NameCensus.

UK surname

Kevan

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "born of fire".

In the 1881 census there were 256 people recorded with the Kevan surname, ranking it #10,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 396, ranked #11,967, down from #10,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mochrum, Bebbington and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Machars South, Liverpool and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kevan is 437 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.7%.

1881 census count

256

Ranked #10,885

Modern count

396

2016, ranked #11,967

Peak year

1999

437 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kevan had 256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016, ranked #11,967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 309 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kevan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kevan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kevan 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 186 #11,024
1861 historical 173 #13,553
1881 historical 256 #10,885
1891 historical 258 #12,440
1901 historical 309 #11,418
1911 historical 262 #12,501
1997 modern 406 #10,889
1998 modern 433 #10,718
1999 modern 437 #10,717
2000 modern 421 #10,984
2001 modern 404 #11,142
2002 modern 402 #11,405
2003 modern 387 #11,523
2004 modern 392 #11,453
2005 modern 392 #11,355
2006 modern 393 #11,398
2007 modern 401 #11,353
2008 modern 391 #11,675
2009 modern 409 #11,524
2010 modern 409 #11,783
2011 modern 392 #12,038
2012 modern 398 #11,755
2013 modern 399 #11,944
2014 modern 409 #11,808
2015 modern 403 #11,835
2016 modern 396 #11,967

Geography

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Where Kevans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mochrum, Bebbington, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Machars South, Liverpool 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 Mochrum Wigtown
2 Bebbington Cheshire
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
2 Liverpool 010 Liverpool
3 Liverpool 045 Liverpool
4 Liverpool 026 Liverpool
5 Knowsley 004 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kevan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kevan

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kevan is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kevan 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

Kevan 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 Kevan 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kevan

The surname Kevan is believed to have originated in Scotland, specifically in the region of Argyll and the Western Isles. It is a variant of the Gaelic name "MacKevan," which means "son of Kevan." The name Kevan itself is derived from the Gaelic word "caomhan," meaning "handsome" or "fair-haired."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Kevan can be traced back to the 16th century. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was John Kevan, who was mentioned in the Records of the Burgh of Prestwick in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1577.

In the 17th century, the name Kevan appeared in various records and documents across Scotland. One notable example is Donald Kevan, who was a landowner in Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland, in the mid-1600s.

As the centuries progressed, the Kevan family spread throughout Scotland and beyond. In the 18th century, James Kevan (1720-1805) was a Scottish merchant who established a successful trading business in Virginia, United States.

Another significant figure with the surname Kevan was Sir John Kevan (1832-1904), a Scottish businessman and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for the St. Rollox constituency in Glasgow from 1892 to 1900.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most renowned individuals with the Kevan surname was Sir Robert Kevan (1906-1987), a British civil servant and economist. He served as the Governor of the Bank of England from 1962 to 1973 and played a crucial role in the development of economic policies during his tenure.

While the surname Kevan has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including England, Ireland, and North America. However, it remains relatively uncommon compared to other Scottish surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kevan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kevan 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 53 Kevans recorded in 1881 and an index of 160.46x.

County Total Index
Wigtownshire 53 160.46x
Lancashire 45 1.52x
Middlesex 37 1.49x
Surrey 21 1.73x
Cheshire 20 3.64x
Kirkcudbrightshire 14 38.88x
Yorkshire 12 0.49x
Essex 11 2.24x
Lanarkshire 11 1.37x
Ayrshire 9 4.83x
Devon 9 1.74x
Cornwall 5 1.78x
Renfrewshire 3 1.56x
Sussex 3 0.72x
Cumberland 1 0.47x
Kent 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 28 Kevans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.62x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 28 15.62x
Hackney London 24 17.21x
Tranmere 16 79.29x
Sorbie 14 972.22x
Bermondsey 11 14.85x
Penninghame 10 296.74x
Borgue 9 927.84x
Mochrum 9 456.85x
Springfield 8 372.09x
Glasgow 7 4.90x
Wandsworth 7 29.24x
Whithorn 7 277.78x
Buckland Brewer 6 952.38x
Marton In Middlesbrough 6 666.67x
Wigtown 6 319.15x
Ballantrae 5 406.50x
Kirkinner 5 367.65x
Little Bolton 5 13.18x
Ludgvan 5 223.21x
Sheffield 5 6.37x
Beith 4 72.07x
Mile End Old Town London 4 7.56x
Shoreditch London 4 3.71x
West Derby 4 4.63x
Cuckfield 3 70.75x
Everton 3 3.19x
Kirkmabreck 3 191.08x
Maldon St Peter 3 120.00x
Gorbals 2 41.93x
Great Bolton 2 5.12x
Hammersmith London 2 3.26x
Islington London 2 0.83x
Little Neston 2 227.27x
Southwark St Saviour 2 15.65x
Urr 2 42.74x
Abbey 1 3.40x
Bideford 1 18.02x
Bothwell 1 4.59x
Camberwell 1 0.63x
Egremont 1 19.57x
Fulshaw 1 99.01x
Glasserton 1 98.04x
Govan 1 0.50x
Higher Bebington 1 28.49x
Inverkip 1 22.03x
Kirkcowan 1 90.09x
Lewisham 1 2.21x
Littleham 1 26.39x
Northowram 1 5.79x
Oldham 1 1.05x
Paddington London 1 1.09x
Plymouth Charles The 1 4.38x
Sharples 1 31.25x
Walton On Hill 1 6.25x
West Greenock 1 2.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 10
Ellen 6
Annie 4
Clara 3
Jane 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Selina 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Evaline 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Isabell 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Mag.F. 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Phebe 1
Phillis 1
Rosana 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Kevan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kevan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 256 people were recorded with the Kevan surname. That placed it at #10,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kevan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016. That gives Kevan a modern rank of #11,967.

What does the Kevan surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "born of fire".

What does the Kevan map show?

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