NameCensus.

UK surname

Gahagan

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Geocagáin, meaning "descendant of little Gogey".

In the 1881 census there were 112 people recorded with the Gahagan surname, ranking it #18,501 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, up from #18,501 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, St Pancras and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Anniesland West, Preston and Newlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gahagan is 266 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 119.6%.

1881 census count

112

Ranked #18,501

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

2014

266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gahagan had 112 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,501 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 222 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Gahagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gahagan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gahagan 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 112 #18,501
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 222 #14,169
1911 historical 163 #16,939
1997 modern 246 #15,445
1998 modern 254 #15,508
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 248 #15,827
2001 modern 237 #16,048
2002 modern 235 #16,495
2003 modern 250 #15,605
2004 modern 234 #16,416
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 225 #16,941
2007 modern 229 #16,941
2008 modern 236 #16,736
2009 modern 260 #15,972
2010 modern 263 #16,205
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 258 #16,165
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 266 #16,213
2015 modern 256 #16,524
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Gahagans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, St Pancras, London parishes, Manchester and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Anniesland West, Preston, Newlands, Gartcosh and Marnock and Hillhead. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Anniesland West Glasgow City
2 Preston 009 Preston
3 Newlands Glasgow City
4 Gartcosh and Marnock North Lanarkshire
5 Hillhead Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gahagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gahagan

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Gahagan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Gahagan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gahagan is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gahagan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gahagan

The surname Gahagan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Geibheannaigh" which means "descendant of Geibheannach". The name is believed to have originated in County Donegal, Ireland, in the 12th or 13th century.

The earliest known record of the name Gahagan dates back to the 16th century, when it appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The name was also found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gahagan was in the 17th century when John Gahagan, a prominent Irish landowner and soldier, was granted lands in County Tipperary by King Charles II in 1666. He later served as a Member of Parliament for Clonmel in the Irish House of Commons.

In the 18th century, Edward Gahagan (1717-1783) was a notable Irish politician and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland from 1766 to 1783.

Another notable bearer of the name was Usher Gahagan (1795-1858), an Irish poet and author who published several works, including "The Poetical Works of Usher Gahagan" in 1848.

In the 19th century, Henry Gahagan (1810-1866) was a prominent Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as the 18th Mayor of Philadelphia from 1857 to 1858.

The name Gahagan has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Gahagan's Cross in County Donegal and Gahagan's Rock in County Mayo.

While the surname Gahagan has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration. Some variations of the spelling include Gahagan, Gahagan, Gahaghyn, and Gahaghane.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gahagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gahagan 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. Middlesex leads with 28 Gahagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 2.56x
Lancashire 27 2.08x
Hampshire 13 5.81x
Surrey 13 2.44x
Staffordshire 10 2.71x
Lanarkshire 6 1.70x
Yorkshire 4 0.37x
Glamorgan 2 1.05x
Leicestershire 2 1.65x
Oxfordshire 2 2.97x
Argyllshire 1 3.29x
Cheshire 1 0.41x
Cornwall 1 0.81x
Essex 1 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 10 Gahagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.27x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 10 35.27x
Salford 9 23.61x
Widnes 9 96.26x
Bow London 8 57.51x
St Pancras London 8 9.10x
Battersea 7 17.42x
Openshaw 7 115.32x
Portsea 7 15.95x
Govan 6 6.87x
Bermondsey 5 15.38x
Clerkenwell London 3 11.64x
Ecclesfield 3 37.78x
Kensington London 3 4.94x
Millbrook 3 53.19x
Cowley 2 94.79x
Hampstead London 2 11.76x
Leicester St Margaret 2 6.77x
Ryde 2 41.58x
Swansea Town 2 12.83x
Warrington 2 13.01x
Camberwell 1 1.43x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 42.19x
Fulham London 1 6.31x
Grays Thurrock 1 50.00x
Hackney London 1 1.63x
Hordle 1 256.41x
Ollerton 1 322.58x
Sale 1 33.78x
Sheffield 1 2.90x
St Germans 1 116.28x
St Marylebone London 1 1.71x
Willesden 1 9.71x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gahagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gahagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 112 people were recorded with the Gahagan surname. That placed it at #18,501 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gahagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Gahagan a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Gahagan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Geocagáin, meaning "descendant of little Gogey".

What does the Gahagan map show?

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