NameCensus.

UK surname

Coughlan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Ó Cochláin' meaning 'descendant of Cochlán'.

In the 1881 census there were 333 people recorded with the Coughlan surname, ranking it #9,038 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,425, ranked #2,716, up from #9,038 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Dover and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coughlan is 2,530 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 628.2%.

1881 census count

333

Ranked #9,038

Modern count

2,425

2016, ranked #2,716

Peak year

2010

2,530 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coughlan had 333 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,038 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,425 in 2016, ranked #2,716.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 632 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Coughlan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coughlan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coughlan 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 241 #9,037
1861 historical 273 #9,134
1881 historical 333 #9,038
1891 historical 466 #7,861
1901 historical 532 #7,712
1911 historical 632 #6,574
1997 modern 2,302 #2,698
1998 modern 2,396 #2,709
1999 modern 2,452 #2,675
2000 modern 2,425 #2,685
2001 modern 2,393 #2,666
2002 modern 2,464 #2,654
2003 modern 2,433 #2,624
2004 modern 2,455 #2,611
2005 modern 2,375 #2,649
2006 modern 2,363 #2,664
2007 modern 2,416 #2,644
2008 modern 2,401 #2,667
2009 modern 2,471 #2,673
2010 modern 2,530 #2,672
2011 modern 2,529 #2,647
2012 modern 2,435 #2,682
2013 modern 2,465 #2,700
2014 modern 2,445 #2,731
2015 modern 2,426 #2,724
2016 modern 2,425 #2,716

Geography

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Where Coughlans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, Dover, Hillingdon and Manchester. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 131 Birmingham
2 Dover 013 Dover
3 Hillingdon 022 Hillingdon
4 Manchester 044 Manchester
5 Birmingham 107 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coughlan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coughlan

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Coughlan is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Coughlan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Coughlan

The surname "COUGHLAN" originated in Ireland, deriving from the Irish Gaelic personal name "O Cochláin" which means "descendant of Cochlán." The name Cochlán is a diminutive of the Gaelic word "coch" meaning "red" or "ruddy."

The name first appeared in historic records in the early 12th century, with the Coughlan clan being among the notable families of County Cork. They were part of the Dalcassian race and descended from Oilioll Olum, the 3rd century King of Munster.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Aodh O Coughlan, who was Bishop of Ross in the year 1216. Another early record is that of Senchan O Coughlan, who was an Irish poet and historian in the 7th century.

In the 16th century, the Coughlans were among the leading families of the Carbery region in County Cork. They were Lords of the territory of Clanawley and held substantial lands around Rosscarbery and Clonakilty.

A notable figure in Irish history was Muiris Coughlan (1593-1635), a Catholic priest who was hanged for his religious beliefs during the Protestant Reformation. Another Coughlan of note was Robert Coughlan (1745-1828), an Irish-born merchant and land speculator who played a significant role in the early settlement of New Brunswick, Canada.

Other historically prominent individuals with the Coughlan surname include Richard Coughlan (1825-1899), an Irish-born bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, New York, and Michael Coughlan (1892-1976), an Irish hurler who played for the Cork senior team and won three All-Ireland medals.

The surname has also been recorded with various spelling variations over the centuries, including Coghlan, Coglan, Caughlane, Caughulin, and others, reflecting the linguistic evolution and regional dialects of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coughlan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coughlan 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 62 Coughlans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 62 1.59x
Middlesex 48 1.46x
Kent 42 3.76x
Yorkshire 32 0.99x
Monmouthshire 18 7.60x
Glamorgan 17 2.98x
Surrey 15 0.94x
Cumberland 11 3.90x
Essex 10 1.55x
Hampshire 10 1.49x
Northamptonshire 10 3.24x
Lanarkshire 9 0.85x
Angus 8 2.63x
Staffordshire 7 0.63x
Durham 5 0.51x
Northumberland 5 1.03x
Cheshire 4 0.55x
Somerset 4 0.76x
Berkshire 3 1.22x
Gloucestershire 3 0.47x
Royal Navy 3 7.68x
Wiltshire 3 1.04x
Derbyshire 2 0.39x
Devon 2 0.29x
Brecknockshire 1 1.53x
Hertfordshire 1 0.44x
Sussex 1 0.18x

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 23 Coughlans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.74x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 23 9.74x
Deptford St Paul 15 17.39x
Folkestone 14 64.55x
St Woollos 13 49.17x
Cleator 10 85.11x
Little Bolton 10 20.00x
West Ham 10 7.00x
Eston 9 127.30x
Roath 9 34.72x
Dundee 8 7.06x
Cannock 7 36.27x
Cardiff St Mary 7 22.27x
Ormesby 7 80.18x
Shoreditch London 7 4.93x
Camberwell 6 2.87x
Limehouse London 6 16.68x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 38.27x
West Derby 6 5.27x
Barnsley 5 14.93x
Gillingham 5 21.68x
Hackney London 5 2.72x
Manchester 5 2.86x
Poplar London 5 8.08x
Aldershot 4 17.78x
Batley 4 12.96x
Bedwellty 4 9.56x
Bishopwearmouth 4 4.78x
Dalserf 4 37.81x
Govan 4 1.53x
Lymington 4 80.97x
Paulton 4 165.29x
Radcliffe 4 21.33x
St Andrew Holborn London 4 28.19x
Tonbridge 4 9.92x
Warrington 4 8.68x
Whitechapel London 4 12.38x
Wigan 4 7.36x
Bermondsey 3 3.07x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.11x
Leeds 3 1.64x
Morpeth 3 52.36x
Northampton Priory St 3 16.22x
Reading St Giles 3 12.43x
Royal Navy 3 8.98x
St Clement Danes London 3 44.25x
Cheadle 2 14.47x
Fisherton Anger 2 37.31x
Kirkdale 2 3.06x
Lambeth 2 0.70x
Litchurch 2 9.69x
Orpington 2 58.48x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.03x
St Giles In Fields London 2 12.44x
St Luke London 2 3.80x
Arundel 1 32.36x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 9.68x
Chelsea London 1 1.01x
Devonport 1 12.76x
Elton 1 7.44x
Great Crosby 1 9.43x
Linton 1 102.04x
Margam 1 15.72x
Middlesbrough 1 2.36x
Monk Bretton 1 30.40x
Nichol Forest 1 140.85x
Normanby In 1 11.52x
North Shields 1 10.28x
Northampton St Giles 1 8.52x
Portsea 1 0.76x
Preston 1 0.96x
Southwark St Saviour 1 5.94x
St George In East London 1 3.24x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.10x
St Pancras London 1 0.38x
Stockport 1 2.69x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.13x
Stoke Newington London 1 3.92x
Swindon 1 4.45x
Trevethin 1 4.47x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Margaret 11
Ellen 10
Catherine 8
Bridget 7
Elizabeth 7
Ann 6
Annie 6
Eliza 5
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Johanna 4
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Amelia 1
Anastatia 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Cattren 1
Emmaline 1
Ester 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Honara 1
Honor 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Monica 1
Nora 1
Rosina 1
Rosine 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
James 15
William 14
Daniel 10
Patrick 10
Michael 9
Thomas 9
Henry 6
Charles 4
Jeremiah 4
Timothy 4
Peter 3
Christopher 2
Cornelius 2
Joseph 2
Lawrence 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Bartholw. 1
Bernard 1
Catherine 1
Chas. 1
Coneilous 1
Danl. 1
David 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Eugene 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Jacob 1
Jerry 1
Jno. 1
Lorenzo 1
M. 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Mattw. 1
Mauris 1
Meachel 1
Nicholas 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Coughlan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coughlan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 333 people were recorded with the Coughlan surname. That placed it at #9,038 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coughlan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,425 in 2016. That gives Coughlan a modern rank of #2,716.

What does the Coughlan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Ó Cochláin' meaning 'descendant of Cochlán'.

What does the Coughlan map show?

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