NameCensus.

UK surname

Holligan

An anglicized spelling of the Irish surname Ó hUallacháin, meaning "descendant of Uallachán".

In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Holligan surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 255, ranked #16,576, up from #26,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bruntsfield, Dalry and Fountainbridge and Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holligan is 260 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 390.4%.

1881 census count

52

Ranked #26,281

Modern count

255

2016, ranked #16,576

Peak year

2015

260 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holligan had 52 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 255 in 2016, ranked #16,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 71 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Holligan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holligan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holligan 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 41 #28,839
1881 historical 52 #26,281
1891 historical 71 #27,934
1901 historical 68 #26,598
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 211 #17,532
1999 modern 215 #17,425
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 211 #17,376
2002 modern 221 #17,206
2003 modern 225 #16,808
2004 modern 233 #16,471
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 234 #16,493
2007 modern 251 #15,861
2008 modern 237 #16,688
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 245 #17,013
2011 modern 242 #17,001
2012 modern 236 #17,187
2013 modern 248 #16,877
2014 modern 257 #16,598
2015 modern 260 #16,361
2016 modern 255 #16,576

Geography

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Where Holligans 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 Bruntsfield, Dalry and Fountainbridge, Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill, Hyndburn and IZ16. 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 Bruntsfield City of Edinburgh
2 Dalry and Fountainbridge City of Edinburgh
3 Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill East Renfrewshire
4 Hyndburn 005 Hyndburn
5 IZ16 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holligan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holligan

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

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Holligan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Holligan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Holligan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Holligan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Holligan

The surname "Holligan" is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period, specifically the 13th and 14th centuries. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hol," which meant a hollow or a small valley, combined with the suffix "-ing," indicating a person or place associated with a particular feature or location.

This surname was most prevalent in the northern regions of England, particularly in counties such as Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many place names incorporated the element "hol" or "hole." The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in various parish records and tax rolls from these areas.

In the Domesday Book, a renowned survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to several places that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Holeden (meaning "deep valley") in Derbyshire and Holingburi (meaning "hollow fortified place") in Essex.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Holligan was John Holligan, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. Another notable bearer of this name was William Holligan, a merchant from York, who was recorded in the city's Freemen Rolls in 1428.

During the 16th century, the surname appears to have spread beyond its northern English roots. Thomas Holligan, born in 1543, was a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire, while Elizabeth Holligan, born in 1592, was a member of a wealthy family in Gloucestershire.

In the 17th century, the surname gained further recognition with the exploits of Captain James Holligan, a notable English naval officer who served under King Charles I during the English Civil War (1642-1651). His bravery and loyalty to the Crown were well-documented in contemporaneous accounts.

Moving into the 18th century, the Holligan surname continued to be associated with notable individuals. One such person was Samuel Holligan (1712-1795), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from London, whose innovative designs and contributions to horology were highly regarded during his lifetime.

Throughout history, the Holligan surname has been subject to various spellings and variations, such as Holligan, Holligan, Holligon, and Hollygan, reflecting the linguistic and regional differences in pronunciation and record-keeping practices.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holligan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holligan 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 14 Holligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 14 2.33x
Durham 13 8.62x
Dunbartonshire 11 80.70x
Middlesex 7 1.38x
Norfolk 2 2.56x
Bedfordshire 1 3.81x
Devon 1 0.95x
Essex 1 1.00x
Gloucestershire 1 1.01x
Somerset 1 1.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 13 Holligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.82x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 13 178.82x
Kirkintilloch 11 594.59x
Liverpool 7 19.15x
Newton In Makerfield 5 271.74x
Finchley 4 206.19x
Whitechapel London 3 60.00x
Hunstanton 2 769.23x
Oldham 2 10.30x
Bedford St Cuthbert 1 434.78x
Burnham 1 161.29x
Cheltenham 1 13.04x
East Ham 1 53.76x
Lidford 1 212.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Caroline 1
Christian 1
Dora 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
John 3
George 2
Michael 2
Wm. 2
Benjm. 1
Davies 1
Frederic 1
Henry 1
Josiah 1
Matthew 1
Patrick 1
Richard 1
Thomas 1
William 1

FAQ

Holligan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holligan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Holligan surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holligan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 255 in 2016. That gives Holligan a modern rank of #16,576.

What does the Holligan surname mean?

An anglicized spelling of the Irish surname Ó hUallacháin, meaning "descendant of Uallachán".

What does the Holligan map show?

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