UK surname
Of Irish origin, meaning "ancient" or "descendant of the ancient ones."
In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Kegan surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #17,166 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Toxteth Park and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kegan is 127 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 96.9%.
1881 census count
127
Ranked #17,166
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1881
127 bearers
Map years
1
1881 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kegan surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kegan surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 90 | #18,317 |
| 1861 | historical | 82 | #23,321 |
| 1881 | historical | 127 | #17,166 |
| 1891 | historical | 85 | #26,080 |
| 1901 | historical | 64 | #27,010 |
| 1911 | historical | 28 | #30,296 |
| 1997 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 6 | #37,696 |
| 2000 | modern | 7 | #37,430 |
| 2001 | modern | 5 | #37,652 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 6 | #37,586 |
| 2004 | modern | 8 | #37,346 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 6 | #37,788 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 7 | #37,735 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 6 | #38,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 7 | #37,865 |
| 2012 | modern | 8 | #37,740 |
| 2013 | modern | 7 | #37,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 8 | #37,806 |
| 2015 | modern | 5 | #38,221 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Girvan, Toxteth Park, Edinburgh, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Girvan | Ayr |
| 2 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kegan surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kegan, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kegan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kegan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kegan is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kegan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kegan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kegan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "céidigan," meaning "descendant of the first-born son." This name can be traced back to the 12th century in Ireland, initially prevalent in County Cork and County Tipperary.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kegan appears in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. It mentions a figure named Aodh Kegan, who was a notable chieftain in the region of Ormond (present-day County Tipperary) during the late 12th century.
In the 16th century, the Kegan surname was associated with several prominent landowners and military leaders in the Irish provinces of Munster and Leinster. Notable individuals include John Kegan (1550-1620), a soldier who fought in the Nine Years' War against English forces, and Edmond Kegan (1570-1635), a landowner and magistrate in County Tipperary.
The name Kegan has also been recorded in various forms, such as Keegan, Keagan, and Kehan, reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable example is John Keegan (1934-2012), a renowned British military historian and author who wrote extensively on the nature of warfare and military strategy.
Other historical figures bearing the surname Kegan include:
1. Thomas Kegan (1795-1870), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York in the mid-19th century.
2. Pauline Kegan (1843-1915), an Irish author and poet who published several collections of poetry and prose works in the late 19th century.
3. Michael Kegan (1828-1892), an Irish-born Australian businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of Melbourne in the late 19th century.
4. William Kegan (1810-1876), an Irish-born American soldier who fought in the Mexican-American War and later served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.
5. John Kegan (1786-1849), an Irish-born Australian farmer and landowner who was one of the earliest settlers in the region now known as the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.
While the surname Kegan originated in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the historical migration patterns of Irish people over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kegan surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 64 Kegans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.35x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 64 | 4.35x |
| Warwickshire | 13 | 4.16x |
| Ayrshire | 9 | 9.71x |
| Cumberland | 8 | 7.50x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 0.57x |
| Midlothian | 6 | 3.62x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 0.75x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 0.24x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 0.73x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.47x |
| Selkirkshire | 2 | 17.84x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 1.87x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.87x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.46x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.41x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.39x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.73x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.24x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 23 Kegans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.76x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 23 | 25.76x |
| Birmingham | 13 | 12.49x |
| Coylton | 8 | 606.06x |
| Wigton | 8 | 500.00x |
| Toxteth Park | 7 | 14.06x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 6 | 8.99x |
| Kirkdale | 6 | 24.26x |
| St Mary Le Strand London | 6 | 1333.33x |
| Newchurch | 5 | 41.60x |
| Newton | 5 | 44.13x |
| Atherton | 4 | 74.77x |
| Bradford | 4 | 58.14x |
| Govan | 2 | 2.02x |
| Lancaster | 2 | 22.86x |
| Leeds | 2 | 2.89x |
| Manchester | 2 | 3.03x |
| Melrose | 2 | 70.92x |
| Radcliffe | 2 | 28.21x |
| Wellington | 2 | 33.28x |
| Windle | 2 | 24.18x |
| Auckinleck | 1 | 34.84x |
| Barony | 1 | 0.99x |
| Birkenhead | 1 | 4.59x |
| Cheriton | 1 | 58.14x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 3.42x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.33x |
| Huyton With Roby | 1 | 58.14x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 2.99x |
| Newton In Makerfield | 1 | 22.22x |
| Penarth | 1 | 47.39x |
| Portsea | 1 | 2.01x |
| Redcar | 1 | 103.09x |
| Stafford St Mary | 1 | 16.89x |
| Stockport | 1 | 7.11x |
| Westbury On Trym | 1 | 12.15x |
| Woolwich | 1 | 6.41x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kegan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kegan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kegan households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 23 |
| Laborer | 4 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Cotton Spinner | 2 |
| Cotton Weaver | 2 |
| Genl Laborer | 2 |
| Tailoress | 2 |
| Umbrella Coverer | 2 |
| Weaver (Cotton) | 2 |
| Ale Bottler (Cellerman) | 1 |
| Assistant Stationer | 1 |
| At Umbrella Factory | 1 |
| Boiler Maker | 1 |
| Bookbinder | 1 |
| Boot Pressman | 1 |
| Chair Bottomer (Cane) | 1 |
| Chemical Worker | 1 |
| Coal Wheeler | 1 |
| Colliers Labourer | 1 |
| Confectioner | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Cotton Drawer | 1 |
| Cotton Operative | 1 |
| Cotton Porter | 1 |
| Dock Laborer | 1 |
| Domestic | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Engine Driver | 1 |
| Fireman | 1 |
| Fish Hawker | 1 |
| Gas Man | 1 |
| Hair Dresser | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| Laborer Wife | 1 |
| Labourer Bricklayer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Messenger | 1 |
| Millhand (Cotton) | 1 |
| Musician | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Press Worker | 1 |
| Private 55th Regiment | 1 |
| Shoe Maker | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Warehouseman | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Kegan surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Kegan a modern rank of #38,419.
Of Irish origin, meaning "ancient" or "descendant of the ancient ones."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kegan bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.