NameCensus.

UK surname

Hughan

A surname originating from the Scottish Gaelic "Ó hUgáin" meaning descendant of Huggan.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Hughan surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sorbie, London parishes and Girthon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tain, Newton Stewart and Reigate and Banstead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hughan is 176 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.7%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1891

176 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hughan had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hughan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hughan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hughan 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 153 #12,721
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 84 #24,442
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 127 #24,125
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Hughans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sorbie, London parishes, Girthon, West Derby and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tain, Newton Stewart, Reigate and Banstead, Machars South and Auchterarder. 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 Sorbie Wigtown
2 London parishes London 3
3 Girthon Kirkcudbright
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tain Highland
2 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
3 Reigate and Banstead 013 Reigate and Banstead
4 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
5 Auchterarder Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hughan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hughan

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hughan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hughan is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hughan falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hughan

The surname Hughan is believed to have originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from the Old English personal name Hugh, which comes from the Germanic name Hugi, meaning "heart" or "mind." The name may have been influenced by the Old French word "hugon," meaning "bear cub."

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various Scottish records as Hugon, Hugonn, and Hughane. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname Hughan from various regions of Scotland.

The surname Hughan has historical ties to several Scottish families and clans, including the Clan Macfie and the Clan Chattan. In the 16th century, a prominent figure named John Hughan was recorded as a member of the Clan Macfie, which had strongholds in the regions of Argyll and Bute.

During the 17th century, the surname Hughan was associated with several notable individuals. Robert Hughan (1592-1658) was a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1645. James Hughan (1620-1685) was a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the establishment of the city of Greenock.

In the 18th century, the name Hughan was connected to several place names in Scotland, such as Hughanfield in Lanarkshire and Hughanrigg in Berwickshire. This suggests that some Hughan families may have been landowners or had ties to these locations.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Hughan was William James Hughan (1841-1911), a renowned English Freemason and author. He wrote extensively on the history and symbolism of Freemasonry and was considered a leading authority on the subject during his lifetime.

Other notable figures with the surname Hughan include:

1. Alexander Hughan (1794-1869), a Scottish artist known for his landscape paintings. 2. John Hughan (1808-1875), a Scottish minister and educational reformer who advocated for improved education in rural areas. 3. William Hughan (1832-1905), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who founded the Hughan Trust for the benefit of the poor. 4. Robert Hughan (1863-1937), a Scottish architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Glasgow.

The surname Hughan, with its Scottish origins and historical connections to various families, clans, and notable individuals, has left a lasting mark on the cultural and historical landscape of Scotland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hughan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hughan 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. Wigtownshire leads with 61 Hughans recorded in 1881 and an index of 334.06x.

County Total Index
Wigtownshire 61 334.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 21 105.47x
Lancashire 10 0.61x
Lanarkshire 8 1.80x
Cumberland 7 5.91x
Kent 7 1.49x
Warwickshire 7 2.02x
Devon 6 2.10x
Bedfordshire 2 2.81x
Cheshire 2 0.66x
Cornwall 2 1.28x
Dumfriesshire 2 6.58x
Middlesex 2 0.15x
Hampshire 1 0.35x
Midlothian 1 0.54x
Surrey 1 0.15x
Yorkshire 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. Sorbie in Wigtownshire leads with 29 Hughans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3625.00x.

Place Total Index
Sorbie 29 3625.00x
Wigtown 15 1442.31x
Girthon 10 1492.54x
Birmingham 7 6.06x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 188.17x
Inch 7 393.26x
New Monkland 7 53.23x
Whithorn 7 503.60x
Whitehaven 6 95.09x
Toxteth Park 5 9.05x
Liverpool 4 4.04x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 18.14x
Urr 4 154.44x
Annan 2 76.63x
Bedford St Paul 2 40.98x
Birkenhead 2 8.26x
Borgue 2 377.36x
East Stonehouse 2 35.46x
Kenwyn 2 49.14x
Rerrick 2 235.29x
Tottenham 2 9.13x
Anwoth 1 294.12x
Barony 1 0.89x
Cleator 1 20.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.35x
Kirkcudbright 1 60.61x
Kirkmabreck 1 114.94x
Mochrum 1 91.74x
Newington 1 1.97x
Nunthorpe 1 1250.00x
Penninghame 1 53.76x
Southampton St Mary 1 5.64x
Stranraer 1 59.88x
West Derby 1 2.09x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
James 3
John 2
Thos. 2
Alexander 1
Basil 1
Charles 1
George 1
Harry 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hughan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hughan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Hughan surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hughan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Hughan a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Hughan surname mean?

A surname originating from the Scottish Gaelic "Ó hUgáin" meaning descendant of Huggan.

What does the Hughan map show?

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