NameCensus.

UK surname

Flannigan

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

In the 1881 census there were 738 people recorded with the Flannigan surname, ranking it #4,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,208, ranked #4,924, up from #4,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, High Blantyre and Darnley East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flannigan is 1,218 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.7%.

1881 census count

738

Ranked #4,965

Modern count

1,208

2016, ranked #4,924

Peak year

2015

1,218 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flannigan had 738 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,208 in 2016, ranked #4,924.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 928 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Flannigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flannigan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flannigan 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 182 #11,209
1861 historical 344 #7,422
1881 historical 738 #4,965
1891 historical 848 #4,819
1901 historical 928 #5,023
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 1,078 #5,166
1998 modern 1,135 #5,113
1999 modern 1,151 #5,107
2000 modern 1,146 #5,086
2001 modern 1,107 #5,142
2002 modern 1,134 #5,150
2003 modern 1,099 #5,186
2004 modern 1,084 #5,258
2005 modern 1,079 #5,208
2006 modern 1,084 #5,198
2007 modern 1,107 #5,161
2008 modern 1,101 #5,210
2009 modern 1,139 #5,171
2010 modern 1,168 #5,155
2011 modern 1,166 #5,108
2012 modern 1,164 #5,036
2013 modern 1,189 #5,030
2014 modern 1,216 #4,955
2015 modern 1,218 #4,901
2016 modern 1,208 #4,924

Geography

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Where Flannigans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, High Blantyre, Darnley East and Whitburn Central. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
3 High Blantyre South Lanarkshire
4 Darnley East Glasgow City
5 Whitburn Central West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flannigan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flannigan

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

Flannigan is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Flannigan 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 Flannigan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Flannigan

The surname FLANNIGAN is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Flannagáin" which means "descendant of Flannagán". The name Flannagán itself is a diminutive of the Irish word "flann" meaning red or ruddy complexion.

The name FLANNIGAN can be traced back to the 12th century in County Clare, Ireland. It is believed to have originated in the region around Killaloe, where the Flannigan clan held a prominent position among the ruling families.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a certain "Flannacan mac Tuathal" is mentioned as a leader of the Dál gCais tribe in the year 1014.

In the 16th century, the Flannigans were among the Irish families who resisted the Tudor conquest of Ireland. A notable figure was Dermot Flannigan, who fought alongside the Earl of Desmond against the English forces in the Second Desmond Rebellion (1579-1583).

During the 17th century, many Flannigans were displaced from their ancestral lands due to the Plantation of Ulster and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Some fled to continental Europe, while others settled in various parts of the island, leading to the widespread dispersal of the name.

In the 18th century, Michael Flannigan (1700-1778) was a prominent Catholic priest and educator who established a renowned school in County Louth, Ireland, which educated many Irish Catholic leaders during the Penal Law era.

The 19th century saw the emigration of many Flannigans to North America and other parts of the world. One notable figure was James Flannigan (1810-1892), an Irish-American engineer who contributed to the construction of several major railroads in the United States.

Another notable bearer of the name was Patrick Flannigan (1865-1948), an Irish-American labor leader and politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly and advocated for workers' rights.

In the 20th century, James Aloysius Flannigan (1898-1976) was a Canadian Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Winnipeg and played a significant role in the development of Catholic education in Manitoba.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flannigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flannigan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 203 Flannigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.65x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 203 8.65x
Lancashire 126 1.46x
Midlothian 73 7.51x
Durham 51 2.36x
Yorkshire 46 0.64x
Stirlingshire 30 11.21x
Renfrewshire 27 4.80x
Staffordshire 23 0.94x
Ayrshire 20 3.68x
Cheshire 19 1.19x
Middlesex 17 0.23x
Northumberland 16 1.48x
Angus 9 1.34x
Cumberland 9 1.44x
Fife 8 1.86x
Glamorgan 8 0.63x
Channel Islands 7 3.25x
Clackmannanshire 7 11.68x
Dunbartonshire 7 3.59x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.72x
Denbighshire 6 2.19x
East Lothian 6 6.24x
Royal Navy 3 3.47x
Buteshire 2 4.55x
Monmouthshire 2 0.38x
Selkirkshire 2 3.05x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.34x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.62x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.20x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x
Wigtownshire 1 1.04x
Worcestershire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 62 Flannigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.68x.

Place Total Index
Govan 62 10.68x
Barony 36 6.06x
Glasgow 36 8.64x
Liverpool 35 6.69x
Bothwell 31 48.70x
Old Monkland 20 21.47x
South Leith 18 16.45x
Edinburgh Tron Church 17 372.81x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 3.32x
Falkirk 12 19.15x
Darlington 11 13.20x
Blackburn 10 4.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 15.51x
West Greenock 10 9.91x
Kilbirnie 9 69.02x
Salford 9 3.55x
Auchterderran 8 74.07x
Birkenhead 8 6.26x
Edinburgh Old Church 8 102.43x
Everton 8 2.91x
Wednesbury 8 13.07x
Winlaton 8 38.63x
Wolverhampton 8 4.25x
Campsie 7 47.65x
Dewsbury 7 9.49x
Hulme 7 3.89x
Kilsyth 7 41.01x
New Monkland 7 10.09x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.77x
Pendleton In Salford 7 6.82x
St Helier 7 10.00x
Tillicoultry 7 52.51x
Barrow In Furness 6 5.12x
Berwick North 6 89.15x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 6 89.15x
Houghton Le Spring 6 40.19x
Leeds 6 1.48x
Neilston 6 21.25x
Stockton On Tees 6 5.76x
Wrexham Regis 6 29.47x
Dalziel 5 19.80x
Dundee 5 1.99x
Egremont 5 33.56x
Kilmarnock 5 7.73x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 5 35.06x
Benfieldside 4 28.17x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 5.85x
Burnley 4 5.52x
Bury 4 4.07x
Cardross 4 17.08x
Dundonald 4 19.97x
East Greenock 4 7.53x
Edinburgh Old 4 67.80x
Great Bolton 4 3.51x
Holy Trinity 4 2.31x
Liff Benvie 4 3.92x
Mile End New Town London 4 27.89x
Pendlebury 4 22.00x
St George Bloomsbury 4 9.61x
Thornaby 4 14.89x
Toxteth Park 4 1.37x
Bilston 3 6.32x
Bothkennar 3 37.55x
Doncaster 3 5.71x
Edinburgh New 3 39.74x
Harton 3 35.17x
Hipperholme Cum 3 9.49x
Ouston 3 95.24x
Penarth 3 24.29x
St Gilesin Fields London 3 48.86x
Stockport 3 3.64x
Swansea Town 3 2.90x
Bradford 2 1.15x
Cumbernauld 2 18.71x
Galashiels 2 8.24x
Heston 2 8.30x
Hetton Le Hole 2 7.31x
Scarborough 2 3.06x
Spitalfields London 2 3.66x
West Derby 2 0.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Ann 16
Margaret 15
Catherine 14
Ellen 11
Bridget 9
Elizabeth 8
Eliza 7
Anne 6
Jane 6
Kate 5
Maria 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Cathe. 2
Charlotte 2
Hannah 2
Margt. 2
Rosannah 2
Rose 2
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Cath. 1
Cathn. 1
Dorothea 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kathrine 1
Matilda 1
Meria 1
Norah 1
Polly 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Rosea 1
Sabrina 1
Susan 1
Theresa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
James 18
Patrick 17
Michael 16
Thomas 16
William 11
Edward 7
Martin 5
Hugh 4
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Bernard 2
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Mathew 2
Peter 2
Wm. 2
Able 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Barney 1
Bartholomew 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Dennis 1
Dominick 1
Edwd 1
Edwd. 1
Finn 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Joseph 1
Livy 1
Luke 1
Luther 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Mich 1
Michal 1
Mick 1
Owen 1
Patk. 1
Patsey 1
Terence 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Flannigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flannigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 738 people were recorded with the Flannigan surname. That placed it at #4,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flannigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,208 in 2016. That gives Flannigan a modern rank of #4,924.

What does the Flannigan surname mean?

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

What does the Flannigan map show?

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