NameCensus.

UK surname

Kissane

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Cissán, meaning "little curly-headed one."

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Kissane surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 340, ranked #13,456, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Mansfield and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kissane is 351 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2990.9%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

340

2016, ranked #13,456

Peak year

2015

351 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kissane had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 340 in 2016, ranked #13,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 44 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Kissane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kissane surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kissane 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
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 20 #31,803
1911 historical 44 #28,454
1997 modern 327 #12,784
1998 modern 340 #12,784
1999 modern 339 #12,892
2000 modern 324 #13,243
2001 modern 309 #13,487
2002 modern 313 #13,615
2003 modern 304 #13,685
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 302 #13,863
2007 modern 312 #13,674
2008 modern 301 #14,107
2009 modern 321 #13,770
2010 modern 337 #13,580
2011 modern 344 #13,249
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 349 #13,293
2015 modern 351 #13,135
2016 modern 340 #13,456

Geography

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Where Kissanes 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 Bolsover, Mansfield, Swindon, Southampton and Westminster. 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 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
2 Mansfield 006 Mansfield
3 Swindon 023 Swindon
4 Southampton 005 Southampton
5 Westminster 009 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kissane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kissane

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Kissane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kissane household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kissane is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kissane is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kissane falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kissane 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 Kissane, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kissane

The surname Kissane has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O'Ciseáin," meaning "descendant of Ciseán." The name Ciseán is thought to have its roots in the Old Irish word "cis," meaning "tribute" or "tax."

The Kissane name is predominantly found in the counties of Cork and Kerry in the southwestern region of Ireland. It is believed that the name originated in these areas, where the ancestors of the Kissane family lived and worked as landowners or tax collectors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kissane name can be found in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a "Dermod O'Ciseáin" who was involved in a conflict in the year 1586.

The Kissane name also appears in various historical documents and records from the 17th and 18th centuries in Ireland. For example, in the 1659 Census of Ireland, there are references to several individuals with the surname "Kissane" or similar spellings such as "Kysane" or "Kyshayne."

One notable individual with the Kissane surname was Patrick Kissane (1781-1864), an Irish Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Clonfert from 1832 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church in Ireland during a period of significant political and social change.

Another historical figure with the Kissane surname was Cornelius Kissane (1823-1897), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly in the late 19th century. He was born in County Cork, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States in the 1840s.

In the literary world, John Kissane (1829-1897) was an Irish poet and writer from County Cork. He published several collections of poetry and wrote about rural life in Ireland during the 19th century.

The Kissane name can also be found in historical records related to various professions and occupations. For instance, Michael Kissane (1826-1901) was a successful Irish-American businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Kissane Brothers Company, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery, in the late 19th century.

Throughout history, the Kissane surname has been associated with various place names and localities in Ireland, such as Kissane's Wood and Kissane's Cross, both located in County Cork. These place names likely derived from the presence of Kissane families in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kissane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kissane 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 7 Kissanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.50x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7 5.50x
Surrey 2 3.83x
Kent 1 2.73x
Middlesex 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 7 Kissanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 162.41x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 7 162.41x
Bermondsey 2 62.70x
Chatham 1 99.01x
Hammersmith London 1 37.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
James 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Kissane households.

FAQ

Kissane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kissane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Kissane surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kissane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 340 in 2016. That gives Kissane a modern rank of #13,456.

What does the Kissane surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Cissán, meaning "little curly-headed one."

What does the Kissane map show?

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