NameCensus.

UK surname

Honan

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hAnáin meaning "descendant of Anán".

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Honan surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 182, ranked #20,890, up from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Stockton-on-Tees and Reading.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Honan is 212 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 203.3%.

1881 census count

60

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

182

2016, ranked #20,890

Peak year

2000

212 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Honan had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016, ranked #20,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Honan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Honan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Honan 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 60 #25,133
1891 historical 78 #27,035
1901 historical 100 #22,863
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 212 #17,554
2001 modern 204 #17,736
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 204 #17,909
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 175 #19,850
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 181 #20,277
2010 modern 189 #20,171
2011 modern 187 #20,132
2012 modern 176 #20,915
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 178 #21,149
2016 modern 182 #20,890

Geography

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Where Honans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Prescot and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Stockton-on-Tees, Reading, Basingstoke and Deane and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Prescot Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 010 County Durham
2 Stockton-on-Tees 006 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Reading 004 Reading
4 Basingstoke and Deane 009 Basingstoke and Deane
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 009 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Honan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Honan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Honan, 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 Honan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Honan 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Honan 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

Honan 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

Honan falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Honan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Honan

The surname Honan is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the County Clare region of western Ireland. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, derived from the Irish Gaelic word "O'Nuanain," meaning "descendant of Nuanan."

Nuanan was a personal name that may have stemmed from the Old Irish word "nua," meaning "new" or "fresh." The prefix "O'" indicates a patronymic surname, signifying a familial lineage. Over time, the name underwent various spelling changes, including O'Nunan, O'Nuanain, and eventually, Honan.

Historical records suggest that the Honan clan held a prominent position in County Clare, particularly in the Barony of Tulla. Their ancestral lands were located in the region known as Hy-Cormac, where they were influential members of the Dál gCais Sept.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1317, a notable figure named Donnchadh O'Nuanain is mentioned as the Ollamh (a learned scholar) of Thomond, the medieval kingdom that encompassed much of what is now County Clare.

Another notable figure from the Honan lineage was Domhnall O'Nuanain, who lived in the 15th century. He was a renowned poet and historian, renowned for his expertise in the ancient laws and traditions of Ireland.

In the 16th century, the Honan family's influence extended beyond County Clare. In 1588, a man named Donnchadh Ó Nuanáin was appointed as the Bishop of Kilmacduagh, a prominent diocese in County Galway.

One of the most famous individuals bearing the Honan surname was Michael Honan (1824-1889), a prominent Irish-American journalist and newspaper editor. He co-founded the Boston Pilot, one of the earliest and most influential Irish-American newspapers in the United States.

Another notable figure was John Honan (1858-1925), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Honan Trust, which provided financial support for various educational and charitable initiatives in his hometown of Newmarket, County Clare.

In the realm of literature, James Honan (1858-1935) made his mark as a poet and playwright. His works, such as "The Lad from Glin" and "The Sprig of Shillelagh," captured the essence of Irish life and culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the Honan surname has its roots in County Clare, it has since spread to various parts of Ireland and beyond, carried by generations of emigrants seeking new opportunities across the globe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Honan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Honan 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 36 Honans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.18x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 36 5.18x
Cumberland 6 11.91x
Surrey 6 2.10x
Lanarkshire 4 2.11x
Middlesex 2 0.34x
Cheshire 1 0.77x
Devon 1 0.82x
Hampshire 1 0.83x
Perthshire 1 3.81x
Worcestershire 1 1.31x
Yorkshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 8 Honans recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.03x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 8 34.03x
Caldewgate 6 217.39x
Ardwick 5 79.87x
Parr 5 201.61x
Frimley 4 493.83x
Great Crosby 4 211.64x
Hulme 4 27.59x
Wigan 4 41.24x
Barrow In Furness 3 31.78x
Barnes 2 165.29x
Barony 2 4.18x
Glasgow 2 5.95x
Accrington 1 15.85x
Blackford 1 312.50x
Brightside Bierlow 1 8.80x
Devonport 1 71.43x
Everton 1 4.52x
Farnborough 1 79.37x
Great Malvern 1 62.89x
Leftwich 1 175.44x
Liverpool 1 2.37x
Poplar London 1 9.06x
Westminster St Margaret 1 35.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Ada 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Hanora 1
Helena 1
Honora 1
Johana 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Marianne 1
Sarah 1
Sararh 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Michael 3
James 2
Martin 2
Patrick 2
Robert 2
William 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
David 1
Edward 1
Hugh 1
Mathew 1
S.M. 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Honan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Honan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Honan surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Honan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016. That gives Honan a modern rank of #20,890.

What does the Honan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hAnáin meaning "descendant of Anán".

What does the Honan map show?

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