NameCensus.

UK surname

Grennan

An Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Gréanáin, meaning "descendant of Gréanán".

In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Grennan surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 245, ranked #17,049, up from #28,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Cardiff and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grennan is 264 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 512.5%.

1881 census count

40

Ranked #28,011

Modern count

245

2016, ranked #17,049

Peak year

2013

264 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grennan had 40 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016, ranked #17,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 71 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Grennan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grennan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grennan 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 19 #31,470
1881 historical 40 #28,011
1891 historical 33 #31,681
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1911 historical 71 #25,742
1997 modern 225 #16,352
1998 modern 241 #16,065
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 234 #16,470
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 225 #16,994
2003 modern 230 #16,549
2004 modern 236 #16,335
2005 modern 232 #16,480
2006 modern 235 #16,439
2007 modern 245 #16,134
2008 modern 249 #16,111
2009 modern 252 #16,323
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 261 #16,145
2012 modern 253 #16,377
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 256 #16,524
2016 modern 245 #17,049

Geography

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Where Grennans 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 Carmarthenshire, Cardiff and Burnley. 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 Carmarthenshire 024 Carmarthenshire
2 Cardiff 007 Cardiff
3 Cardiff 005 Cardiff
4 Cardiff 041 Cardiff
5 Burnley 003 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grennan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grennan

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Grennan is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grennan 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

Grennan 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 Grennan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Grennan

The surname Grennan originates from Ireland, specifically from the northern counties of Ulster. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "grinne," which means "love" or "affection." The name first appeared in historical records during the 12th century, when surnames began to be widely adopted in Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Grennan surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. It mentions a family of the name Grennan who resided in County Fermanagh during the 13th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Grennan family was prominent in County Monaghan, where they held lands and were involved in local politics. One notable figure from this period was Pádraig Grennan (c. 1570-1640), a landowner and member of the Irish Parliament.

In the 18th century, the Grennan name spread to other parts of Ireland, particularly to County Mayo in the west. A well-known individual from this time was Seán Grennan (1720-1795), a Catholic priest who was active in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

The 19th century saw several Grennan families emigrating from Ireland to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. One notable figure from this era was Michael Grennan (1826-1901), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Civil War and later became a politician in New York.

Another prominent individual with the Grennan surname was Bridget Grennan (1860-1935), an Irish-born Australian activist who campaigned for women's suffrage and labor rights in the early 20th century.

In more recent times, the Grennan name has been associated with various fields, including literature, sports, and academia. For example, Eamon Grennan (born 1941) is an acclaimed Irish-American poet and professor emeritus at Vassar College, while Ciaran Grennan (born 1981) is a former professional soccer player from Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grennan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grennan 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 20 Grennans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 20 4.32x
Middlesex 12 3.08x
Staffordshire 4 3.04x
Angus 2 5.54x
Cornwall 1 2.27x
Lanarkshire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hindley in Lancashire leads with 9 Grennans recorded in 1881 and an index of 456.85x.

Place Total Index
Hindley 9 456.85x
Westminster St James 7 174.56x
Ardwick 6 143.88x
Mile End Old Town London 5 60.24x
Burslem 4 106.10x
Dundee 2 14.83x
Liverpool 2 7.11x
Accrington 1 23.75x
Bothwell 1 29.24x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 43.10x
St Mary Magdalene 1 312.50x
Upholland 1 169.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Rosannah 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 5
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos.Michl. 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 Grennan households.

FAQ

Grennan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grennan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Grennan surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grennan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016. That gives Grennan a modern rank of #17,049.

What does the Grennan surname mean?

An Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Gréanáin, meaning "descendant of Gréanán".

What does the Grennan map show?

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