NameCensus.

UK surname

Hannan

Derived from the Irish surname Ó hAnnáin, meaning "descendant of Annán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 973 people recorded with the Hannan surname, ranking it #3,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,532, ranked #2,613, up from #3,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, IZ21 and Black Isle North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hannan is 2,676 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 160.2%.

1881 census count

973

Ranked #3,999

Modern count

2,532

2016, ranked #2,613

Peak year

2010

2,676 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hannan had 973 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,532 in 2016, ranked #2,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,343 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Hannan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hannan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hannan 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 584 #4,378
1861 historical 679 #3,954
1881 historical 973 #3,999
1891 historical 1,124 #3,778
1901 historical 1,343 #3,733
1911 historical 1,063 #4,351
1997 modern 2,110 #2,926
1998 modern 2,282 #2,829
1999 modern 2,337 #2,785
2000 modern 2,287 #2,822
2001 modern 2,318 #2,741
2002 modern 2,390 #2,720
2003 modern 2,347 #2,706
2004 modern 2,385 #2,673
2005 modern 2,405 #2,628
2006 modern 2,412 #2,618
2007 modern 2,456 #2,607
2008 modern 2,493 #2,588
2009 modern 2,604 #2,555
2010 modern 2,676 #2,542
2011 modern 2,599 #2,584
2012 modern 2,535 #2,593
2013 modern 2,573 #2,602
2014 modern 2,586 #2,598
2015 modern 2,565 #2,594
2016 modern 2,532 #2,613

Geography

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Where Hannans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, IZ21, Black Isle North, Tower Hamlets and Epsom and Ewell. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 009 Redcar and Cleveland
2 IZ21 East Lothian
3 Black Isle North Highland
4 Tower Hamlets 015 Tower Hamlets
5 Epsom and Ewell 005 Epsom and Ewell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hannan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hannan

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Hannan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Hannan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Hannan is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

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

Hannan 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

Hannan falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hannan 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Hannan

The surname Hannan is of Irish origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Annan," which means "inestimable" or "precious one." The Hannan clan was initially concentrated in the counties of Cork and Tipperary, where they held significant influence and land holdings.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Hannan name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of Irish history compiled by the monks of Inisfallen Abbey in the 12th century. The annals document the exploits of several Hannan chieftains and their involvement in local conflicts and alliances.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hannans played a prominent role in the Irish Confederate Wars, with several members serving as officers and commanders in the Catholic Confederate forces. One notable figure was Dermot Hannan, who led a contingent of troops in the Battle of Benburb in 1646.

In the late 17th century, many Hannans were forced to flee Ireland due to the Penal Laws and the oppression of Catholic landowners. Some settled in the United States, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, where they established new communities and continued their traditions.

Notable Hannans throughout history include:

1. Seán Ó hAnáin (1619-1693), an Irish poet and scribe renowned for his works in the Irish language. 2. Patrick Hannan (1768-1835), an Irish-born American Catholic priest who founded the first Catholic parish in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 3. Jeremiah J. Hannan (1836-1913), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and later a prominent businessman in New York City. 4. William J. Hannan (1866-1949), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. 5. Eamon Hannan (1900-1976), an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known for his work "The Brendan Voyage."

While the Hannan surname has evolved over time, with variations such as Hannon, Hannen, and Hannigan, it remains a proud symbol of Irish heritage and a testament to the resilience and determination of those who carried it through centuries of struggle and perseverance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hannan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hannan 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 179 Hannans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 179 1.62x
Yorkshire 143 1.55x
Lanarkshire 122 4.06x
Middlesex 88 0.95x
Surrey 53 1.17x
Durham 42 1.52x
East Lothian 41 33.33x
Midlothian 37 2.97x
Angus 24 2.79x
Cheshire 22 1.07x
Warwickshire 22 0.94x
Staffordshire 20 0.64x
Kent 18 0.57x
Monmouthshire 15 2.23x
Dumfriesshire 11 5.36x
Northumberland 10 0.72x
Peeblesshire 10 22.89x
Renfrewshire 9 1.25x
Derbyshire 7 0.48x
Devon 7 0.36x
Wiltshire 7 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.48x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.58x
Cumberland 5 0.63x
Hampshire 5 0.26x
West Lothian 5 3.58x
Leicestershire 4 0.39x
Norfolk 4 0.28x
Sussex 4 0.26x
Ayrshire 3 0.43x
Essex 3 0.16x
Gloucestershire 3 0.16x
Lincolnshire 3 0.20x
Bedfordshire 2 0.42x
Berkshire 2 0.29x
Glamorgan 2 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 1.81x
Argyllshire 1 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.40x
Flintshire 1 0.40x
Perthshire 1 0.24x
Shropshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 44 Hannans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.92x.

Place Total Index
Govan 44 5.92x
Liverpool 31 4.63x
Barony 30 3.95x
Lambeth 26 3.21x
Maryhill 18 30.62x
Dundee 17 5.29x
Leeds 17 3.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 6.64x
Glasgow 15 2.81x
Manchester 14 2.83x
Warrington 14 10.72x
Bradford 13 5.84x
Hunslet 13 9.06x
Sheffield 13 4.44x
Ashton In Makerfield 12 38.24x
Skipton 12 41.44x
Southowram 12 42.72x
Paddington London 11 3.22x
Bury 10 7.94x
Dumfries 10 49.41x
Dunbar 10 58.00x
St Giles In Fields London 10 21.95x
St Woollos 10 13.35x
Aston 9 1.40x
Gillingham 9 13.78x
Haddington 9 49.56x
Newcastle Under Lyme 9 16.23x
Peebles 9 69.71x
South Leith 9 6.43x
Abbey 8 7.29x
Barrow In Furness 8 5.34x
Battersea 8 2.34x
Headingley Cum Burley 8 13.50x
Linthorpe 8 14.57x
New Monkland 8 9.01x
Northowram 8 12.40x
St George In East London 8 9.16x
West Derby 8 2.48x
Birmingham 7 0.90x
Cambusnethan 7 10.49x
Chesterfield 7 12.84x
Everton 7 1.99x
Great Bolton 7 4.80x
Poplar London 7 3.99x
St Marylebone London 7 1.41x
Tunstall 7 50.91x
Athelstaneford 6 246.91x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.49x
Clapham 6 5.17x
Corstorphine 6 87.46x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.20x
Haslingden 6 13.15x
Mile End Old Town London 6 3.04x
North Leith 6 10.42x
Tranent 6 36.10x
York St Helen Stonegate 6 425.53x
Bermondsey 5 1.81x
Brancepeth 5 99.60x
Dalmeny 5 93.46x
Edgbaston 5 6.89x
Escomb 5 39.37x
Farnworth 5 7.57x
Gladsmuir 5 91.24x
Newington 5 1.46x
Nottingham St Mary 5 1.54x
Shildon 5 22.52x
Upper Llanvrechva 5 47.94x
Westgate 5 5.84x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 2.49x
Birkenhead 4 2.45x
Bredbury 4 33.73x
Downton 4 37.21x
Fulham London 4 2.97x
Lasswade 4 14.06x
Leicester St Margaret 4 1.59x
Montrose 4 7.67x
Sowerby In Thirsk 4 72.20x
Stoke Damerel 4 2.96x
Walsall Foreign 4 2.47x
Westoe 4 2.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 78
Sarah 23
Elizabeth 22
Catherine 16
Margaret 15
Ellen 14
Ann 12
Alice 11
Eliza 10
Kate 9
Annie 7
Bridget 7
Emily 6
Jane 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Catharine 3
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Matilda 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lavinia 2
Lizzie 2
Margret 2
Nelly 2
Caroline 1
Catherin 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Elice 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Etheline 1
Janet 1
Jenny 1
Juliann 1
Katharine 1
Katherine 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 59
James 38
William 34
Thomas 31
Patrick 24
Edward 12
Michael 8
George 7
Hugh 7
Robert 6
Alfred 5
Charles 5
Daniel 5
Henry 5
Peter 5
Martin 4
Christopher 3
Francis 3
Matthew 3
Richard 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3
Wm. 3
Archibald 2
Bernard 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Jervis 2
Joseph 2
Michl. 2
Robt. 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Clifford 1
Corm 1
Dan 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.Alfred 1
Emily 1
Foster 1
Frank 1
Lance 1
Lawence 1
Lawrence 1
M. 1
Mathew 1
Yate 1

FAQ

Hannan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hannan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 973 people were recorded with the Hannan surname. That placed it at #3,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hannan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,532 in 2016. That gives Hannan a modern rank of #2,613.

What does the Hannan surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó hAnnáin, meaning "descendant of Annán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Hannan map show?

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