NameCensus.

UK surname

Connaghan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Connacháin" meaning descendant of Connachán.

In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Connaghan surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #27,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Neilston and Uplawmoor, Gannochy and Walnut Grove and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Connaghan is 113 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 144.4%.

1881 census count

45

Ranked #27,314

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

2014

113 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Connaghan had 45 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 56 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Connaghan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Connaghan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Connaghan 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 24 #30,922
1881 historical 45 #27,314
1891 historical 56 #29,638
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 107 #26,555
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 106 #26,848
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Connaghans 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 West Neilston and Uplawmoor, Gannochy and Walnut Grove, Redbridge, Aberuthven and Almondbank and Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond. 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 West Neilston and Uplawmoor East Renfrewshire
2 Gannochy and Walnut Grove Perth and Kinross
3 Redbridge 029 Redbridge
4 Aberuthven and Almondbank Perth and Kinross
5 Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Connaghan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Connaghan

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Connaghan is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Connaghan 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

Connaghan falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Connaghan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Connaghan

The surname Connaghan has its origins in Ireland, specifically in the province of Ulster. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Conacháin," which translates to "descendant of Conachan." The name Conachan itself is a diminutive form of the Irish name Conchobhar or Conor.

In the early medieval period, the Connaghan family was prominent in County Tyrone, particularly in the baronies of Dungannon and Clogher. The name is also found in records from County Armagh and County Fermanagh. Variations in spelling, such as Connaughton, Connaughton, and Conaughton, were common due to the transliteration of the name from Irish Gaelic to English.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a Ruaidhri Ó Conacháin is mentioned in the year 1273. Another early reference is found in the 1659 Census of Ireland, which lists several Connaghan families in County Tyrone.

Among notable individuals bearing the Connaghan surname, one can mention John Connaghan (1804-1887), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who established the Connaghan National School in Dublin. Another notable figure is James Connaghan (1859-1935), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Other historical figures include Thomas Connaghan (1845-1919), an Irish-American labor leader and trade unionist who played a significant role in the labor movement in the United States. Patrick Connaghan (1890-1975) was an Irish Gaelic football player and administrator who served as President of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) from 1939 to 1943.

Lastly, Bernard Connaghan (1928-2001) was an Irish-born British artist and sculptor known for his abstract works and public art installations. He was awarded the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize in 1961.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Connaghan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Connaghan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 26 Connaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.32x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 26 18.32x
Renfrewshire 5 14.71x
West Lothian 5 75.64x
Ayrshire 4 12.18x
Lancashire 2 0.38x
Dunbartonshire 1 8.48x
Northumberland 1 1.53x
Yorkshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 11 Connaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.65x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 11 43.65x
Maryhill 8 287.77x
Kirkliston 5 1282.05x
Middle Greenock 5 537.63x
Govan 4 11.40x
St Quivox 4 360.36x
Dalserf 2 140.85x
Great Bolton 2 28.99x
Barony 1 2.78x
Dewsbury 1 22.42x
Old Kilpatrick 1 71.94x
West Lilburn 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Rosanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Hugh 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 Connaghan households.

FAQ

Connaghan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Connaghan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Connaghan surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Connaghan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Connaghan a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Connaghan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Connacháin" meaning descendant of Connachán.

What does the Connaghan map show?

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