NameCensus.

UK surname

Dagnan

A surname potentially derived from the French town of Anhiers, also known as Dagnan.

In the 1881 census there were 53 people recorded with the Dagnan surname, ranking it #26,134 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #26,134 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dagnan is 108 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.9%.

1881 census count

53

Ranked #26,134

Modern count

89

2016, ranked #32,297

Peak year

1999

108 bearers

Map years

1

2006 to 2006

Key insights

  • Dagnan had 53 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,134 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016, ranked #32,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Dagnan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dagnan surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dagnan 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1881 historical 53 #26,134
1891 historical 47 #30,566
1901 historical 48 #28,808
1911 historical 52 #27,620
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 97 #30,076
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 94 #31,258
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 89 #32,297

Geography

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Where Dagnans 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 Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire. 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 Nuneaton and Bedworth 002 Nuneaton and Bedworth
2 Nuneaton and Bedworth 010 Nuneaton and Bedworth
3 Nuneaton and Bedworth 007 Nuneaton and Bedworth
4 North Warwickshire 005 North Warwickshire
5 Nuneaton and Bedworth 005 Nuneaton and Bedworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dagnan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dagnan 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 Dagnan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dagnan, 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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Dagnan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dagnan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Dagnan is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dagnan is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dagnan 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 Dagnan 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dagnan

The surname Dagnan originates from France, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 11th century. The name is derived from the Old French words "dagen" and "aigne," meaning "to strike" and "lamb," respectively. It is believed that the name was initially bestowed upon someone who worked as a shepherd or dealt with lambs.

The earliest known reference to the Dagnan surname can be found in the ancient records of the French province of Normandy. These records mention a feudal lord named Raoul Dagnan, who lived in the village of Coutances during the latter part of the 11th century. The name also appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing the Dagnan surname may have accompanied William during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Pierre Dagnan was recorded as a member of the clergy in the city of Rouen, France. Later, in the 15th century, a man named Jacques Dagnan was documented as a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Dieppe, located in the Normandy region.

Moving forward to the 16th century, a renowned French poet and playwright named Philippe Dagnan gained recognition for his literary works, particularly his satirical plays that criticized the excesses of the French nobility. Philippe Dagnan was born in Paris in 1525 and died in 1598.

Another individual of note was Marie-Anne Dagnan, a celebrated French painter who lived during the 18th century. Born in 1724 in the city of Marseille, she gained recognition for her portraits and landscapes, which were highly sought after by the French aristocracy of the time.

Lastly, in the 19th century, a prominent French architect named Émile Dagnan made significant contributions to the redesign and restoration of several historic buildings in Paris. He was born in 1836 and passed away in 1908.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the Dagnan surname throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in French culture and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dagnan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dagnan 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 14 Dagnans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 14 2.28x
Yorkshire 13 2.54x
Staffordshire 7 4.01x
Midlothian 6 8.67x
Warwickshire 6 4.60x
East Lothian 5 72.99x
Cheshire 1 0.88x
Surrey 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 11 Dagnans recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.29x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 11 89.29x
Salford 7 38.80x
Wolverhampton 7 52.20x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 1071.43x
Kirkdale 6 58.14x
Nuneaton 6 397.35x
Prestonkirk 5 1470.59x
Halifax 2 26.60x
Sutton In Runcorn 1 1428.57x
Walton On Hill 1 30.12x
Weybridge 1 185.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bridget 3
Ellen 3
Mary 3
Ann 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Alicia 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1

Top male names

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

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 Dagnan households.

FAQ

Dagnan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dagnan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 53 people were recorded with the Dagnan surname. That placed it at #26,134 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dagnan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Dagnan a modern rank of #32,297.

What does the Dagnan surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the French town of Anhiers, also known as Dagnan.

What does the Dagnan map show?

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