NameCensus.

UK surname

Goggin

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Gógáin, meaning "descendant of Gógán," derived from the diminutive of gog, meaning "soft."

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Goggin surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 505, ranked #9,919, up from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and St Anne Limehouse. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, Havering and Monmouthshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goggin is 512 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 245.9%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

505

2016, ranked #9,919

Peak year

1999

512 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goggin had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016, ranked #9,919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Goggin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goggin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goggin 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 210 #14,677
1911 historical 227 #13,795
1997 modern 483 #9,549
1998 modern 490 #9,749
1999 modern 512 #9,490
2000 modern 509 #9,504
2001 modern 503 #9,428
2002 modern 481 #9,923
2003 modern 476 #9,830
2004 modern 488 #9,675
2005 modern 460 #10,042
2006 modern 449 #10,255
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 458 #10,276
2009 modern 470 #10,324
2010 modern 481 #10,332
2011 modern 501 #9,938
2012 modern 499 #9,870
2013 modern 499 #10,034
2014 modern 511 #9,927
2015 modern 508 #9,891
2016 modern 505 #9,919

Geography

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Where Goggins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, St Anne Limehouse and Merthyr Dovan, Highlight. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, Havering, Monmouthshire, Tower Hamlets and Wychavon. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Anne Limehouse London (East Districts)
5 Merthyr Dovan, Highlight Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 010 Rugby
2 Havering 020 Havering
3 Monmouthshire 001 Monmouthshire
4 Tower Hamlets 003 Tower Hamlets
5 Wychavon 009 Wychavon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goggin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goggin

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Goggin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Goggin 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 house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Goggin 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

Goggin 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

Goggin falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goggin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Goggin

The surname Goggin is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is considered an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Gogáin, derived from the personal name Gogán, a diminutive form of the name Gogaidh.

Gogaidh itself is thought to be a derivative of the Gaelic word "gog," which means "arrogant" or "proud." This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have been known for their confident or haughty demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Goggin surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The name appears in an entry from the year 1562, referencing a Conor O'Goggin, a member of a prominent family from County Cork.

In the 17th century, the Goggin name was particularly prevalent in the region of West Cork, with several notable figures emerging from this area. One such individual was Donagh Goggin, a Catholic priest who lived from 1603 to 1675 and played a significant role in preserving the faith during the period of the Penal Laws.

Another prominent figure was Captain Cornelius Goggin, born in 1673, who served in the Irish Brigade of the French army under King Louis XIV. He was recognized for his bravery and military prowess during the Nine Years' War against the Dutch Republic.

In the 18th century, the Goggin surname gained further recognition with the birth of John Goggin in 1752. He was a successful merchant and landowner in County Cork, known for his philanthropic endeavors and support of local education initiatives.

A notable bearer of the Goggin name in more recent history was Sir William Goggin, born in 1866 in County Cork. He was a prominent Irish jurist and served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1922 to 1937, playing a crucial role in the early years of the Irish Free State.

While the Goggin surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and diaspora. Variations of the spelling, such as Gogin and Gogan, have also emerged over time, reflecting regional differences in pronunciation and record-keeping.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goggin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goggin 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 66 Goggins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 66 4.60x
Lancashire 25 1.47x
Kent 14 2.86x
Glamorgan 11 4.41x
Cornwall 9 5.54x
Devon 7 2.35x
Surrey 5 0.72x
Durham 4 0.94x
Sussex 3 1.24x
Yorkshire 2 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 5.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 16 Goggins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.86x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 16 13.86x
Bromley London 9 28.54x
Fulham London 9 43.29x
Limehouse London 9 57.18x
Camborne 8 119.58x
Sunbury 8 465.12x
Wigan 8 33.64x
Plumstead 6 36.79x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 26.10x
Poplar London 6 22.17x
Lambeth 5 4.00x
Liverpool 5 4.84x
Wrightington 5 675.68x
Hartlepool 4 66.01x
Llansamlet Lower 4 176.99x
Brighton 3 6.15x
Mile End Old Town London 3 9.83x
Woolwich 3 16.60x
Ystradyfodwg 3 13.70x
North Meols 2 12.01x
Rufford 2 454.55x
St Marylebone London 2 2.61x
Swansea Town 2 9.77x
Warrington 2 9.92x
Bodmin 1 37.17x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 19.61x
Chatham 1 7.43x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 25.77x
Devonport 1 29.15x
Eccleston In Chorley 1 227.27x
Greenwich 1 4.38x
Hackney London 1 1.24x
Hampton London 1 42.37x
Heston 1 21.01x
Leeds 1 1.25x
Llantwit Vairdre 1 35.59x
Llanwonno 1 11.15x
Milton In Gravesend 1 13.62x
Old Tower Without London 1 2000.00x
Royal Navy 1 6.84x
Skipton 1 22.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Catherine 6
Ellen 5
Maria 5
Ann 4
Margaret 4
Bridget 3
Emily 3
Jane 3
Johanna 3
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Kate 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Annie 1
B. 1
Betsy 1
Cathrine 1
Elinor 1
Emma 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
J.Mary 1
Julia 1
Miriam 1
Nellie 1
Norah 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
James 13
William 7
David 4
Richard 4
Arthur 2
Aurthur 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Michael 2
Micheal 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Martin 1
Rev 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
W. 1

FAQ

Goggin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goggin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Goggin surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goggin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016. That gives Goggin a modern rank of #9,919.

What does the Goggin surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Gógáin, meaning "descendant of Gógán," derived from the diminutive of gog, meaning "soft."

What does the Goggin map show?

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