NameCensus.

UK surname

Halligan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O'hAileagain," meaning "descendant of Ailleagan," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 355 people recorded with the Halligan surname, ranking it #8,679 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,434, ranked #4,273, up from #8,679 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Wirral and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Halligan is 1,465 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 303.9%.

1881 census count

355

Ranked #8,679

Modern count

1,434

2016, ranked #4,273

Peak year

2010

1,465 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Halligan had 355 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,679 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,434 in 2016, ranked #4,273.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 556 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Halligan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Halligan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Halligan 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 102 #16,933
1861 historical 189 #12,570
1881 historical 355 #8,679
1891 historical 456 #7,996
1901 historical 501 #8,045
1911 historical 556 #7,221
1997 modern 1,387 #4,165
1998 modern 1,463 #4,138
1999 modern 1,459 #4,173
2000 modern 1,448 #4,181
2001 modern 1,424 #4,162
2002 modern 1,462 #4,150
2003 modern 1,421 #4,171
2004 modern 1,399 #4,224
2005 modern 1,383 #4,229
2006 modern 1,396 #4,202
2007 modern 1,394 #4,245
2008 modern 1,396 #4,268
2009 modern 1,438 #4,243
2010 modern 1,465 #4,262
2011 modern 1,431 #4,296
2012 modern 1,416 #4,266
2013 modern 1,445 #4,265
2014 modern 1,457 #4,266
2015 modern 1,441 #4,265
2016 modern 1,434 #4,273

Geography

Back to top

Where Halligans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Liverpool, West Derby and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Wirral, Warrington, New Forest and Bolton. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 005 Copeland
2 Wirral 015 Wirral
3 Warrington 006 Warrington
4 New Forest 018 New Forest
5 Bolton 026 Bolton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Halligan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Halligan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Halligan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Halligan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Halligan 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

Halligan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Halligan

The surname Halligan originated in Ireland, derived from the Gaelic personal name "O'Halligan" or "O'Halogan." This name can be traced back to the 10th century and is believed to have originated in County Cork.

The name Halligan is thought to be an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname "O'hAllógáin," which means "descendant of Allógán," a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "allóc," meaning "foreign" or "estranged." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived abroad or was considered an outsider in some way.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Halligan can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a "Donnchadh O'Halligan" who was a distinguished Irish poet and died in 1391.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the Halligan family held lands in County Cork and were considered a prominent Irish sept (clan). A notable figure from this time was Dermot Halligan, who is mentioned in the manuscript "The Composition Book of Connacht" as a landowner in County Sligo in 1585.

Another notable bearer of the name was Patrick Halligan (1789-1869), an Irish Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of Achonry from 1858 until his death. He played a significant role in promoting education and establishing schools in the Achonry diocese during his tenure.

In the late 19th century, John Halligan (1871-1945) was a prominent Irish nationalist and journalist who co-founded the Irish News, a newspaper that advocated for Irish independence from Britain.

A more recent figure was William Halligan (1927-2004), an American attorney and judge who served as a United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut from 1979 to 1992.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Halligan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Halligan 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 163 Halligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 163 3.94x
Yorkshire 32 0.93x
Lanarkshire 25 2.22x
Durham 21 2.03x
Middlesex 19 0.55x
Cheshire 16 2.08x
Lincolnshire 15 2.69x
Staffordshire 14 1.19x
Essex 8 1.16x
Midlothian 8 1.71x
Surrey 7 0.41x
Angus 4 1.24x
Kent 4 0.34x
Fife 3 1.46x
Warwickshire 3 0.34x
Worcestershire 3 0.66x
Glamorgan 2 0.33x
Renfrewshire 2 0.74x
Argyllshire 1 1.03x
Cornwall 1 0.25x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.14x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 2.41x
Stirlingshire 1 0.78x
Sussex 1 0.17x

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 38 Halligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.14x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 38 15.14x
Louth 14 109.72x
Castleton 13 31.50x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 13 28.97x
Hulme 13 15.07x
Glasgow 11 5.50x
Hunslet 11 20.44x
West Derby 10 8.27x
Birkenhead 9 14.69x
Salford 9 7.41x
Govan 8 2.87x
Newton 8 25.12x
South Leith 8 15.24x
Toxteth Park 8 5.72x
Wigan 8 13.86x
Benfieldside 7 102.79x
Blackburn 7 6.37x
Sheffield 7 6.37x
Tottenham 7 12.62x
Barony 6 2.11x
Battersea 6 4.68x
Bilston 6 26.34x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 18.29x
Chadderton 6 29.70x
Manchester 6 3.23x
Shitlington 6 168.07x
West Ham 6 3.95x
Ogley Hay 5 204.92x
Ormskirk 5 63.21x
Beswick 4 37.84x
Dundee 4 3.32x
Hackney London 4 2.05x
Holbeck 4 17.50x
Little Hulton 4 58.48x
Tranmere 4 14.16x
Burntisland 3 52.08x
Kirkdale 3 4.32x
Pendlebury 3 34.40x
St Giles In Fields London 3 17.56x
Colchester St Botolph 2 34.19x
Dudley 2 3.62x
East Greenock 2 7.85x
Everton 2 1.52x
Garston 2 16.39x
Gillingham 2 8.16x
High Leigh 2 198.02x
Pilkington 2 12.74x
Aston 1 0.41x
Birmingham 1 0.34x
Bowmore Or Kilarrow 1 10000.00x
Cannock 1 4.88x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.99x
Croydon 1 1.06x
Devonport 1 12.00x
Elton 1 7.00x
Falmouth 1 7.17x
Fulwood 1 22.37x
Greenwich 1 1.80x
Hammersmith London 1 1.17x
Heston 1 8.65x
Hindley 1 5.68x
Holy Trinity 1 1.20x
Hove 1 3.88x
Kensington London 1 0.52x
Kings Norton 1 2.45x
Larbert 1 13.02x
Litchurch 1 4.56x
Macclesfield 1 2.93x
Marton In Middlesbrough 1 79.37x
Monk Hesleden 1 34.60x
Nether Hallam 1 2.14x
Portsmouth 1 6.09x
Preston 1 0.90x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.63x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.80x
Swansea 1 147.06x
Warley 1 10.03x
Warrington 1 2.04x
Westminster St John 1 2.36x
Woolwich 1 2.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 11
Ann 8
Sarah 8
Catherine 7
Ellen 7
Margaret 7
Bridget 6
Jane 6
Kate 5
Esther 3
Julia 3
Catharine 2
Emma 2
Katherine 2
Lucy 2
May 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherin 1
Cecelia 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
James 1
Judy 1
Laura 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rosanna 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
James 25
William 16
Patrick 15
Thomas 12
Joseph 7
Peter 7
Michael 6
Richard 5
Christopher 4
Edward 4
George 4
Martin 3
Albert 2
Hugh 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Benj. 1
Benjamin 1
Benjiman 1
Bernard 1
Caleb 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Gerald 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Johnson 1
Lawerance 1
M. 1
Miles 1
Nicholas 1
Pat 1
Robert 1
Stephenson 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Vincent 1
W.Henry 1
Wiliam 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Halligan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Halligan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 355 people were recorded with the Halligan surname. That placed it at #8,679 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Halligan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,434 in 2016. That gives Halligan a modern rank of #4,273.

What does the Halligan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O'hAileagain," meaning "descendant of Ailleagan," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Halligan map show?

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