NameCensus.

UK surname

Houlihan

A surname of Irish origin, derived from Ó hUallacháin, meaning "descendant of Uallachán," a personal name meaning "proud" or "arrogant."

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Houlihan surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 869, ranked #6,459, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, Enfield and Cardiff.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Houlihan is 923 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3850.0%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

869

2016, ranked #6,459

Peak year

2011

923 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Houlihan had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 869 in 2016, ranked #6,459.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Houlihan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Houlihan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Houlihan 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 25 #32,259
1901 historical 48 #28,808
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 833 #6,335
1998 modern 858 #6,393
1999 modern 871 #6,368
2000 modern 875 #6,311
2001 modern 855 #6,307
2002 modern 868 #6,366
2003 modern 839 #6,405
2004 modern 834 #6,438
2005 modern 836 #6,377
2006 modern 851 #6,310
2007 modern 852 #6,361
2008 modern 857 #6,381
2009 modern 886 #6,341
2010 modern 916 #6,307
2011 modern 923 #6,204
2012 modern 880 #6,349
2013 modern 872 #6,506
2014 modern 870 #6,536
2015 modern 862 #6,532
2016 modern 869 #6,459

Geography

Back to top

Where Houlihans 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 Staffordshire Moorlands, Enfield, Cardiff, Brent and Rochdale. 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 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Enfield 015 Enfield
3 Cardiff 016 Cardiff
4 Brent 033 Brent
5 Rochdale 016 Rochdale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Houlihan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Houlihan

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Houlihan 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

Houlihan 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

Houlihan falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Houlihan 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 Houlihan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Houlihan

The surname Houlihan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name Ó hUallacháin, meaning "descendant of Uallachán." Uallachán is a diminutive form of the word "uallach," which means "proud" or "arrogant." The name likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century in the Gaelic-speaking regions of Ireland.

The earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1371, it mentions a certain "Maolmhuire Ó hUallacháin" as a notable figure in County Mayo. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the western parts of Ireland by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Anglicized spelling "Houlihan" began to appear in English-language records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor sovereigns. These were letters patent issued by the English monarchy, granting lands and privileges in Ireland. The name is also found in various rent rolls and legal documents from this period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Terence Houlihan, a prominent landowner in County Limerick who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Another notable figure was Captain Edmond Houlihan, an officer in the Irish Brigades of the French Army, who served in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, several Houlihans achieved prominence in various fields. Michael Houlihan (1800-1857) was a Catholic priest and writer from County Cork, known for his works on Irish history and literature. James Houlihan (1834-1909) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from New York City, who made significant contributions to educational and cultural institutions.

The name has also been associated with certain places in Ireland, such as Houlihan's Folly, a historic site in County Kerry, and Houlihan's Bridge, a landmark in County Tipperary. These place names likely derived from individuals or families with the surname Houlihan who lived in or owned land in those areas.

Throughout its history, the surname Houlihan has been subject to various spelling variations, including Houlahan, Houlehan, O'Houlihan, and O'Houlohan, among others. However, the modern standardized spelling of "Houlihan" has been widely adopted in recent centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Houlihan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Houlihan 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 12 Houlihans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 5.60x
Lancashire 6 2.36x
Cheshire 1 2.11x
Devon 1 2.24x
Hampshire 1 2.28x
Kent 1 1.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Martin In Fields in Middlesex leads with 7 Houlihans recorded in 1881 and an index of 546.88x.

Place Total Index
St Martin In Fields 7 546.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 99.01x
Heston 2 281.69x
Oswaldtwistle 2 222.22x
Preston 2 29.37x
Westminster St John 2 76.63x
Aldershot 1 68.03x
Birkenhead 1 26.53x
Devonport 1 196.08x
Lewisham 1 25.64x
Paddington London 1 12.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bridget 3
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Patrick 2
F. 1
Michael 1
Simon 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Houlihan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Houlihan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Houlihan surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Houlihan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 869 in 2016. That gives Houlihan a modern rank of #6,459.

What does the Houlihan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from Ó hUallacháin, meaning "descendant of Uallachán," a personal name meaning "proud" or "arrogant."

What does the Houlihan map show?

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