NameCensus.

UK surname

Horgan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hArgáin, meaning "descendant of Argán" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

In the 1881 census there were 175 people recorded with the Horgan surname, ranking it #13,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,645, ranked #3,785, up from #13,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, South Somerset and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horgan is 1,686 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 840.0%.

1881 census count

175

Ranked #13,982

Modern count

1,645

2016, ranked #3,785

Peak year

2014

1,686 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horgan had 175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,645 in 2016, ranked #3,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 487 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Horgan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horgan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horgan 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 175 #13,982
1891 historical 305 #10,976
1901 historical 391 #9,638
1911 historical 487 #7,992
1997 modern 1,479 #3,956
1998 modern 1,546 #3,946
1999 modern 1,556 #3,960
2000 modern 1,572 #3,907
2001 modern 1,545 #3,893
2002 modern 1,595 #3,865
2003 modern 1,537 #3,912
2004 modern 1,520 #3,949
2005 modern 1,500 #3,964
2006 modern 1,477 #4,025
2007 modern 1,521 #3,947
2008 modern 1,549 #3,903
2009 modern 1,585 #3,909
2010 modern 1,637 #3,877
2011 modern 1,624 #3,865
2012 modern 1,583 #3,889
2013 modern 1,662 #3,782
2014 modern 1,686 #3,740
2015 modern 1,659 #3,771
2016 modern 1,645 #3,785

Geography

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Where Horgans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, South Somerset, Knowsley, East Northamptonshire 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 015 Swindon
2 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
3 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
4 East Northamptonshire 005 East Northamptonshire
5 Wirral 028 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horgan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horgan

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Horgan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Horgan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Horgan is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Horgan 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

Horgan falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Horgan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Horgan

The surname Horgan is of Irish origin, originating in County Cork, Ireland, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O'hUrgain," which means "descendant of Urgan." Urgan was a personal name that may have referred to someone who lived near a marsh or a peat bog.

The name Horgan first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, when it was recorded as "O'hUrgain" in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The surname is believed to have evolved from this original spelling over time, with various spellings such as "O'Hurgan," "O'Hurgen," and "O'Horgan" appearing in different historical documents.

In the 16th century, the Horgan family held lands in the baronies of Ibane and Barryroe in County Cork. Some notable members of the Horgan family from this time period include Donough Horgan, a landowner and chieftain who lived in the late 16th century, and Dermot Horgan, a Catholic priest and scholar who was active in the early 17th century.

The earliest recorded example of the surname spelled as "Horgan" dates back to the 17th century, when it appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the reign of the Tudor monarchs in England and Ireland.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Horgan. One of the most famous was Thomas Horgan (1770-1816), an Irish-born lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania.

Another notable Horgan was James Horgan (1845-1925), an Irish-born prelate who served as the Bishop of Cloyne and Ross in County Cork from 1904 to 1925. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and social welfare initiatives in his diocese.

In the 20th century, John Horgan (1911-1995) was a prominent Irish politician who served as the Minister for Lands in the Irish government from 1957 to 1973. He was also a member of the Irish parliament (Dáil Éireann) for several decades.

Joseph Horgan (1917-2003) was an American author and journalist who wrote extensively about World War II and the Vietnam War. He is best known for his book "The Irish Tinkers: The Urbanization of an Itinerant People," which explored the lives of Irish Travellers.

Finally, John Horgan (born 1964) is a contemporary American science journalist and author who has written for publications such as Scientific American and The New York Times. He is known for his books exploring topics in science and religion, including "The End of Science" and "The Undiscovered Mind."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horgan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horgan 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 56 Horgans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 56 3.24x
Lancashire 40 1.95x
Surrey 18 2.14x
Monmouthshire 11 8.81x
Devon 10 2.78x
Pembrokeshire 8 14.58x
Northumberland 6 2.34x
Yorkshire 6 0.35x
Kent 4 0.68x
Essex 3 0.88x
Somerset 3 1.08x
Glamorgan 2 0.67x
Gloucestershire 2 0.59x
Royal Navy 2 9.72x
Warwickshire 2 0.46x
Leicestershire 1 0.52x
Lincolnshire 1 0.36x
Midlothian 1 0.43x
Worcestershire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 16 Horgans recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.33x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 16 21.33x
Liverpool 14 11.25x
Lambeth 11 7.31x
Manchester 11 11.94x
Clerkenwell London 9 22.09x
Hulme 8 18.70x
Pembroke St Michael 8 1012.66x
Llanover 7 164.32x
Lidford 6 372.67x
Tynemouth 5 36.34x
Westminster St John 5 23.78x
Westminster St Margaret 5 60.02x
Bradford 4 9.66x
Kensington London 4 4.17x
Otterton 4 689.66x
Poplar London 4 12.27x
Warrington 4 16.47x
Bedwellty 3 13.61x
Croydon 3 6.42x
Kingston On Thames 3 14.84x
West Ham 3 3.99x
Barrow In Furness 2 7.18x
Bedminster 2 7.66x
Birmingham 2 1.38x
Bromley London 2 5.27x
Gillingham 2 16.46x
Mile End Old Town London 2 5.44x
Royal Navy 2 11.37x
Shoreditch London 2 2.67x
St George Hanover Square 2 6.57x
Aberdare 1 4.85x
Alnwick 1 22.62x
Bristol St James In 1 20.08x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 3.14x
Broadway 1 103.09x
Bromley 1 11.14x
Caerleon 1 153.85x
Cardiff St John 1 10.18x
Cossington 1 416.67x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.20x
Horncastle 1 35.09x
Islington London 1 0.60x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 13.74x
Norton Folgate London 1 178.57x
Queensferry 1 416.67x
Rotherhithe 1 4.69x
Sheffield 1 1.84x
St George In East London 1 6.16x
St Pancras London 1 0.72x
Twickenham 1 13.51x
Woodplumpton 1 136.99x
Wooldale 1 34.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Ellen 8
Catherine 6
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Margaret 4
Eliza 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Bridget 2
Helena 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Matilda 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Cicilia 1
Elizath 1
Emma 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Rose 1
Terese 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Horgan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horgan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 175 people were recorded with the Horgan surname. That placed it at #13,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horgan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,645 in 2016. That gives Horgan a modern rank of #3,785.

What does the Horgan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hArgáin, meaning "descendant of Argán" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

What does the Horgan map show?

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