NameCensus.

UK surname

Hartigan

An Irish surname derived from Ó hArtagáin, meaning "descendant of Artagán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Hartigan surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 622, ranked #8,471, up from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Vale of White Horse and Reigate and Banstead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hartigan is 656 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 450.4%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

622

2016, ranked #8,471

Peak year

2013

656 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hartigan had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 622 in 2016, ranked #8,471.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 231 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Hartigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hartigan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hartigan 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 188 #15,742
1911 historical 231 #13,636
1997 modern 595 #8,199
1998 modern 610 #8,295
1999 modern 605 #8,399
2000 modern 590 #8,514
2001 modern 580 #8,485
2002 modern 607 #8,387
2003 modern 602 #8,313
2004 modern 589 #8,467
2005 modern 562 #8,658
2006 modern 572 #8,587
2007 modern 569 #8,681
2008 modern 584 #8,591
2009 modern 602 #8,580
2010 modern 630 #8,466
2011 modern 639 #8,269
2012 modern 636 #8,208
2013 modern 656 #8,153
2014 modern 656 #8,194
2015 modern 631 #8,389
2016 modern 622 #8,471

Geography

Back to top

Where Hartigans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, Manchester and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, Vale of White Horse, Reigate and Banstead, Denbighshire and Blackpool. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 015 Tameside
2 Vale of White Horse 002 Vale of White Horse
3 Reigate and Banstead 009 Reigate and Banstead
4 Denbighshire 016 Denbighshire
5 Blackpool 006 Blackpool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hartigan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hartigan

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Hartigan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Hartigan 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hartigan 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

Hartigan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hartigan

The surname Hartigan has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "O'hArtgaine," which means "descendant of Artgaine." Artgaine was a personal name derived from the Gaelic words "art" meaning "bear" and "gan" meaning "without," suggesting the name might have originally referred to someone who was bearless or without a bear.

The earliest recorded instance of the Hartigan name 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 "Donough O'Hartigan" who was involved in a skirmish in County Clare in the year 1581.

The Hartigans were most prevalent in County Clare and the surrounding areas of Munster in the southwestern part of Ireland. Some early variations of the spelling included Hartgan, Hartagen, and Hartagan.

One notable Hartigan from history was John Hartigan, a Irish Jacobite soldier who fought for the Catholic King James II during the Williamite War in Ireland from 1689 to 1691. He was born around 1660 and later fled to France after the war ended.

Another prominent figure was Patrick Hartigan (1778-1866), an Irish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the County Limerick constituency in the United Kingdom Parliament from 1837 to 1847.

In the late 18th century, a branch of the Hartigan family emigrated from Ireland to Australia, where they became influential in the early colonial days. One of the earliest Australian Hartigans was John Hartigan (1799-1878), who arrived in Sydney in 1820 and later became a successful merchant and landowner.

The name Hartigan also has a connection to the literary world through the American novelist and short story writer Frank Hartigan (1905-1976), who was known for his works set in his native Boston and exploring themes of Irish-American identity.

Throughout history, the Hartigan surname has maintained a strong association with its Irish roots, originating from the Gaelic "O'hArtgaine" and appearing in various historical records and literature over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hartigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hartigan 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 45 Hartigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 4.08x
Lancashire 21 1.61x
Surrey 15 2.79x
Hampshire 7 3.10x
Northumberland 7 4.27x
Yorkshire 7 0.64x
Glamorgan 4 2.08x
Lanarkshire 2 0.56x
Cheshire 1 0.41x
Monmouthshire 1 1.26x
Perthshire 1 2.02x
Staffordshire 1 0.27x
Warwickshire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 14 Hartigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.79x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 14 23.79x
Camberwell 12 17.04x
Bow London 9 64.15x
St George In East London 9 86.79x
Manchester 8 13.60x
Wallsend 7 134.62x
Kensington London 6 9.79x
Linthorpe 6 92.02x
North Meols 4 31.25x
Liverpool 3 3.78x
Portsea 3 6.78x
Widnes 3 31.81x
Cardiff St Mary 2 18.92x
Lambeth 2 2.08x
Tottenham 2 11.39x
Whitchurch 2 277.78x
Abergavenny 1 33.56x
Alverstoke 1 12.22x
Barony 1 1.11x
Cardiff St John 1 15.95x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.84x
Habergham Eaves 1 8.37x
Hammersmith London 1 3.68x
Hound 1 65.36x
Kinnoull Scone 1 5000.00x
Middlesbrough 1 7.03x
Moss Side 1 14.53x
New Monkland 1 9.49x
Paddington London 1 2.47x
Putney 1 19.92x
Sale 1 33.56x
Salford Priors 1 322.58x
Shadwell London 1 32.47x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.53x
Swansea Town 1 6.36x
Walton Le Dale 1 28.49x
Westminster St Margaret 1 18.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 9
John 8
William 6
Michael 4
Patrick 4
Thomas 3
Richard 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Dan 1
David 1
Denis 1
Edward 1
J. 1
Jeremiah 1
Micheal 1
Morris 1
Roger 1
Timothy 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Hartigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hartigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Hartigan surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hartigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 622 in 2016. That gives Hartigan a modern rank of #8,471.

What does the Hartigan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó hArtagáin, meaning "descendant of Artagán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Hartigan map show?

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