NameCensus.

UK surname

Higgins

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hUiginn, meaning "descendant of Uiginn," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 15,106 people recorded with the Higgins surname, ranking it #262 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25,731, ranked #221, up from #262 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Cheshire West and Chester and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Higgins is 26,406 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.3%.

1881 census count

15,106

Ranked #262

Modern count

25,731

2016, ranked #221

Peak year

2010

26,406 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Higgins had 15,106 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #262 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 25,731 in 2016, ranked #221.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,240 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Higgins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Higgins surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Higgins 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 8,395 #323
1861 historical 9,343 #286
1881 historical 15,106 #262
1891 historical 15,657 #271
1901 historical 18,240 #277
1911 historical 17,432 #271
1997 modern 24,889 #219
1998 modern 25,656 #221
1999 modern 25,763 #222
2000 modern 25,577 #222
2001 modern 24,968 #222
2002 modern 25,607 #222
2003 modern 25,073 #222
2004 modern 24,937 #222
2005 modern 24,657 #222
2006 modern 24,782 #221
2007 modern 24,977 #222
2008 modern 25,224 #219
2009 modern 25,861 #219
2010 modern 26,406 #219
2011 modern 25,898 #221
2012 modern 25,324 #222
2013 modern 25,889 #221
2014 modern 26,102 #221
2015 modern 25,788 #221
2016 modern 25,731 #221

Geography

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Where Higgins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, 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 Shropshire, Cheshire West and Chester, South Somerset, Airdrie North and Doncaster. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
2 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
3 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
4 Airdrie North North Lanarkshire
5 Doncaster 031 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Higgins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Higgins

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Higgins is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Higgins 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

Higgins 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 Higgins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Higgins

The surname Higgins is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic personal name Ó hUiginn, meaning "descendant of Uiginn". Uiginn is a diminutive form of the Gaelic name Uaithne, which is derived from the word "uath" meaning "terrible" or "dreadful".

The Higgins name can be traced back to County Sligo in the west of Ireland, where it was first found in the 11th century. The family was part of the Ui Fiachrach, a powerful dynasty that ruled over parts of Connacht and Ulster.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Gilla-Críst Ó hUiginn in the year 1167. The Annals also record several other members of the Ó hUiginn family in subsequent centuries.

The Domesday Book, a detailed survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any mention of the Higgins surname, as it was not yet in use in England at that time.

In the 16th century, the name began to appear in its anglicized form of Higgins, as the Irish language was suppressed and English became more prevalent. Notable figures with the Higgins surname during this period include Fergal Ó hUiginn (c. 1520-1594), a renowned Irish poet and historian.

Other notable individuals with the Higgins surname include:

1. Francis Higgins (1669-1728), an English theologian and author. 2. Shaun Higgins (born 1987), an Australian rules footballer. 3. Mary Higgins Clark (1927-2020), an American author of suspense novels. 4. Christopher Higgins (born 1983), a Canadian professional ice hockey player. 5. John Higgins (born 1975), a Scottish professional snooker player and four-time world champion.

The Higgins name has also been associated with various place names, such as Higginstown in County Westmeath, Ireland, and Higgins Beach in Scarborough, Maine, USA.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Higgins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Higgins 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 2,227 Higgins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.27x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,227 1.27x
Middlesex 1,662 1.13x
Yorkshire 1,617 1.10x
Lanarkshire 858 1.80x
Kent 710 1.41x
Cheshire 616 1.89x
Staffordshire 613 1.23x
Somerset 504 2.12x
Surrey 504 0.70x
Warwickshire 458 1.23x
Gloucestershire 418 1.44x
Shropshire 298 2.34x
Worcestershire 288 1.49x
Durham 277 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 267 2.99x
Hampshire 226 0.75x
Ayrshire 215 1.95x
Renfrewshire 202 1.76x
Devon 189 0.61x
Derbyshire 163 0.70x
Oxfordshire 162 1.78x
Midlothian 158 0.80x
Northamptonshire 143 1.03x
Wiltshire 141 1.08x
Angus 129 0.94x
Bedfordshire 123 1.61x
Monmouthshire 122 1.14x
Essex 121 0.42x
Cornwall 111 0.66x
Cumberland 108 0.85x
Herefordshire 103 1.70x
Montgomeryshire 98 2.90x
Lincolnshire 89 0.38x
Glamorgan 84 0.33x
Berkshire 81 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 78 0.39x
Sussex 77 0.31x
Stirlingshire 72 1.32x
Northumberland 68 0.31x
Wigtownshire 66 3.37x
Dorset 62 0.64x
Hertfordshire 61 0.60x
Leicestershire 61 0.37x
Dunbartonshire 46 1.16x
West Lothian 40 1.80x
Kirkcudbrightshire 38 1.78x
Perthshire 30 0.45x
Denbighshire 29 0.52x
Suffolk 28 0.16x
Royal Navy 24 1.36x
Anglesey 23 0.88x
Flintshire 22 0.55x
Isle of Man 21 0.77x
Norfolk 20 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 17 0.28x
Channel Islands 15 0.34x
East Lothian 15 0.77x
Roxburghshire 15 0.56x
Fife 13 0.15x
Brecknockshire 12 0.41x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.08x
Clackmannanshire 11 0.90x
Westmorland 11 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 10 0.11x
Carmarthenshire 10 0.16x
Huntingdonshire 9 0.31x
Dumfriesshire 7 0.21x
Argyllshire 6 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.11x
Radnorshire 5 0.42x
Selkirkshire 5 0.37x
Morayshire 3 0.13x
Orkney 3 0.18x
Peeblesshire 2 0.29x
Berwickshire 1 0.06x
Cardiganshire 1 0.03x
Kincardineshire 1 0.06x
Shetland 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 329 Higgins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.09x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 329 3.09x
Barony 238 1.97x
Manchester 235 2.98x
Glasgow 205 2.42x
Leeds 192 2.32x
Aston 179 1.75x
Birmingham 169 1.36x
Islington London 137 0.96x
Govan 131 1.11x
St Pancras London 126 1.06x
Sheffield 117 2.51x
Oldham 114 2.02x
Toxteth Park 113 1.90x
Lambeth 112 0.87x
St Marylebone London 112 1.42x
Salford 104 2.02x
Paddington London 92 1.69x
Bradford 90 2.54x
Hackney London 77 0.93x
Walsall Foreign 76 2.95x
Bethnal Green London 70 1.09x
Dundee 68 1.33x
Chelsea London 67 1.51x
Everton 67 1.20x
West Derby 67 1.31x
St Luke London 66 2.79x
Butleigh 64 163.77x
Gorton 64 3.88x
Mile End Old Town London 59 1.88x
Shoreditch London 58 0.91x
Ecclesfield 57 5.31x
Hunslet 57 2.50x
Pontefract 57 18.08x
Hulme 56 1.53x
Kensington London 55 0.67x
St George Hanover Square 53 2.04x
Bilston 49 5.07x
Birkenhead 49 1.89x
Camberwell 49 0.52x
Abbey 48 2.75x
Falkirk 48 3.76x
Wolverhampton 48 1.25x
West Greenock 45 2.19x
Chatham 44 3.17x
Preston 44 0.94x
Sedgley 44 2.38x
Warrington 44 2.12x
Bermondsey 42 0.96x
Bow London 42 2.23x
Bromley London 42 1.29x
Dudley 42 1.79x
Kirkdale 42 1.42x
Chorlton On Medlock 40 1.44x
Gravesend 40 9.38x
Nottingham St Mary 40 0.78x
Brightside Bierlow 39 1.36x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 38 1.39x
Kings Norton 38 2.20x
Battersea 37 0.68x
Hamilton 37 2.78x
Worsley 37 3.42x
Ashton Under Lyne 36 0.94x
Barnsley 36 2.38x
Congleton 36 6.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 36 0.45x
Leicester St Margaret 35 0.88x
Liff Benvie 35 1.69x
Blantyre 34 6.84x
Cheltenham 34 1.52x
Lewisham 33 1.23x
Wednesbury 33 2.65x
Blackburn 32 0.69x
Clerkenwell London 32 0.92x
Glastonbury 32 16.49x
Horton In Bradford 32 1.40x
Hyde 32 3.33x
Kilmarnock 32 2.43x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 32 26.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 32 1.35x
Wigan 31 1.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,045
Elizabeth 465
Sarah 393
Ann 278
Ellen 235
Eliza 227
Jane 215
Margaret 206
Annie 205
Catherine 168
Alice 161
Emma 159
Emily 137
Martha 120
Bridget 115
Hannah 115
Harriet 83
Kate 83
Charlotte 74
Louisa 74
Edith 68
Fanny 66
Anne 60
Florence 57
Maria 56
Ada 55
Caroline 55
Rose 51
Agnes 50
Julia 46
Frances 44
Susan 41
Clara 39
Lucy 39
Amelia 33
Harriett 29
Esther 28
Amy 26
Elizth. 26
Jessie 25
Matilda 25
Minnie 25
Isabella 24
Rebecca 23
Helen 21
Laura 19
Sophia 19
Susannah 18
Eleanor 17
Ethel 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 891
William 690
Thomas 555
James 524
George 368
Henry 281
Charles 242
Joseph 225
Patrick 156
Edward 154
Michael 132
Alfred 126
Robert 95
Samuel 91
Arthur 89
Richard 88
Walter 86
Albert 80
Frederick 70
Martin 70
Peter 64
Francis 55
Frank 55
Harry 50
Daniel 42
David 37
Herbert 37
Edwin 34
Ernest 34
Thos. 33
Wm. 33
Benjamin 24
Andrew 21
Stephen 19
Edmund 17
Fredk. 17
Mark 17
Matthew 16
Tom 16
Hugh 15
Cornelius 14
Geo. 14
Percy 14
Bernard 13
Chas. 13
Fred 13
Jno. 13
Timothy 13
Alexander 12
Fredrick 12

FAQ

Higgins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Higgins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 15,106 people were recorded with the Higgins surname. That placed it at #262 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Higgins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 25,731 in 2016. That gives Higgins a modern rank of #221.

What does the Higgins surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hUiginn, meaning "descendant of Uiginn," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Higgins map show?

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