NameCensus.

UK surname

Duignan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Dubhagain" meaning "descendant of Dubhagan".

In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Duignan surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 432, ranked #11,135, up from #29,793 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duignan is 437 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1500.0%.

1881 census count

27

Ranked #29,793

Modern count

432

2016, ranked #11,135

Peak year

2015

437 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duignan had 27 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016, ranked #11,135.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 43 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Duignan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duignan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duignan 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 27 #29,793
1891 historical 36 #31,465
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 401 #10,989
1998 modern 428 #10,810
1999 modern 416 #11,110
2000 modern 429 #10,834
2001 modern 422 #10,773
2002 modern 416 #11,120
2003 modern 401 #11,242
2004 modern 393 #11,433
2005 modern 387 #11,463
2006 modern 378 #11,714
2007 modern 388 #11,630
2008 modern 394 #11,622
2009 modern 405 #11,616
2010 modern 427 #11,379
2011 modern 428 #11,219
2012 modern 416 #11,372
2013 modern 418 #11,533
2014 modern 432 #11,287
2015 modern 437 #11,077
2016 modern 432 #11,135

Geography

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Where Duignans 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 North Warwickshire, Pembrokeshire, Annan East and Cambridge. 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 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire
2 Pembrokeshire 015 Pembrokeshire
3 Pembrokeshire 013 Pembrokeshire
4 Annan East Dumfries and Galloway
5 Cambridge 010 Cambridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duignan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duignan

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Duignan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Duignan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Duignan is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Duignan 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

Duignan falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Duignan

The surname Duignan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Duibhgeannáin, meaning "descendant of Duibhgheannán." Duibhgheannán was a personal name composed of the elements dubh, meaning "black" or "dark," and ceannán, meaning "little head" or "small leader."

This surname is particularly associated with County Leitrim, where it was prominent in the baronies of Leitrim and Mohill. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 14th century, when it appeared in the Annals of Loch Cé as "Ó Duibhgeannáin."

One notable bearer of the name was Séamus Ó Duibhgeannáin, a 16th-century Irish poet and scribe from County Leitrim. His poetic compositions were preserved in various manuscripts, including the Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne, a collection of poetry from the Gaelic literary families of Ireland.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by Franciscan monks. The entry mentions Fearghal Ó Duibhgeannáin, a prominent figure in County Leitrim during the Irish Confederate Wars.

Another notable individual with this surname was John Duignan (1660-1730), an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh from 1707 until his death in 1730.

During the 19th century, James Duignan (1805-1878) was a prominent Irish politician and Member of Parliament for County Leitrim from 1857 to 1865.

Another figure of note was Patrick Duignan (1855-1935), an Irish-American Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Pembroke from 1916 to 1935.

Throughout its history, the surname Duignan has undergone various spellings, such as Duignan, Duggan, Doughan, and Duffan, reflecting the challenges of transliterating Gaelic names into English.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duignan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duignan 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 10 Duignans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.20x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 10 3.20x
Warwickshire 9 13.56x
Renfrewshire 5 24.51x
East Lothian 3 85.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 9 Duignans recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.69x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 9 40.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 141.13x
Port Glasgow 5 505.05x
Haddington 3 588.24x
Bury 2 56.02x
Everton 1 10.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Andrew 2
Patrick 2
James 1
Walter 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 Duignan households.

FAQ

Duignan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duignan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Duignan surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duignan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016. That gives Duignan a modern rank of #11,135.

What does the Duignan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Dubhagain" meaning "descendant of Dubhagan".

What does the Duignan map show?

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