NameCensus.

UK surname

Keogan

An Anglicized form of Ó Ceógáin, an Irish surname meaning "descendant of the haunch-like or crooked one".

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Keogan surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, down from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, Doncaster and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keogan is 166 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.5%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

2008

166 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keogan had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 79 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Keogan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keogan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Keogan 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 56 #29,638
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 79 #24,903
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 144 #22,221
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 149 #21,568
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 148 #22,000
2005 modern 155 #21,318
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 156 #21,650
2008 modern 166 #20,966
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 165 #22,026
2011 modern 161 #22,187
2012 modern 147 #23,567
2013 modern 145 #24,207
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

Back to top

Where Keogans 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 Gateshead, Doncaster, Sefton and Knowsley. 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 Gateshead 024 Gateshead
2 Doncaster 014 Doncaster
3 Sefton 023 Sefton
4 Doncaster 015 Doncaster
5 Knowsley 005 Knowsley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Keogan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Keogan

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Keogan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Keogan 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 predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Keogan is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keogan is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keogan 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 Keogan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keogan

The surname "KEOGAN" is of Irish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "ceodhán," which translates to "foggy" or "misty." This surname was likely given to someone who lived in a particularly foggy or misty area, or perhaps to someone whose personality or disposition was perceived as hazy or unclear.

The earliest recorded instances of the Keogan surname can be found in County Meath, Ireland, where it was commonly used among the native Irish population. In ancient Irish manuscripts and records, the name was often spelled as "Ceoghán" or "Ceogán," reflecting the Gaelic pronunciation.

One notable historical figure bearing the Keogan surname was Tadhg Keogan, a 17th-century Irish poet and scholar from County Meath. His works, which were written in the Irish language, provided valuable insights into the culture and traditions of Ireland during that time period.

Another prominent individual with the Keogan name was Patrick Keogan, a 19th-century Irish nationalist and member of the Young Ireland movement. He actively participated in the Irish Rebellion of 1848, fighting for Irish independence from British rule.

In the realm of literature, James Keogan, an Irish novelist and short story writer born in 1858, gained recognition for his works depicting the lives and struggles of the Irish working class. His novel "The Bitter Cry of Outcast London" shed light on the harsh living conditions faced by the impoverished in Victorian-era London.

The Keogan surname also found its way into the annals of Irish military history. John Keogan, born in 1845, was an Irish soldier who served in the British Army during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. He received the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor in the British Empire, for his acts of bravery and valor in the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Lastly, Michael Keogan, born in 1900, was an Irish politician and member of the Fianna Fáil party. He served as a Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament) in the Irish Parliament, representing the constituency of Waterford from 1932 to 1944.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Keogan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keogan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 22 Keogans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.18x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 22 9.18x
Lancashire 21 2.39x
Durham 18 8.16x
Warwickshire 14 7.49x
Staffordshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Old Monkland in Lanarkshire leads with 13 Keogans recorded in 1881 and an index of 136.70x.

Place Total Index
Old Monkland 13 136.70x
Kirkdale 10 67.61x
Wolsingham 9 447.76x
Aston 8 15.54x
Collierley 8 816.33x
Gorbals 7 492.96x
Birmingham 6 9.63x
West Derby 4 15.55x
Wigan 4 32.55x
Barony 2 3.30x
Manchester 2 5.06x
Esh 1 62.50x
Garston 1 38.46x
Stafford St Mary 1 28.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Isabella 2
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Sarah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

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 Keogan households.

FAQ

Keogan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keogan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Keogan surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keogan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Keogan a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Keogan surname mean?

An Anglicized form of Ó Ceógáin, an Irish surname meaning "descendant of the haunch-like or crooked one".

What does the Keogan map show?

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