NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilgannon

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cillgannáin meaning "descendant of Cillgannán".

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Kilgannon surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 401, ranked #11,857, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bannockburn and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilgannon is 434 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1442.3%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

401

2016, ranked #11,857

Peak year

2011

434 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilgannon had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 401 in 2016, ranked #11,857.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 97 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Kilgannon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilgannon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilgannon 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 23 #31,039
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 52 #30,061
1901 historical 97 #23,227
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 356 #12,021
1998 modern 352 #12,489
1999 modern 370 #12,124
2000 modern 382 #11,792
2001 modern 372 #11,855
2002 modern 399 #11,460
2003 modern 413 #11,006
2004 modern 398 #11,321
2005 modern 397 #11,250
2006 modern 405 #11,131
2007 modern 412 #11,116
2008 modern 401 #11,441
2009 modern 409 #11,524
2010 modern 424 #11,449
2011 modern 434 #11,096
2012 modern 422 #11,223
2013 modern 422 #11,436
2014 modern 422 #11,516
2015 modern 410 #11,686
2016 modern 401 #11,857

Geography

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Where Kilgannons 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 Bannockburn and St. Helens. 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 Bannockburn Stirling
2 St. Helens 011 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 009 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 017 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 019 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilgannon

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilgannon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kilgannon, 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 Kilgannon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kilgannon 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Kilgannon is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Kilgannon 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

Kilgannon 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 Kilgannon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Kilgannon

The surname Kilgannon originated in Ireland, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "Cill" meaning church and "Gamhna" meaning calf, possibly indicating a connection to a location near a church associated with calves.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle, where it is spelled "Kilgannon" in an entry dated 1181. This suggests the surname was already established by the late 12th century in Ulster, a province in the north of Ireland.

In the 16th century, the surname is found in various records from County Cavan, located in the northern part of Ireland. The Kilgannons were among the leading families in the area during this period, with references to Kilgannon townlands and landholdings.

The Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official records from the 16th and 17th centuries, mentions several individuals with the surname Kilgannon, including Patrick Kilgannon, who was granted lands in County Cavan in 1610.

One notable bearer of the name was Edmond Kilgannon, a 17th-century Irish Catholic priest and historian from County Cavan. He wrote a historical account of the Irish rebellion of 1641, titled "Kilgannon's Relation," which provided a valuable contemporary account of the events.

In the 18th century, the surname Kilgannon can be found in various parish records and land surveys from counties such as Cavan, Fermanagh, and Monaghan, indicating the continued presence of the family in the northern regions of Ireland.

Another prominent individual with the surname was Philip Kilgannon, a 19th-century Irish poet and journalist born in County Cavan in 1819. He published several collections of poetry and wrote for various newspapers, contributing to the literary heritage of the region.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the surname have been recorded, including Kilganen, Kilganen, and Kilganan, reflecting the evolution of the name over time and regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilgannon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilgannon 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. Yorkshire leads with 8 Kilgannons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.18x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 8 3.18x
Lanarkshire 7 8.54x
Cheshire 5 8.93x
Lancashire 3 1.00x
Staffordshire 3 3.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carnwath in Lanarkshire leads with 7 Kilgannons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1372.55x.

Place Total Index
Carnwath 7 1372.55x
Huddersfield 7 191.26x
Burslem 3 122.45x
Congleton 3 309.28x
Barnton 1 769.23x
Burtonwood 1 909.09x
Everton 1 10.43x
Grappenhall 1 1428.57x
Keighley 1 37.31x
Warrington 1 28.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
John 3
Martin 2
Thomas 2
Andrew 1
Lawrence 1
Michael 1

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 Kilgannon households.

FAQ

Kilgannon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilgannon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Kilgannon surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilgannon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 401 in 2016. That gives Kilgannon a modern rank of #11,857.

What does the Kilgannon surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cillgannáin meaning "descendant of Cillgannán".

What does the Kilgannon map show?

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