NameCensus.

UK surname

Fagan

Derived from an Irish Gaelic nickname meaning "the silent one" or "a descendant of a chief."

In the 1881 census there were 1,419 people recorded with the Fagan surname, ranking it #2,927 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,180, ranked #1,620, up from #2,927 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirkshaws, Middlesbrough and Dundyvan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fagan is 4,296 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 194.6%.

1881 census count

1,419

Ranked #2,927

Modern count

4,180

2016, ranked #1,620

Peak year

2010

4,296 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fagan had 1,419 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,927 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,180 in 2016, ranked #1,620.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,947 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Fagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fagan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fagan 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 683 #3,804
1861 historical 758 #3,608
1881 historical 1,419 #2,927
1891 historical 1,525 #2,896
1901 historical 1,947 #2,714
1911 historical 1,647 #2,957
1997 modern 3,877 #1,673
1998 modern 4,042 #1,674
1999 modern 4,080 #1,663
2000 modern 4,017 #1,685
2001 modern 3,923 #1,686
2002 modern 4,025 #1,678
2003 modern 3,946 #1,677
2004 modern 3,939 #1,684
2005 modern 3,887 #1,677
2006 modern 3,939 #1,653
2007 modern 4,028 #1,629
2008 modern 4,052 #1,634
2009 modern 4,170 #1,623
2010 modern 4,296 #1,616
2011 modern 4,234 #1,615
2012 modern 4,152 #1,617
2013 modern 4,246 #1,612
2014 modern 4,272 #1,612
2015 modern 4,210 #1,619
2016 modern 4,180 #1,620

Geography

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Where Fagans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirkshaws, Middlesbrough, Dundyvan, Knowsley and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
2 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
3 Dundyvan North Lanarkshire
4 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
5 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fagan

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

Fagan 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

Fagan 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 Fagan 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 Fagan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fagan

The surname Fagan is of Irish origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval Gaelic name O'Fathagain. This name derives from the Old Irish word 'athach', meaning 'fierce' or 'violent', indicating that the original bearer may have been a warrior or a person of a fierce temperament.

Fagan is a anglicized version of the Irish surname O'Fathagain, which evolved over time due to the influence of the English language and the standardization of spelling. The earliest recorded instances of the Fagan surname can be found in various Irish annals and records from the 14th and 15th centuries.

One notable historical reference to the Fagan surname is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname O'Fathagain, including Maelbrighde O'Fathagain, a 15th-century poet and scribe from County Westmeath.

Another early recorded instance of the Fagan surname is in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the Tudor period in Ireland. These records mention individuals such as John Fagan, who was granted lands in County Kildare in the 16th century.

Over the centuries, the Fagan surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded was Patrick Fagan (1537-1618), an Irish Catholic priest and writer who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Robert Fagan (1638-1704), an Irish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. He was known for his role in the Williamite War in Ireland and his support for the Protestant cause.

In the literary world, James Fagan (1824-1886) was a notable Irish-American poet and journalist who wrote for various publications in the United States and Canada. He is best known for his poem "The Irish Emigrant" and his works celebrating Irish culture and identity.

Philip Fagan (1857-1942) was an Irish-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Astor Trust Building and the New York Hippodrome Theater. He was a pioneer in the field of skyscraper construction and is considered one of the most influential architects of his time.

In more recent history, Terry Fagan (1938-2016) was an Irish actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and television shows. He is best known for his roles in popular productions such as "Braveheart" and "Michael Collins", where he showcased his talent for portraying Irish characters with authenticity and humor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fagan 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 540 Fagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.27x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 540 3.27x
Yorkshire 152 1.10x
Lanarkshire 99 2.20x
Middlesex 92 0.66x
Durham 73 1.76x
Cumberland 65 5.42x
Cheshire 52 1.69x
Northumberland 38 1.83x
Surrey 38 0.56x
Hampshire 34 1.19x
Devon 27 0.93x
Angus 17 1.32x
Staffordshire 16 0.34x
Somerset 14 0.62x
Westmorland 13 4.25x
Stirlingshire 12 2.34x
Warwickshire 12 0.34x
Midlothian 11 0.59x
Anglesey 10 4.05x
Denbighshire 10 1.90x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.48x
Wiltshire 8 0.65x
Dunbartonshire 7 1.87x
Essex 7 0.25x
Fife 7 0.85x
Renfrewshire 7 0.65x
Cornwall 6 0.38x
Glamorgan 6 0.25x
Derbyshire 5 0.23x
Royal Navy 5 3.01x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.71x
Isle of Man 4 1.55x
Kent 4 0.08x
Lincolnshire 3 0.13x
Shropshire 3 0.25x
Sussex 3 0.13x
Ayrshire 2 0.19x
Dorset 2 0.22x
Worcestershire 2 0.11x
Bedfordshire 1 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Flintshire 1 0.27x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.36x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.31x
Perthshire 1 0.16x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 149 Fagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.85x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 149 14.85x
Toxteth Park 60 10.73x
Govan 43 3.86x
Manchester 39 5.25x
Leeds 34 4.37x
Sheffield 29 6.60x
Kirkdale 28 10.08x
Middlesbrough 23 12.80x
Southampton St Mary 23 12.82x
West Derby 20 4.14x
Salford 18 3.71x
Wigan 18 7.80x
Ecclesall Bierlow 16 5.70x
Everton 16 3.04x
Over Darwen 16 12.13x
Tranmere 16 14.17x
Westoe 16 6.82x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 7.81x
St George In East London 14 10.69x
Whitehaven 14 21.92x
Brightside Bierlow 13 4.81x
Barton Upon Irwell 12 9.65x
Benfieldside 12 44.05x
Denny 12 43.94x
Islington London 12 0.89x
New Monkland 12 9.02x
St Pancras London 12 1.07x
Dundee 11 2.28x
Glasgow 11 1.38x
Hulme 11 3.19x
Barony 10 0.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 7.62x
Clapham 10 5.75x
Holyhead 10 21.74x
Kensington London 10 1.29x
North Shields 10 24.20x
St Marylebone London 10 1.35x
Birkenhead 9 3.67x
Cockermouth 9 35.67x
Kendal 9 16.07x
Millom 9 24.50x
East Retford 8 49.14x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 6.47x
Paddington London 8 1.56x
Stockton On Tees 8 4.01x
Swindon 8 8.38x
Anstruther Easter 7 117.65x
Ardwick 7 4.70x
Aston 7 0.72x
Droylsden 7 12.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 0.93x
Exeter Alphington 7 131.83x
Failsworth 7 18.52x
Ince In Makerfield 7 9.11x
Lambeth 7 0.58x
Much Woolton 7 31.24x
Preston Quarter 7 20.85x
Skipton 7 16.13x
Stoke Damerel 7 3.45x
Weston Super Mare 7 12.37x
Bowness Drumburg 6 310.88x
Dumbarton 6 11.52x
Hoghton 6 143.88x
Hutton Henry 6 68.81x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 7.22x
Newton In Makerfield 6 11.86x
Old Monkland 6 3.36x
Preston 6 1.36x
Tiverton 6 12.02x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 1.39x
Birmingham 5 0.43x
Camberwell 5 0.56x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 6.03x
Great Bolton 5 2.29x
Shotts 5 9.28x
Tabley Superior 5 231.48x
Westminster St Margaret 5 7.45x
Widnes 5 4.20x
Wrexham Abbot 5 37.82x
Wrexham Regis 5 12.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 128
Elizabeth 54
Ann 44
Margaret 37
Catherine 27
Ellen 27
Sarah 27
Annie 25
Jane 18
Bridget 17
Alice 13
Eliza 13
Rose 12
Kate 9
Maria 9
Julia 7
Agnes 6
Caroline 6
Anne 5
Clara 5
Emily 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Ada 4
Beatrice 4
Catharine 4
Elizth. 4
Emma 4
Frances 4
Lucy 4
Margt. 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Edith 3
Harriet 3
Josephine 3
Lydia 3
Norah 3
Barbara 2
Cathrine 2
Charlotte 2
Fanny 2
Hester 2
Laura 2
Lilla 2
Marion 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Rosa 2
Rosanna 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 103
James 90
Thomas 54
William 43
Patrick 42
Michael 23
Edward 20
Henry 17
Joseph 16
Arthur 14
Francis 13
Peter 13
Charles 11
George 11
Daniel 8
Hugh 8
Robert 7
Christopher 6
Owen 5
Thos. 5
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Frank 3
Jno. 3
Nicholas 3
Richard 3
Terence 3
Bernard 2
Fred. 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jas. 2
Louis 2
Luke 2
Martin 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Norman 2
Phillip 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Belvedere 1
Brian 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Felix 1
Fred 1
Lucicus 1

FAQ

Fagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,419 people were recorded with the Fagan surname. That placed it at #2,927 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,180 in 2016. That gives Fagan a modern rank of #1,620.

What does the Fagan surname mean?

Derived from an Irish Gaelic nickname meaning "the silent one" or "a descendant of a chief."

What does the Fagan map show?

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