NameCensus.

UK surname

Logan

Derived from a place name meaning "little hollow" in Scottish Gaelic, or from the Irish surname Ó Leocháin.

In the 1881 census there were 7,095 people recorded with the Logan surname, ranking it #599 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,514, ranked #565, up from #599 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Whisky Isles and Toryglen and Oatlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Logan is 11,691 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.3%.

1881 census count

7,095

Ranked #599

Modern count

11,514

2016, ranked #565

Peak year

2010

11,691 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Logan had 7,095 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #599 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,514 in 2016, ranked #565.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,683 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Logan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Logan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Logan 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 4,684 #593
1861 historical 5,041 #559
1881 historical 7,095 #599
1891 historical 7,638 #592
1901 historical 8,683 #605
1911 historical 3,739 #1,388
1997 modern 10,567 #584
1998 modern 10,941 #587
1999 modern 11,029 #587
2000 modern 11,021 #585
2001 modern 10,724 #585
2002 modern 11,132 #576
2003 modern 10,865 #577
2004 modern 10,955 #574
2005 modern 10,914 #566
2006 modern 10,985 #560
2007 modern 11,136 #559
2008 modern 11,219 #557
2009 modern 11,498 #561
2010 modern 11,691 #564
2011 modern 11,462 #567
2012 modern 11,142 #569
2013 modern 11,304 #572
2014 modern 11,555 #568
2015 modern 11,509 #564
2016 modern 11,514 #565

Geography

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Where Logans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Whisky Isles, Toryglen and Oatlands, Thrashbush and Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 Whisky Isles Argyll and Bute
3 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City
4 Thrashbush North Lanarkshire
5 Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Logan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Logan

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Logan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Logan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Logan 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 Logan 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 Logan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Logan

The surname Logan has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "lagan," meaning a small hollow or valley. The name was initially used as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a small valley or depression in the land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Logan can be found in medieval Scottish charters and records. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Logan, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The Logan surname is closely associated with the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and Lanarkshire. The name is also linked to several place names in these areas, such as Logan in East Ayrshire and Loganhouse in Renfrewshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Logan family played a prominent role in Scottish history. Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig (c. 1555-1637) was a Scottish writer and conspirator who was implicated in the Gowrie Conspiracy against King James VI of Scotland. Another notable figure was John Logan (1748-1788), a Scottish poet and playwright who wrote the popular tragedy "Runnamede."

The Logan surname also has a strong presence in Ireland, where it is believed to have been introduced by Scottish settlers during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. One of the most famous Irish Logans was Sir William Logan (1776-1839), a geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada.

Other notable individuals with the Logan surname include John Logan (1923-1987), an American actor known for his roles in films like "Camelot" and "The Professionals," and James Logan (1674-1751), an American colonial leader and scholar who served as the leader of the Province of Pennsylvania.

Overall, the surname Logan has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Lowlands, with its origins dating back to the 12th century. It has since spread across the British Isles and beyond, carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Logan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Logan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,450 Logans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.47x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,450 6.47x
Ayrshire 632 12.19x
Lancashire 614 0.75x
Midlothian 526 5.67x
Renfrewshire 414 7.71x
Durham 345 1.67x
Northumberland 330 3.20x
Middlesex 229 0.33x
Yorkshire 207 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 203 10.90x
East Lothian 165 17.98x
Angus 131 2.04x
Stirlingshire 131 5.13x
Surrey 131 0.39x
Cumberland 109 1.83x
Aberdeenshire 108 1.68x
Ross-shire 105 5.52x
Kent 103 0.44x
Berwickshire 94 11.20x
Fife 93 2.27x
Cheshire 78 0.51x
Hampshire 70 0.49x
Wigtownshire 57 6.20x
Inverness-shire 53 2.56x
Argyllshire 52 2.70x
Staffordshire 49 0.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 44 4.39x
Perthshire 43 1.38x
Roxburghshire 35 2.79x
Glamorgan 34 0.28x
Dumfriesshire 31 2.03x
Buteshire 30 7.15x
Sutherland 29 5.44x
Warwickshire 26 0.15x
Selkirkshire 24 3.83x
West Lothian 23 2.20x
Morayshire 22 2.04x
Cambridgeshire 20 0.46x
Essex 20 0.15x
Derbyshire 18 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 18 0.19x
Gloucestershire 17 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 13 0.59x
Lincolnshire 12 0.11x
Caithness 11 1.16x
Channel Islands 11 0.54x
Leicestershire 11 0.14x
Clackmannanshire 10 1.75x
Devon 10 0.07x
Hertfordshire 10 0.21x
Westmorland 9 0.59x
Worcestershire 9 0.10x
Nairnshire 8 3.78x
Banffshire 7 0.49x
Isle of Man 7 0.54x
Berkshire 6 0.12x
Denbighshire 6 0.23x
Monmouthshire 6 0.12x
Cornwall 4 0.05x
Kincardineshire 4 0.47x
Royal Navy 4 0.48x
Somerset 4 0.04x
Sussex 4 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.22x
Northamptonshire 3 0.05x
Oxfordshire 3 0.07x
Peeblesshire 3 0.92x
Suffolk 3 0.04x
Brecknockshire 2 0.14x
Norfolk 2 0.02x
Shropshire 2 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 440 Logans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.76x.

Place Total Index
Barony 440 7.76x
Govan 408 7.36x
Glasgow 247 6.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 166 4.45x
Abbey 79 9.64x
South Leith 75 7.18x
Falkirk 71 11.87x
West Greenock 71 7.37x
Dalry 70 28.69x
Dundee 62 2.59x
Liverpool 61 1.22x
North Leith 61 14.20x
Kilbirnie 54 43.37x
New Monkland 50 7.55x
Old Kilpatrick 47 21.36x
Toxteth Park 47 1.69x
Manchester 44 1.19x
Hulme 43 2.51x
Paisley High Church 40 9.36x
Kilmarnock 36 5.83x
Old Monkland 36 4.05x
Stevenston 36 26.64x
East Greenock 35 6.90x
Inveresk 35 13.93x
Tweedmouth 35 27.24x
Coylton 34 46.22x
West Derby 34 1.41x
Bothwell 33 5.43x
Colmonell 33 63.32x
Bonhill 32 10.71x
Salford 31 1.28x
Bedlington 30 8.72x
Kensington London 30 0.78x
Bishopwearmouth 29 1.64x
Coldingham 29 38.46x
Everton 29 1.11x
St Quivox 29 16.54x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 28 3.14x
Westoe 28 2.40x
Cardross 27 12.08x
Paisley Middle Church 26 8.32x
Aberdeen Old Machar 25 1.87x
Dumbarton 25 9.65x
Hetton Le Hole 25 9.57x
Kilwinning 25 14.93x
Portsea 25 0.90x
Shotts 25 9.32x
Tranent 25 20.16x
Cathcart 24 8.26x
Dunfermline 24 3.81x
Gateshead 24 1.56x
Kildalton 24 47.13x
Neilston 24 8.90x
Prestonkirk 24 52.30x
Wardleworth 24 5.11x
Ardrossan 23 12.82x
Berwick North 23 35.79x
Camberwell 23 0.52x
Islington London 23 0.34x
Longbenton 23 5.27x
Maybole 23 14.57x
Montrose 23 5.91x
Maidstone 22 3.12x
New Kilpatrick 22 12.42x
Woolwich 22 2.52x
Creich 20 37.69x
Dukinfield 20 2.83x
Hamilton 20 3.20x
Ayr 19 7.76x
Berwick Upon Tweed 19 8.70x
Dirleton 19 52.75x
Foveran 19 39.12x
Kirkdale 19 1.37x
Kirkmichael 19 40.20x
Liff Benvie 19 1.95x
Newton 19 3.00x
Rutherglen 19 5.78x
Urray 19 32.17x
Birmingham 18 0.31x
Earsdon 18 21.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 202
Elizabeth 97
Margaret 76
Jane 66
Ann 61
Sarah 57
Catherine 51
Ellen 44
Annie 36
Isabella 36
Alice 21
Bridget 21
Hannah 17
Emma 16
Agnes 15
Eliza 13
Martha 13
Emily 12
Fanny 12
Frances 12
Maria 12
Edith 11
Janet 11
Jessie 11
Susan 11
Ada 10
Kate 10
Louisa 9
Amelia 8
Florence 8
Harriet 8
Charlotte 7
Clara 7
Eleanor 6
Helen 6
Julia 6
Margt. 6
Rose 6
Barbara 5
Esther 5
Ethel 5
May 5
Rebecca 5
Caroline 4
Grace 4
Isabel 4
Lily 4
Lucy 4
Margret 4
Matilda 4

Top male names

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

FAQ

Logan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Logan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,095 people were recorded with the Logan surname. That placed it at #599 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Logan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,514 in 2016. That gives Logan a modern rank of #565.

What does the Logan surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "little hollow" in Scottish Gaelic, or from the Irish surname Ó Leocháin.

What does the Logan map show?

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