NameCensus.

UK surname

Flanagan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Flannagáin," meaning "descendant of Flannagán," a personal name meaning "red-valiant."

In the 1881 census there were 2,341 people recorded with the Flanagan surname, ranking it #1,896 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,111, ranked #814, up from #1,896 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Glenwood South and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flanagan is 8,384 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 246.5%.

1881 census count

2,341

Ranked #1,896

Modern count

8,111

2016, ranked #814

Peak year

2010

8,384 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flanagan had 2,341 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,896 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,111 in 2016, ranked #814.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,313 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Flanagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flanagan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flanagan 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 1,124 #2,505
1861 historical 1,248 #2,282
1881 historical 2,341 #1,896
1891 historical 2,135 #2,182
1901 historical 2,872 #1,947
1911 historical 3,313 #1,577
1997 modern 7,779 #834
1998 modern 8,118 #825
1999 modern 8,116 #835
2000 modern 8,027 #835
2001 modern 7,827 #838
2002 modern 8,080 #826
2003 modern 7,859 #825
2004 modern 7,862 #826
2005 modern 7,719 #828
2006 modern 7,794 #818
2007 modern 7,921 #812
2008 modern 7,969 #813
2009 modern 8,197 #812
2010 modern 8,384 #808
2011 modern 8,257 #807
2012 modern 8,049 #814
2013 modern 8,199 #814
2014 modern 8,222 #815
2015 modern 8,203 #807
2016 modern 8,111 #814

Geography

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Where Flanagans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, 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 Caerphilly, Glenwood South, Manchester and Oldham. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
2 Glenwood South Glasgow City
3 Manchester 041 Manchester
4 Oldham 029 Oldham
5 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flanagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flanagan

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Flanagan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Flanagan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Flanagan

The surname Flanagan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Flannagáin, meaning "descendant of Flannagán". Flannagán is a diminutive form of the personal name Flann, which means "red" or "ruddy".

The Flanagans were initially concentrated in the province of Connacht, particularly in counties Galway and Roscommon. The name can be traced back to the 11th century and is associated with the Síl Muireadaigh, a powerful family that ruled over parts of Connacht.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In 1256, the annals reference a figure named Donnchadh Ó Flannagáin, a member of the Síl Muireadaigh dynasty.

In the 14th century, the Flanagans were among the leading families in the territory of Uí Maine, located in modern-day County Galway. The name appears in various records from this period, including the Annals of Loch Cé and the Register of the Priory of Athenry.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Malachy Flanagan (c. 1510 - c. 1590), a Catholic priest and historian from County Galway. He is best known for his work, Desiderius Hibernicus, which documented the lives of Irish saints.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Flanagan (c. 1579 - 1644), an Irish soldier who served in the Spanish Army of Flanders during the Eighty Years' War. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General and was knighted for his military service.

In the 17th century, the Flanagans were among the families transplanted to the province of Connacht during the Cromwellian Settlement. Many of them settled in County Roscommon, where the name remains prevalent today.

One of the most famous Flanagans was Michael Joseph Flanagan (1824 - 1886), an Irish Catholic priest and educator. He founded the Flanagan Industrial School in Omaha, Nebraska, which provided vocational training and education for Native American children.

Another notable individual was Reverend William Flanagan (1836 - 1925), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Juneau, Alaska. He played a crucial role in establishing the Catholic Church in Alaska during the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flanagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flanagan 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 844 Flanagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.11x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 844 3.11x
Yorkshire 351 1.55x
Middlesex 197 0.86x
Lanarkshire 136 1.84x
Staffordshire 104 1.35x
Cheshire 102 2.02x
Surrey 84 0.75x
Warwickshire 49 0.85x
Worcestershire 46 1.54x
Derbyshire 42 1.17x
Hampshire 36 0.77x
Durham 34 0.50x
Kent 31 0.40x
Northumberland 25 0.73x
Shropshire 23 1.16x
Denbighshire 18 2.08x
Ayrshire 15 0.88x
Renfrewshire 15 0.85x
Devon 13 0.27x
Essex 12 0.27x
Lincolnshire 10 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.32x
Perthshire 10 0.97x
Berkshire 9 0.52x
Cumberland 9 0.46x
Dunbartonshire 9 1.46x
Leicestershire 9 0.35x
Royal Navy 9 3.30x
Angus 8 0.38x
Midlothian 8 0.26x
Somerset 8 0.22x
Northamptonshire 7 0.33x
Fife 6 0.44x
Monmouthshire 6 0.36x
Cornwall 5 0.19x
Peeblesshire 5 4.64x
Sussex 5 0.13x
Wigtownshire 5 1.64x
Channel Islands 4 0.59x
Flintshire 4 0.65x
Oxfordshire 3 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.41x
Wiltshire 3 0.15x
Anglesey 2 0.49x
Banffshire 2 0.42x
Gloucestershire 2 0.04x
Isle of Man 2 0.47x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.59x
Suffolk 1 0.04x

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 169 Flanagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.24x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 169 10.24x
Manchester 80 6.55x
Leeds 72 5.62x
Toxteth Park 61 6.63x
Barony 37 1.97x
Govan 36 1.97x
Sheffield 36 4.98x
Selby 35 73.82x
Birmingham 34 1.77x
West Derby 33 4.15x
Kirkdale 30 6.56x
Glasgow 28 2.13x
Warrington 28 8.69x
Bermondsey 26 3.81x
Everton 26 3.00x
Salford 24 3.00x
Leek Lowe 23 22.37x
St Marylebone London 23 1.88x
Oldham 22 2.51x
Widnes 22 11.23x
Ilkeston 21 20.90x
Islington London 21 0.95x
Chester St John Baptist 20 22.02x
Wigan 20 5.27x
Camberwell 18 1.23x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 2.20x
Wrexham Regis 18 28.03x
Preston 17 2.34x
York St Helen On Walls 17 458.22x
Holy Trinity 16 2.93x
Macclesfield 16 7.12x
Oldbury 16 10.88x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 3.48x
Kensington London 15 1.18x
Dudley 14 3.85x
Bradford 13 2.37x
Fulham London 13 3.92x
Hulme 13 2.29x
Kidderminster Borough 13 7.43x
Ardwick 12 4.90x
Bishopwearmouth 12 2.05x
Dewsbury 12 5.16x
Huddersfield 12 3.63x
Stockport 12 4.61x
Linthorpe 11 8.12x
Middlesbrough 11 3.72x
Newton In Makerfield 11 13.22x
Plumstead 11 4.22x
St Martin In Fields 11 8.03x
Wolverhampton 11 1.85x
Broughton In Salford 10 4.03x
Ecclesfield 10 6.01x
Farnworth 10 6.14x
Great Bolton 10 2.78x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 7.31x
Old Monkland 10 3.40x
Portsea 10 1.09x
St George In East London 10 4.64x
Woolwich 10 3.47x
Barton Upon Irwell 9 4.40x
Crompton 9 11.63x
Padiham 9 13.71x
Reading St Lawrence 9 24.48x
Rutherglen 9 8.29x
St George Hanover Square 9 2.23x
Wardleworth 9 5.80x
West Ham 9 0.90x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.35x
Blackburn 8 1.11x
Bridgnorth St Mary 8 41.47x
Derby All Sts 8 26.72x
Dundee 8 1.01x
Farnborough 8 16.23x
Frodsham 8 40.86x
Liscard 8 8.79x
Newport 8 33.51x
Royal Navy 8 3.43x
Shoreditch London 8 0.81x
Shorwell 8 166.32x
Walcot 8 4.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 242
Margaret 76
Catherine 66
Bridget 60
Ellen 58
Ann 57
Elizabeth 56
Sarah 53
Annie 29
Jane 23
Eliza 18
Kate 18
Anne 14
Rose 14
Agnes 13
Alice 12
Emma 10
Julia 10
Maria 10
Catharine 9
Teresa 7
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Norah 5
Ada 4
Clara 4
Emily 4
Esther 4
Harriet 4
Helen 4
Isabella 4
Johanna 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Anna 3
Honor 3
Lucy 3
Maggie 3
Margarett 3
Margret 3
Maud 3
Sabina 3
Sophia 3
Beatrice 2
Christina 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 190
Thomas 134
James 128
William 75
Patrick 65
Michael 58
Edward 37
Martin 34
Joseph 24
Peter 24
Charles 19
George 18
Henry 13
Andrew 11
Robert 11
Thos. 11
Richard 9
Francis 8
Hugh 8
Frederick 7
Matthew 6
Alexander 5
Bernard 5
David 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Christopher 4
Daniel 4
Frank 4
Lawrence 4
Stephen 4
Timothy 4
Dennis 3
Dominick 3
Edwin 3
Jas. 3
Luke 3
Mark 3
Owen 3
Austin 2
Cornelius 2
Edwd. 2
Ernest 2
Jonathan 2
Laurence 2
Michl. 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Flanagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flanagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,341 people were recorded with the Flanagan surname. That placed it at #1,896 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flanagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,111 in 2016. That gives Flanagan a modern rank of #814.

What does the Flanagan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Flannagáin," meaning "descendant of Flannagán," a personal name meaning "red-valiant."

What does the Flanagan map show?

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