NameCensus.

UK surname

Kerrigan

Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Ciaragain, meaning "descendant of Ciaragan," a diminutive of the name Ciar, meaning "black."

In the 1881 census there were 542 people recorded with the Kerrigan surname, ranking it #6,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,736, ranked #2,455, up from #6,362 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Preston and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kerrigan is 2,762 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 404.8%.

1881 census count

542

Ranked #6,362

Modern count

2,736

2016, ranked #2,455

Peak year

2014

2,762 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kerrigan had 542 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,736 in 2016, ranked #2,455.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 780 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kerrigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kerrigan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kerrigan 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 542 #6,362
1891 historical 559 #6,792
1901 historical 780 #5,756
1911 historical 545 #7,342
1997 modern 2,374 #2,632
1998 modern 2,486 #2,627
1999 modern 2,541 #2,593
2000 modern 2,502 #2,615
2001 modern 2,468 #2,593
2002 modern 2,537 #2,582
2003 modern 2,459 #2,603
2004 modern 2,501 #2,570
2005 modern 2,498 #2,542
2006 modern 2,505 #2,543
2007 modern 2,517 #2,554
2008 modern 2,589 #2,505
2009 modern 2,641 #2,519
2010 modern 2,702 #2,520
2011 modern 2,736 #2,467
2012 modern 2,684 #2,468
2013 modern 2,730 #2,474
2014 modern 2,762 #2,472
2015 modern 2,729 #2,470
2016 modern 2,736 #2,455

Geography

Back to top

Where Kerrigans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Preston, Leeds, Forgewood 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
2 Preston 007 Preston
3 Leeds 072 Leeds
4 Forgewood North Lanarkshire
5 Knowsley 001 Knowsley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kerrigan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kerrigan

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kerrigan 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

Kerrigan 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

Kerrigan falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kerrigan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Kerrigan

The surname Kerrigan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name Cerraghán or O'Cerraghán, meaning "little rough one" or "descendant of Cerraghán." It is believed to have originated in County Kerry, Ireland, in the early medieval period.

The name Kerrigan is thought to have been first recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, in the 13th century. It was mentioned in reference to a notable family from County Kerry who played a significant role in local affairs during that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kerrigan was Donal Kerrigan, a Irish chieftain from County Kerry who lived in the 14th century. He was known for his involvement in local conflicts and disputes over land and power.

In the 16th century, the Kerrigan family was documented in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of records related to land grants and appointments in Ireland. This suggests that the family had gained a certain level of prominence and status during this period.

During the 17th century, the name Kerrigan appeared in various records related to the Plantation of Ulster, a organized colonization effort by the English and Scottish in the northern part of Ireland. Several individuals with the surname were recorded as landowners or tenants in counties such as Antrim and Derry.

One notable figure from this time was John Kerrigan, a soldier and landowner born in County Kerry in 1620. He served in the Irish Confederate Wars and later received a land grant in County Antrim for his service.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Kerrigan family was Patrick Kerrigan, born in 1725 in County Kerry. He was a respected scholar and poet who wrote extensively in the Irish language, helping to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of his native region.

Another noteworthy individual was Mary Kerrigan, born in County Tipperary in 1790, who was a renowned traditional Irish singer and storyteller. Her performances and recordings helped to preserve and pass down the oral traditions of Irish folklore.

As the surname Kerrigan spread throughout Ireland and beyond, it has been associated with various individuals from different walks of life, including writers, artists, politicians, and military figures. Its origins, however, can be traced back to the ancient clans and families of County Kerry in the southwestern region of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kerrigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kerrigan 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. Lancashire leads with 227 Kerrigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 227 3.63x
Lanarkshire 99 5.81x
Yorkshire 46 0.88x
Renfrewshire 31 7.59x
Staffordshire 27 1.52x
Middlesex 11 0.21x
Surrey 10 0.39x
Angus 9 1.84x
Stirlingshire 9 4.63x
Perthshire 8 3.38x
Kent 6 0.33x
Lincolnshire 6 0.71x
Midlothian 6 0.85x
Northumberland 6 0.77x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.85x
Suffolk 5 0.78x
Durham 4 0.26x
Argyllshire 3 2.05x
Cheshire 3 0.26x
Dunbartonshire 3 2.12x
Monmouthshire 3 0.79x
Hampshire 2 0.19x
Derbyshire 1 0.12x
Dorset 1 0.29x
Glamorgan 1 0.11x
Inverness-shire 1 0.64x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x
Oxfordshire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 1.59x
Sussex 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x
West Lothian 1 1.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 53 Kerrigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.58x.

Place Total Index
Govan 53 12.58x
Liverpool 39 10.27x
Manchester 39 13.87x
Glasgow 27 8.93x
Ormskirk 22 183.95x
Burslem 17 33.38x
Sheffield 13 7.82x
West Greenock 13 17.74x
Warrington 11 14.84x
Barony 10 2.32x
Bold 10 645.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 10.07x
Leeds 10 3.39x
Abbey 9 14.45x
Everton 9 4.52x
West Derby 9 4.92x
Liff Benvie 8 10.80x
North Meols 8 13.08x
Walsall Foreign 8 8.71x
Kirkdale 7 6.66x
Toxteth Park 7 3.31x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 12.75x
Barugh 6 136.05x
Lambeth 6 1.31x
Lenton 6 35.89x
Mile End Old Town London 6 5.35x
New Monkland 6 11.91x
Pemberton 6 24.08x
Pendleton In Salford 6 8.06x
Chadderton 5 16.36x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 5 74.85x
Falkirk 5 10.99x
Nacton 5 537.63x
Perth Middle Church 5 56.24x
Preston 5 2.99x
Renfrew 5 37.09x
St Botolph Lincoln 5 82.64x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 8.06x
Brightside Bierlow 4 3.91x
Edinburgh St Johns 4 89.89x
Hougham 4 37.42x
Hulme 4 3.07x
Wallbottle 4 240.96x
Ardwick 3 5.32x
Campbeltown 3 16.96x
Larbert 3 25.84x
Linthorpe 3 9.63x
Penge 3 8.92x
Selby 3 27.50x
Trevethin 3 8.34x
Whickham 3 20.80x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.44x
Garston 2 10.84x
Gate Fulford 2 16.41x
Hackney London 2 0.68x
Huddersfield 2 2.63x
Port Glasgow 2 10.14x
Salford 2 1.09x
Seaton Delaval 2 29.07x
Wardleworth 2 5.60x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 0.73x
Birkenhead 1 1.08x
Boness 1 9.14x
Cardiff St Mary 1 1.98x
Cardross 1 5.88x
Derby St Alkmund 1 4.05x
Dumbarton 1 5.08x
Dundee 1 0.55x
Fulwood 1 14.81x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 1.47x
Hound 1 13.64x
Kilmadock 1 18.38x
Kirby Frith 1 3333.33x
Lewes All Sts 1 28.25x
Middle Greenock 1 8.98x
Portland 1 5.38x
Portsea 1 0.47x
Prescot 1 8.85x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.53x
Tranmere 1 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Ann 13
Sarah 11
Ellen 10
Kate 10
Catherine 9
Bridget 8
Margaret 8
Eliza 5
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Marg. 2
Margt. 2
Teresa 2
Anny 1
Catharine 1
Celia 1
Elanor 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Honora 1
Honos 1
Honour 1
Jemima 1
Katharine 1
Lavina 1
Linsey 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
M.A. 1
Marcella 1
Martha 1
Maryanne 1
Norah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 45
Michael 19
James 16
Thomas 16
William 15
Patrick 8
Edward 7
Martin 6
Francis 5
Joseph 5
Denis 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Austin 2
Charles 2
David 2
Michal 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Andrew 1
Bernard 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
George 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
M. 1
Matthew 1
Miles 1
Patk. 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Ruen 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Kerrigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kerrigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 542 people were recorded with the Kerrigan surname. That placed it at #6,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kerrigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,736 in 2016. That gives Kerrigan a modern rank of #2,455.

What does the Kerrigan surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Ciaragain, meaning "descendant of Ciaragan," a diminutive of the name Ciar, meaning "black."

What does the Kerrigan map show?

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