NameCensus.

UK surname

Dargan

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Deargáin meaning "descendant of Deargán".

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Dargan surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 444, ranked #10,905, up from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Salford and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dargan is 453 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 562.7%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

444

2016, ranked #10,905

Peak year

2015

453 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dargan had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 444 in 2016, ranked #10,905.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 139 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dargan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dargan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dargan 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 99 #22,999
1911 historical 139 #18,745
1997 modern 394 #11,129
1998 modern 411 #11,122
1999 modern 429 #10,874
2000 modern 417 #11,068
2001 modern 417 #10,878
2002 modern 420 #11,041
2003 modern 400 #11,262
2004 modern 403 #11,224
2005 modern 406 #11,061
2006 modern 416 #10,912
2007 modern 406 #11,249
2008 modern 410 #11,245
2009 modern 424 #11,179
2010 modern 441 #11,087
2011 modern 435 #11,066
2012 modern 430 #11,065
2013 modern 439 #11,052
2014 modern 443 #11,038
2015 modern 453 #10,769
2016 modern 444 #10,905

Geography

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Where Dargans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Eccles, Manchester, Wakefield and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Salford, Test Valley, Stockport and Sefton. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 037 Cheshire East
2 Salford 024 Salford
3 Test Valley 002 Test Valley
4 Stockport 018 Stockport
5 Sefton 038 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dargan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dargan

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dargan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dargan 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

Dargan falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dargan 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 Dargan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dargan

The surname Dargan is believed to have originated in Ireland, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Dargáin, which means "descendant of Dargán." Dargán itself is a personal name that may be related to the Old Irish word "derg," meaning "red" or "ruddy."

The Dargan name was historically associated with County Antrim in Ulster, where it was prevalent among families in the Glens of Antrim. Some early recordings of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Dargan was William Dargan (1799-1867), a prominent Irish engineer and contractor. He was responsible for constructing several important railway lines in Ireland and was also involved in the organization of the Great Industrial Exhibition in Dublin in 1853.

Another notable figure was John Dargan (1786-1868), an Irish entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a successful businessman and a major landowner in County Antrim, and he donated funds for the construction of several churches and schools in the region.

In the 16th century, a family named Dargan was recorded as residing in the area of Glenarm, County Antrim. This may be related to the place name "Dargan's Bridge," which is located near the village of Cushendall in the Glens of Antrim.

Other historical figures with the Dargan surname include Patrick Dargan (1719-1798), an Irish landowner and politician who served as a Member of the Irish Parliament for County Antrim, and James Dargan (1804-1864), an Irish-born civil engineer who worked on infrastructure projects in Australia.

It's worth noting that the name Dargan has also been found with various spelling variations, such as Dargen, Dergan, and Dergin, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dargan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dargan 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 30 Dargans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.81x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 3.81x
Cumberland 6 10.51x
Lanarkshire 6 2.80x
Yorkshire 5 0.76x
Middlesex 4 0.60x
Surrey 4 1.24x
Devon 2 1.45x
Staffordshire 2 0.89x
Channel Islands 1 5.09x
Durham 1 0.51x
East Lothian 1 11.39x
Gloucestershire 1 0.77x
Hampshire 1 0.74x
Renfrewshire 1 1.95x
Somerset 1 0.94x
Sussex 1 0.89x
Warwickshire 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pendleton In Salford in Lancashire leads with 9 Dargans recorded in 1881 and an index of 95.95x.

Place Total Index
Pendleton In Salford 9 95.95x
Widnes 7 123.24x
Caldewgate 5 159.74x
Great Bolton 5 47.98x
Wakefield 5 99.21x
Barony 4 7.37x
Kirkdale 4 30.21x
Islington London 3 4.67x
Lambeth 3 5.19x
Glasgow 2 5.25x
Liverpool 2 4.19x
Manchester 2 5.65x
Newton Abbot St Mary 2 172.41x
Wolstanton Oldcott 2 246.91x
Aldershot 1 21.98x
Barnwood 1 588.24x
Berwick North 1 161.29x
Broadwater 1 39.06x
Edgbaston 1 19.27x
Greenock Oldor West 1 714.29x
Heaton Norris 1 22.32x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 11.71x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 35.84x
Penge 1 23.58x
St Cuthbert Within 1 151.52x
St Martin 1 83.33x
Twickenham 1 35.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Catherine 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
James 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Henry 2
Patrick 2
Frederick 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
William 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dargan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dargan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Dargan surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dargan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 444 in 2016. That gives Dargan a modern rank of #10,905.

What does the Dargan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Deargáin meaning "descendant of Deargán".

What does the Dargan map show?

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