NameCensus.

UK surname

Drugan

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Draighen, meaning "thorn" or "bramble".

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Drugan surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, up from #31,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Wakefield and New Town West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drugan is 106 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 505.9%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2014

106 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drugan had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 34 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Drugan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drugan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drugan 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 31 #30,616
1911 historical 21 #31,179
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 91 #29,406
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 89 #31,235
2010 modern 102 #29,930
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Drugans 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 Blackburn with Darwen, Wakefield, New Town West and Tameside. 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 Blackburn with Darwen 011 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Blackburn with Darwen 017 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Wakefield 022 Wakefield
4 New Town West City of Edinburgh
5 Tameside 027 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drugan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drugan

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Drugan 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

Drugan is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drugan 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 Drugan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Drugan

The surname Drugan has its origins in Ireland, emerging in the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "drochshliocht," which means "bad stock" or "evil progeny." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was perceived as being of disreputable character or lineage.

The earliest known record of the surname Drugan can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, which were administrative records maintained during the Tudor period in Ireland. In these records, the name appears as "Droghan" and is associated with individuals from County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Drugan was Patrick Drugan, who was born in County Donegal around 1620. He is mentioned in historical records as a landowner and farmer in the parish of Killybegs.

Another notable figure was Eoin Drugan, a 17th-century Irish poet and storyteller from County Tyrone. He was renowned for his compositions in the Irish language and for preserving traditional tales and folklore.

In the late 18th century, a prominent Drugan family resided in the town of Ballybay, County Monaghan. One member of this family, Michael Drugan (1760-1832), was a successful merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the local community.

The surname Drugan has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Drugan's Hill in County Donegal and Drugan's Cross in County Monaghan. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the surname who lived in or owned property in those locations.

Throughout history, several variations in the spelling of the surname have been documented, including Drogan, Droghan, Droghen, and Drohan. These variations are believed to be due to regional pronunciations and the adaptation of the name across different parts of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drugan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drugan 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 7 Drugans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7 3.56x
Yorkshire 5 3.05x
Durham 4 8.12x
Cumberland 1 7.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wakefield in Yorkshire leads with 5 Drugans recorded in 1881 and an index of 396.83x.

Place Total Index
Wakefield 5 396.83x
Benfieldside 3 937.50x
Great Bolton 3 115.38x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 128.21x
Farnworth 2 169.49x
Cleator 1 169.49x
Stranton 1 60.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Elizabeth 1
Margaret 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Patrick 2
James 1
Michael 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Drugan households.

FAQ

Drugan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drugan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Drugan surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drugan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Drugan a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Drugan surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Draighen, meaning "thorn" or "bramble".

What does the Drugan map show?

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