NameCensus.

UK surname

Dorgan

Irish surname derived from the Gaelic phrase "dóir Gheine" meaning "people of the foreigner".

In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Dorgan surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 396, ranked #11,967, up from #21,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Minster and Gelligaer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Warwick and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dorgan is 412 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 350.0%.

1881 census count

88

Ranked #21,211

Modern count

396

2016, ranked #11,967

Peak year

2014

412 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dorgan had 88 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016, ranked #11,967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Dorgan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dorgan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dorgan 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 78 #23,836
1881 historical 88 #21,211
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 136 #19,110
1911 historical 159 #17,219
1997 modern 370 #11,666
1998 modern 375 #11,939
1999 modern 397 #11,503
2000 modern 392 #11,564
2001 modern 387 #11,484
2002 modern 388 #11,689
2003 modern 377 #11,762
2004 modern 374 #11,843
2005 modern 360 #12,112
2006 modern 363 #12,123
2007 modern 369 #12,098
2008 modern 380 #11,942
2009 modern 390 #11,950
2010 modern 405 #11,874
2011 modern 395 #11,966
2012 modern 394 #11,854
2013 modern 403 #11,850
2014 modern 412 #11,743
2015 modern 401 #11,889
2016 modern 396 #11,967

Geography

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Where Dorgans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Minster, Gelligaer, London parishes and Wigan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Warwick, Halton and Copeland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Minster Kent
3 Gelligaer Glamorganshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Wigan Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Warwick 015 Warwick
3 Halton 012 Halton
4 Warwick 013 Warwick
5 Copeland 006 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dorgan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dorgan

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Dorgan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dorgan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dorgan 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

Dorgan 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

Dorgan falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dorgan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dorgan

The surname Dorgan originated in Ireland, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Dorgán," which means "little freckled person." The name was likely a descriptive nickname given to someone with a freckled complexion.

The Dorgan name has its roots in County Cork, particularly in the areas around Mallow and Fermoy. It is believed that the name may have originated from the Irish word "dorgán," which means "grim" or "surly," and could have been a nickname for someone with a stern or serious demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dorgan name can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, dated 1586, which mentions a "Dermot Dorgan." This suggests that the name was already established in Ireland by the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Dorgan name appears in various historical records, including the Petty's Census of Ireland in 1659, which lists several Dorgan families in County Cork. One notable individual from this period was Dermot Dorgan, a landowner in the parish of Kilworth, County Cork, who was mentioned in the Books of Survey and Distribution in 1670.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Dorgan name continued to be prevalent in County Cork, with several notable individuals bearing this surname. One such person was John Dorgan (1743-1812), a prominent landowner and merchant in Fermoy, County Cork.

Another notable Dorgan was William Dorgan (1833-1905), a Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, from 1892 to 1893. He was born in County Cork and later emigrated to the United States.

In the late 19th century, the Dorgan name also gained prominence in the field of education with Thomas J. Dorgan (1857-1931), an Irish-American educator and author who served as the principal of Boston Latin School from 1898 to 1928.

While the Dorgan surname has its roots in Ireland, particularly in County Cork, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the Irish Gaelic word "Dorgán," representing a descriptive nickname for a person with freckles or a stern demeanor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dorgan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dorgan 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. Middlesex leads with 20 Dorgans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 2.33x
Lancashire 14 1.37x
Yorkshire 14 1.65x
Glamorgan 9 6.02x
Essex 8 4.72x
Renfrewshire 6 9.02x
Northumberland 5 3.92x
Cheshire 4 2.11x
Devon 3 1.68x
Gloucestershire 1 0.59x
Hampshire 1 0.57x
Herefordshire 1 2.84x
Kent 1 0.34x
Warwickshire 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barking in Essex leads with 8 Dorgans recorded in 1881 and an index of 161.29x.

Place Total Index
Barking 8 161.29x
St Giles In Fields London 8 190.02x
Kirkleatham 7 608.70x
Southcoates 7 148.31x
West Greenock 6 50.25x
Bedlington 5 117.37x
Kirkdale 5 29.19x
Leckwith 5 1428.57x
Gelligaer 4 117.30x
Bury 2 17.20x
Dukinfield 2 22.86x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 14.53x
Preston 2 7.34x
St George In East London 2 24.78x
St Luke London 2 14.52x
St Marylebone London 2 4.36x
St Sepulchre London 2 158.73x
Westminster St James 2 22.68x
Wigan 2 14.05x
Birkenhead 1 6.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 6.31x
Devonport 1 48.78x
Farnborough 1 54.05x
Greenwich 1 7.32x
Hammersmith London 1 4.73x
Ilmington 1 434.78x
Lancaster 1 16.50x
Liverpool 1 1.62x
Salford 1 3.34x
Tranmere 1 14.37x
Tupsley 1 333.33x
Westminster St John 1 9.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 6
Mary 6
Annie 3
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Bridget 1
Cathe. 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Rosina 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Dorgan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dorgan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Dorgan surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dorgan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016. That gives Dorgan a modern rank of #11,967.

What does the Dorgan surname mean?

Irish surname derived from the Gaelic phrase "dóir Gheine" meaning "people of the foreigner".

What does the Dorgan map show?

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