NameCensus.

UK surname

Harrigan

Anglicized form of Irish Ó hArragáin, meaning "descendant of Arragán," a personal name of unknown origin.

In the 1881 census there were 417 people recorded with the Harrigan surname, ranking it #7,732 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 905, ranked #6,280, up from #7,732 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Willesden and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Paisley North East and IZ07.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harrigan is 911 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 117.0%.

1881 census count

417

Ranked #7,732

Modern count

905

2016, ranked #6,280

Peak year

2014

911 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harrigan had 417 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,732 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 905 in 2016, ranked #6,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 446 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harrigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harrigan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harrigan 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 135 #13,964
1861 historical 207 #11,687
1881 historical 417 #7,732
1891 historical 337 #10,133
1901 historical 446 #8,767
1911 historical 303 #11,372
1997 modern 836 #6,318
1998 modern 849 #6,443
1999 modern 846 #6,508
2000 modern 861 #6,385
2001 modern 854 #6,314
2002 modern 876 #6,304
2003 modern 813 #6,568
2004 modern 797 #6,687
2005 modern 806 #6,581
2006 modern 802 #6,613
2007 modern 809 #6,622
2008 modern 845 #6,462
2009 modern 875 #6,413
2010 modern 899 #6,389
2011 modern 889 #6,373
2012 modern 854 #6,508
2013 modern 882 #6,445
2014 modern 911 #6,316
2015 modern 899 #6,330
2016 modern 905 #6,280

Geography

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Where Harrigans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Willesden, London parishes and Govan Combination. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Paisley North East, IZ07, Badenoch and Strathspey South and Paisley South East. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
2 Paisley North East Renfrewshire
3 IZ07 West Dunbartonshire
4 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland
5 Paisley South East Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harrigan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harrigan

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

Harrigan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Harrigan

The surname Harrigan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "O'Hartgain," meaning "descendant of Hartgain." Hartgain itself is a compound word formed from the elements "hart" (a stag or deer) and the diminutive suffix "-gan." The name first emerged in County Donegal in Ulster Province, Ireland, during the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Harrigan can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by Franciscan monks in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Turlough O'Hartgain, who was a chieftain of the O'Hartgain clan in Donegal in the late 12th century.

In the 16th century, the surname was anglicized from its original Gaelic form to various spellings such as Hartigan, Hartgan, and Harrigan. This was a common practice during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, as English administrators and scribes attempted to translate or adapt Irish names into more English-sounding forms.

One of the earliest documented examples of the Harrigan spelling can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of royal letters patent and grants from the 16th century. In 1582, a land grant was issued to a "John Harrigan" in County Donegal.

Notable individuals with the surname Harrigan throughout history include:

1. William Harrigan (1831-1893), an Irish-American politician who served as the 57th Mayor of San Francisco from 1884 to 1886.

2. Pat Harrigan (1892-1954), an American professional baseball player who played for several Major League Baseball teams, including the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, in the early 20th century.

3. Paddy Harrigan (1866-1936), an Irish-American vaudeville performer and songwriter, best known for his popular song "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo."

4. Joseph Harrigan (1853-1927), an Irish-American actor, playwright, and producer who co-founded the famous Harrigan and Hart theatrical partnership in New York City.

5. Edward Harrigan (1844-1911), Joseph Harrigan's brother and collaborator, also a renowned actor, playwright, and comedian in the late 19th century American theater.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harrigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harrigan 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 118 Harrigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.91x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 118 2.91x
Lanarkshire 87 6.65x
Lancashire 38 0.79x
Durham 21 1.74x
Yorkshire 21 0.52x
Ayrshire 20 6.60x
Dunbartonshire 19 17.46x
Renfrewshire 15 4.78x
Kent 14 1.01x
Surrey 11 0.56x
Devon 10 1.19x
West Lothian 9 14.76x
Cornwall 7 1.53x
Glamorgan 6 0.85x
Cumberland 5 1.43x
Gloucestershire 5 0.63x
Essex 3 0.38x
Peeblesshire 2 10.50x
Hampshire 1 0.12x
Monmouthshire 1 0.34x
Royal Navy 1 2.07x
Stirlingshire 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 34 Harrigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.63x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 34 14.63x
Barony 30 9.05x
Liverpool 26 8.91x
Poplar London 17 22.25x
Batley 13 34.10x
St Luke London 13 20.02x
Auckinleck 12 127.93x
St Andrew Holborn London 11 62.75x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 19.17x
Whitburn 9 102.16x
Newbottle 8 121.58x
Ashburton 7 173.70x
Chelsea London 7 5.74x
Dalry 7 49.09x
Gorbals 7 90.09x
Govan 7 2.16x
Hammersmith London 7 7.02x
Lambeth 7 1.98x
Maryhill 7 27.31x
St George In East London 7 18.38x
Clerkenwell London 6 6.28x
Deptford St Paul 6 5.63x
Eaglesham 6 312.50x
Fulham London 6 10.22x
Kirkintilloch 6 40.60x
Ratcliffe London 6 26.83x
Camborne 5 26.48x
Cheltenham 5 8.16x
East Greenock 5 16.88x
Everton 5 3.27x
Hendon 5 34.32x
Southcoates 5 22.45x
St Pancras London 5 1.53x
Workington 5 25.05x
Cardross 4 30.63x
Old Kilpatrick 4 31.10x
Paisley Middle Church 4 21.91x
Shoreditch London 4 2.28x
St Marylebone London 4 1.85x
Stoke 4 506.33x
Dumbarton 3 19.82x
Kensington London 3 1.33x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 37.88x
Toxteth Park 3 1.84x
Bromley London 2 2.25x
Camberwell 2 0.77x
Colchester St Leonard 2 77.82x
Crook Billy Row 2 12.97x
Islington London 2 0.51x
Lanark 2 18.99x
Manchester 2 0.93x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.32x
Milton In Gravesend 2 9.66x
Newcastle Higher 2 41.75x
Peebles 2 35.52x
Row 2 14.21x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.80x
St Giles In Fields London 2 10.07x
Westminster St Margaret 2 10.24x
Bodmin 1 13.19x
Bow London 1 1.94x
East Ham 1 6.74x
Edmonton 1 3.07x
Gelligaer 1 6.21x
Greenwich 1 1.55x
Heston 1 7.44x
Holy Trinity 1 1.04x
Houghton Le Spring 1 12.00x
Maidstone 1 2.43x
Newington 1 0.67x
Newport 1 7.16x
Portsea 1 0.61x
Putney 1 5.42x
Redruth 1 7.72x
Riccarton Hurlford 1 18.83x
Southowram 1 8.17x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 29.15x
Stoke 1 29.33x
Thornaby 1 6.67x
West Derby 1 0.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Ellen 12
Bridget 9
Margaret 7
Hannah 6
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Julia 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Ada 2
Jemima 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
E.Jane 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Hetty 1
Honora 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Johan 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lillia 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
M. 1
Marey 1
Margaretta 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Nora 1
P. 1
Rose 1
Rosetta 1
Sophia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
James 12
Thomas 12
William 12
Michael 10
Daniel 6
Patrick 5
David 3
Edward 3
Jeremiah 3
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Cornelius 2
J. 2
Bernard 1
Dennis 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
Jerry 1
Jno. 1
Maurice 1
Michal 1
Michel 1
Miria 1
P. 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Teddy 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Harrigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harrigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 417 people were recorded with the Harrigan surname. That placed it at #7,732 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harrigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 905 in 2016. That gives Harrigan a modern rank of #6,280.

What does the Harrigan surname mean?

Anglicized form of Irish Ó hArragáin, meaning "descendant of Arragán," a personal name of unknown origin.

What does the Harrigan map show?

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