NameCensus.

UK surname

Geoghan

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Gaoithín, meaning "descendant of little Gaoithin."

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Geoghan surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Brighton and Hove and Cambridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Geoghan is 109 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 242.3%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

89

2016, ranked #32,297

Peak year

2011

109 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Geoghan had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016, ranked #32,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 81 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Geoghan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Geoghan surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Geoghan 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 41 #28,802
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 92 #32,075
2016 modern 89 #32,297

Geography

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Where Geoghans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, Brighton and Hove, Cambridge and Walsall. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 014 Oldham
2 Brighton and Hove 033 Brighton and Hove
3 Cambridge 010 Cambridge
4 Walsall 001 Walsall
5 Cambridge 006 Cambridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Geoghan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Geoghan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Geoghan, 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 Geoghan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Geoghan 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Geoghan 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

Geoghan is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Geoghan 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 Geoghan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Geoghan

The surname Geoghan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "geochan," which means "lancer" or "spearman." This name first appeared in the county of Longford, Ireland, during the 12th century. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Geoghegan," which was found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.

The Geoghegan family was one of the prominent septs (clans) of the ancient kingdom of Meath in Ireland. They held significant lands and influence in the counties of Westmeath and Longford. The name is associated with the townland of Castletown-Geoghegan, which was once the stronghold of the Geoghegan clan.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the Geoghegans were dispossessed of much of their ancestral lands. However, some members of the family managed to retain their holdings and remain influential in the region. One notable figure from this period was Rory Geoghegan, who served as the Bishop of Kilmore from 1543 to 1567.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved into various forms, including Geoghegan, Goughan, Goghan, and Geoghan. The latter spelling became more common in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly among Irish immigrants to North America and other parts of the world.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Geoghan spelling can be found in the Irish Genealogies, a collection of pedigrees compiled by Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh in the 17th century. This work mentions several members of the Geoghan family, including Conor Geoghan, who was born in 1615.

Another notable figure with the Geoghan surname was Sir Richard Geoghan, an Irish military officer who served in the British Army during the 18th century. He was born in 1705 and fought in several campaigns, including the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

In the 19th century, John Geoghan (1810-1889) was a prominent Irish-American lawyer and politician. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was instrumental in the establishment of the New York City Fire Department.

Among the more recent historical figures with the Geoghan surname was Cardinal William Geoghan (1919-2003), a Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 1966 to 1997.

Overall, the surname Geoghan has a rich history rooted in the ancient clans of Ireland, with various notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. Its evolution from the original Gaelic form to its modern spelling reflects the cultural and linguistic changes that occurred over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Geoghan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Geoghan 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 9 Geoghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.99x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 2.99x
Midlothian 7 20.61x
Yorkshire 5 1.99x
Staffordshire 2 2.34x
Cheshire 1 1.79x
Dumfriesshire 1 17.86x
Surrey 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Calder in Midlothian leads with 7 Geoghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1044.78x.

Place Total Index
West Calder 7 1044.78x
Leeds 5 35.24x
Liverpool 5 27.37x
Heap 3 187.50x
Wolverhampton 2 30.40x
Annan 1 208.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 20.92x
Lambeth 1 4.52x
Lower Bebington 1 303.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Ann 1
Cathaline 1
Hannah 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Thomas 2
Daniel 1
J.Edward 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Geoghan households.

FAQ

Geoghan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Geoghan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Geoghan surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Geoghan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Geoghan a modern rank of #32,297.

What does the Geoghan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Gaoithín, meaning "descendant of little Gaoithin."

What does the Geoghan map show?

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