NameCensus.

UK surname

Henaghan

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic patronymic referring to a descendant of Egan.

In the 1881 census there were 54 people recorded with the Henaghan surname, ranking it #26,009 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #26,009 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, Stoke-on-Trent and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Henaghan is 149 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 140.7%.

1881 census count

54

Ranked #26,009

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

2011

149 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Henaghan had 54 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,009 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 65 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Henaghan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Henaghan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Henaghan 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 54 #26,009
1891 historical 37 #31,398
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1911 historical 51 #27,708
1997 modern 115 #24,834
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 135 #23,279
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 134 #23,590
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 132 #25,289
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 133 #25,851
2015 modern 133 #25,729
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Henaghans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, Stoke-on-Trent, Knowsley, Glenwood North and Wirral. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 004 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Stoke-on-Trent 003 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
4 Glenwood North Glasgow City
5 Wirral 010 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Henaghan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Henaghan

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Henaghan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Henaghan 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Henaghan is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Henaghan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Henaghan

The surname HENAGHAN originated in Ireland, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "O'hEnagháin," which literally means "descendant of Énagháin." The name Énagháin itself is derived from the Irish word "éan," meaning "bird," and the diminutive suffix "-án."

The HENAGHAN name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Donegal, Derry, and Tyrone in Ulster Province, where the clan held lands and prominence. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, a collection of official documents from the 16th century, where it is spelled as "O'Henaghan."

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many Irish families, including the HENAGHANs, lost their lands and were forced to adopt anglicized versions of their names. This led to the emergence of various spellings, such as HENAGHAN, HENEGHAN, HENIGAN, and HINNEGAN.

One notable figure bearing the HENAGHAN name was Patrick Henaghan (1753-1830), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the Vicar-General of the Diocese of Raphoe in County Donegal. He was known for his extensive knowledge of Irish language and history.

Another prominent individual was John Henaghan (1821-1904), a Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Victoria from 1880 to 1892. He played a significant role in shaping the early political landscape of the colony.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the HENAGHAN name can be found in the 1840 census, where a family with the surname was listed as residing in New York City. This likely indicates that members of the HENAGHAN clan had already begun emigrating from Ireland to America by that time.

One notable American bearing the HENAGHAN name was Michael Henaghan (1888-1976), a professional baseball player who played as an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 20th century.

Additionally, Charles Henaghan (1904-1993), an Irish-American Catholic priest, served as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn from 1972 to 1979. He was known for his commitment to social justice and his work with the Hispanic community in New York.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Henaghan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Henaghan 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. Cheshire leads with 15 Henaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.90x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 15 12.90x
Lancashire 14 2.24x
Lanarkshire 9 5.28x
Warwickshire 9 6.78x
Durham 4 2.55x
Leicestershire 1 1.71x
Stirlingshire 1 5.15x
Yorkshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Macclesfield in Cheshire leads with 15 Henaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 290.14x.

Place Total Index
Macclesfield 15 290.14x
Barony 9 20.88x
Chilvers Coton 9 1636.36x
Spotland 7 100.72x
Toxteth Park 5 23.63x
Westoe 4 45.05x
Chorley 2 56.98x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 74.07x
Garforth 1 250.00x
St Ninians 1 51.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 5
Thomas 5
Patrick 3
James 2
Peter 2
J.M. 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
William 1

FAQ

Henaghan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Henaghan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 54 people were recorded with the Henaghan surname. That placed it at #26,009 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Henaghan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Henaghan a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Henaghan surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic patronymic referring to a descendant of Egan.

What does the Henaghan map show?

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