NameCensus.

UK surname

Leneghan

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname O'Lionnáchain meaning "descendant of the mariner".

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Leneghan surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Cheshire West and Chester and Cambridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leneghan is 159 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2171.4%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2015

159 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leneghan had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Leneghan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leneghan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leneghan 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1901 historical 35 #30,194
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 158 #22,817
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Leneghans 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 Brent, Cheshire West and Chester, Cambridge, Wirral and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Brent 025 Brent
2 Cheshire West and Chester 002 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Cambridge 013 Cambridge
4 Wirral 036 Wirral
5 Stoke-on-Trent 020 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leneghan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Leneghan 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 Leneghan

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Leneghan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leneghan 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

Leneghan falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leneghan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Leneghan

The surname Leneghan is of Irish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name O'Lonagain, which means 'descendant of Lonagain'. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Annals of Ulster in 1164, where it was written as 'O'Lonagain'.

The name is believed to have originated in County Sligo, Ireland, where the O'Lonagain clan were among the most prominent families in the region. The Leneghan family was also found in Counties Mayo and Galway, with some records indicating they were landowners and chieftains in these areas during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Leneghan name is in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a certain Ruaidhri O'Lonagain, who was a notable figure in County Sligo in the 13th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Leneghan name appeared in various Irish records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Betham Genealogical Abstracts. These records provide insights into the family's history, including their involvement in land disputes and their connections to other prominent Irish families.

Several notable individuals with the Leneghan surname have been recorded throughout history. One of the earliest was Aodh O'Lonagain (c. 1580-1660), a renowned Irish poet and scholar who wrote extensively in the Irish language. Another was Tadhg Leneghan (1675-1744), a Catholic priest and author who was involved in the Irish Jacobite movement.

Other notable Leneghans include: 1. Eoghan Leneghan (1802-1878), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for County Sligo. 2. John Leneghan (1854-1924), an Australian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia. 3. Michael Leneghan (1900-1976), an Irish politician and trade unionist who served as a member of Dáil Éireann (the Irish parliament) for several terms. 4. Kathleen Leneghan (1910-1992), an Irish actress and singer who performed on stage and in films throughout the mid-20th century. 5. Patrick Leneghan (1918-2003), an Irish hurler who played for the Galway senior hurling team and won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1938.

The Leneghan name has a rich history rooted in Ireland, with connections to prominent figures in various fields throughout the centuries. While the spelling has evolved over time, the name continues to be associated with its Irish origins and the descendants of the O'Lonagain clan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leneghan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leneghan 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. Cumberland leads with 6 Leneghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.39x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 6 102.39x
Wigtownshire 1 111.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crosscanonby in Cumberland leads with 6 Leneghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3157.89x.

Place Total Index
Crosscanonby 6 3157.89x
Wigtown 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Elizabeth 1
Isabella 1
Rachael 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1

FAQ

Leneghan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leneghan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Leneghan surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leneghan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Leneghan a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Leneghan surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname O'Lionnáchain meaning "descendant of the mariner".

What does the Leneghan map show?

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