NameCensus.

UK surname

Foran

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "fórán," meaning "exile" or "wanderer."

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Foran surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 962, ranked #5,978, up from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre, Liverpool and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Foran is 964 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 657.5%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

962

2016, ranked #5,978

Peak year

2015

964 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Foran had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 962 in 2016, ranked #5,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Foran surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Foran surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Foran 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1911 historical 148 #18,023
1997 modern 831 #6,350
1998 modern 848 #6,452
1999 modern 859 #6,430
2000 modern 880 #6,272
2001 modern 856 #6,301
2002 modern 868 #6,366
2003 modern 819 #6,526
2004 modern 834 #6,438
2005 modern 857 #6,274
2006 modern 865 #6,232
2007 modern 873 #6,241
2008 modern 889 #6,186
2009 modern 920 #6,151
2010 modern 953 #6,106
2011 modern 931 #6,167
2012 modern 910 #6,201
2013 modern 956 #6,043
2014 modern 955 #6,100
2015 modern 964 #5,996
2016 modern 962 #5,978

Geography

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Where Forans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Wyre, Liverpool, Rochdale, Manchester and Lochee. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre 008 Wyre
2 Liverpool 004 Liverpool
3 Rochdale 018 Rochdale
4 Manchester 035 Manchester
5 Lochee Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Foran

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Foran

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Foran surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Foran household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Foran 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

Foran 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

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

Meaning and origin of Foran

The surname Foran is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "forann," which means "wanderer" or "stranger." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who traveled or lived in a different region than their birthplace.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Foran can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a Foran family from County Sligo, indicating the name's presence in that region during that time period.

In the 17th century, the Foran surname appeared in the Hearth Money Rolls, a tax record kept in Ireland during the reign of King Charles II. This document provides evidence of the name's continued existence and distribution across various parts of the country.

During the 18th century, notable figures bearing the Foran surname emerged. One such individual was Patrick Foran (1707-1782), an Irish priest and educator who served as the president of the prestigious Douai College in France.

Another notable Foran was John Foran (1758-1828), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He later settled in Virginia and became a prominent landowner and politician, serving in the Virginia House of Delegates.

In the 19th century, the Foran name gained further recognition with the birth of John Foran (1824-1890), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the shipping industry and later became a significant benefactor to various charitable causes in New York City.

Another prominent figure from this era was William Foran (1842-1908), an Irish-born civil engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the New York City subway system. He was responsible for overseeing the excavation and tunneling work for several key subway lines.

As the centuries progressed, the Foran surname continued to spread across Ireland and to other parts of the world through emigration. While its origins can be traced back to specific regions of Ireland, the name has since become widely distributed, with individuals bearing the Foran surname found in various countries and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Foran families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Foran 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 41 Forans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 41 2.73x
Yorkshire 23 1.83x
Hampshire 13 5.00x
Renfrewshire 11 11.19x
Cheshire 8 2.86x
Warwickshire 8 2.50x
Kent 6 1.39x
Sussex 5 2.34x
Middlesex 4 0.32x
Channel Islands 3 7.99x
West Lothian 3 15.72x
Essex 2 0.80x
Wiltshire 2 1.78x
Durham 1 0.27x

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 12 Forans recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.13x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 12 13.13x
Abbey 11 73.38x
Halifax 10 54.20x
Birmingham 7 6.57x
Middlesbrough 7 42.79x
Toxteth Park 7 13.74x
South Tidworth 6 6000.00x
Eastbourne 5 50.81x
North Meols 5 33.94x
Oldham 5 10.30x
Waltham 5 2272.73x
Preston 4 9.94x
Salford 4 9.04x
Tranmere 4 38.87x
Bathgate 3 72.29x
Fareham 3 96.15x
Bowdon 2 180.18x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 7.82x
Portsea 2 3.93x
St George Hanover Square 2 8.95x
St Helier 2 16.35x
St Marylebone London 2 2.95x
Tilstone Fearnall 2 3333.33x
Wakefield 2 20.73x
West Ham 2 3.62x
Westbury 2 76.34x
Alverstoke 1 10.63x
Aston 1 1.14x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 6.12x
Hulme 1 3.18x
Ince In Makerfield 1 14.29x
Manningham 1 6.46x
Minster In Sheppey 1 13.95x
Moss Side 1 12.63x
Ovenden 1 17.89x
Portsmouth 1 16.72x
St Peter Port 1 14.39x
Wigan 1 4.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Margaret 6
Kate 4
Sarah 4
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Lucy 2
Theresa 2
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Cathe. 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Hettie 1
Jane 1
Nelly 1
Rose 1
Zield 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
James 8
John 8
Thomas 8
Patrick 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Joseph 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
Alex 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
George 1
J. 1
Jeremiah 1
Michl. 1
Peter 1
Terence 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Foran surname: questions and answers

How common was the Foran surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Foran surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Foran surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 962 in 2016. That gives Foran a modern rank of #5,978.

What does the Foran surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "fórán," meaning "exile" or "wanderer."

What does the Foran map show?

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