NameCensus.

UK surname

Hannigan

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

In the 1881 census there were 243 people recorded with the Hannigan surname, ranking it #11,294 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,276, ranked #4,687, up from #11,294 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Bedwelty. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall and Charnwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hannigan is 1,282 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 425.1%.

1881 census count

243

Ranked #11,294

Modern count

1,276

2016, ranked #4,687

Peak year

2015

1,282 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hannigan had 243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,294 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,276 in 2016, ranked #4,687.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 368 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hannigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hannigan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hannigan 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 205 #11,769
1881 historical 243 #11,294
1891 historical 302 #11,058
1901 historical 368 #10,057
1911 historical 205 #14,733
1997 modern 1,088 #5,119
1998 modern 1,137 #5,108
1999 modern 1,164 #5,057
2000 modern 1,154 #5,066
2001 modern 1,125 #5,072
2002 modern 1,167 #5,027
2003 modern 1,099 #5,186
2004 modern 1,127 #5,080
2005 modern 1,127 #5,029
2006 modern 1,139 #4,976
2007 modern 1,190 #4,846
2008 modern 1,207 #4,819
2009 modern 1,225 #4,857
2010 modern 1,260 #4,844
2011 modern 1,244 #4,842
2012 modern 1,254 #4,727
2013 modern 1,251 #4,815
2014 modern 1,277 #4,753
2015 modern 1,282 #4,693
2016 modern 1,276 #4,687

Geography

Back to top

Where Hannigans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall, Charnwood, Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond and St Edmundsbury. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 011 South Oxfordshire
2 Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall East Renfrewshire
3 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
4 Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond Perth and Kinross
5 St Edmundsbury 012 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hannigan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hannigan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hannigan, 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 Hannigan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hannigan 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, Hannigan 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

Hannigan 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

Hannigan 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 Hannigan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Hannigan

The surname Hannigan originated in Ireland, specifically in the counties of Galway and Mayo, during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic "O'hAnluain," which means "descendant of Anluain." Anluain was a personal name that is thought to have been derived from the Old Irish word "anluan," meaning "wandering" or "migrating."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Hannigan can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The Annals mention several individuals with the surname Hannigan, including Domhnall O'hAnluain, who was killed in a battle in 1307.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Hannigan was commonly found in the parish records of various towns and villages in Galway and Mayo. Some notable individuals from this time period include Tadhg Hannigan (1570-1640), a renowned Irish scholar and poet, and Seán Hannigan (1628-1704), a Catholic priest who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs.

As the name spread throughout Ireland and beyond, various spelling variations emerged, such as O'Hannigan, Hanigan, and Henighan. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hannigan spelling can be found in the Registry of Deeds for County Galway, which mentions a Patrick Hannigan who purchased land in 1685.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the Hannigan surname achieved notable accomplishments. These include William Hannigan (1750-1825), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War, and Bridget Hannigan (1802-1884), a prominent Irish nationalist and advocate for women's rights.

Other notable individuals throughout history with the Hannigan surname include James Hannigan (1859-1937), an Irish-born American labor leader and politician; Michael Hannigan (1879-1962), an Irish writer and poet; and Margaret Hannigan (1904-1992), a British author and illustrator of children's books.

Throughout its history, the surname Hannigan has been associated with various place names and locations in Ireland, particularly in the western counties of Galway and Mayo. These include the townlands of Hannigan's Cross and Hannigan's Lough, as well as the village of Hannigan's Terrace in County Galway.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hannigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hannigan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 78 Hannigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.17x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 78 10.17x
Lancashire 65 2.31x
Renfrewshire 19 10.34x
Middlesex 18 0.76x
Northumberland 12 3.40x
Dorset 9 5.79x
Surrey 9 0.78x
Stirlingshire 6 6.86x
Cheshire 5 0.96x
Yorkshire 5 0.21x
Dunbartonshire 3 4.71x
Midlothian 3 0.94x
Angus 2 0.91x
Banffshire 2 4.07x
Fife 2 1.43x
Buteshire 1 6.96x
Durham 1 0.14x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Roxburghshire 1 2.33x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 24 Hannigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.37x.

Place Total Index
Barony 24 12.37x
Shotts 18 196.29x
Everton 12 13.39x
Westminster St John 10 34.64x
Cambuslang 9 116.43x
Neilston 9 97.61x
Portland 9 107.53x
Bermondsey 8 11.34x
Blackburn 8 10.69x
Eastwood 8 70.73x
Liverpool 8 4.68x
St Marylebone London 8 6.32x
Hamilton 7 32.74x
Wallsend 7 62.56x
Walton On Hill 7 45.93x
Glasgow 6 4.41x
Govan 6 3.16x
Stirling 6 54.45x
Gorbals 5 109.89x
Hulme 5 8.52x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 23.74x
West Derby 5 6.08x
Kirkdale 4 8.45x
Little Hulton 4 85.84x
Manchester 4 3.16x
Sheffield 4 5.35x
Birkenhead 3 7.19x
Old Kilpatrick 3 39.84x
Bothwell 2 9.62x
Dilworth 2 116.28x
Dundee 2 2.44x
Dunfermline 2 9.27x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.57x
Macclesfield 2 8.60x
Mortlach 2 83.33x
Parr 2 19.88x
Abbey 1 3.57x
Biddulph 1 22.17x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.24x
Dolphinton 1 400.00x
East Greenock 1 5.76x
Edinburgh St Andrews 1 38.17x
Farnborough 1 19.61x
Harpurhey 1 25.64x
Newington 1 1.14x
Pemberton 1 8.91x
Rothesay 1 14.37x
Roxburgh 1 121.95x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.94x
Wakefield 1 5.55x
Wigan 1 2.54x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 10
John 7
Patrick 7
Michael 5
Charles 3
Edward 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3
Martin 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Anthony 1
Danl. 1
Denis 1
Francis 1
George 1
Jermin 1
Jerry 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Mike 1
Nappy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Thos.Jos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Hannigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hannigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 243 people were recorded with the Hannigan surname. That placed it at #11,294 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hannigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,276 in 2016. That gives Hannigan a modern rank of #4,687.

What does the Hannigan surname mean?

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

What does the Hannigan map show?

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