
Patsy 1
Phebie 1
Philim 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Conlon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conlon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 649 people were recorded with the Conlon surname. That placed it at #5,499 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conlon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,183 in 2016. That gives Conlon a modern rank of #2,134.

What does the Conlon surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Connalláin," meaning "descendant of Connallán" (a diminutive of Conall, meaning "strong wolf").

What does the Conlon map show?

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