NameCensus.

UK surname

Mangan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Mongáin, meaning "descendant of Mongán," a personal name of uncertain meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 296 people recorded with the Mangan surname, ranking it #9,823 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,691, ranked #3,697, up from #9,823 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Leeds and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mangan is 1,744 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 471.3%.

1881 census count

296

Ranked #9,823

Modern count

1,691

2016, ranked #3,697

Peak year

2010

1,744 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mangan had 296 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,823 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,691 in 2016, ranked #3,697.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 435 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mangan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mangan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mangan 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 263 #8,439
1861 historical 225 #10,843
1881 historical 296 #9,823
1891 historical 350 #9,836
1901 historical 396 #9,539
1911 historical 435 #8,724
1997 modern 1,565 #3,771
1998 modern 1,636 #3,753
1999 modern 1,648 #3,765
2000 modern 1,642 #3,756
2001 modern 1,591 #3,798
2002 modern 1,629 #3,780
2003 modern 1,605 #3,754
2004 modern 1,614 #3,748
2005 modern 1,636 #3,662
2006 modern 1,647 #3,645
2007 modern 1,656 #3,659
2008 modern 1,660 #3,671
2009 modern 1,702 #3,662
2010 modern 1,744 #3,660
2011 modern 1,682 #3,749
2012 modern 1,680 #3,685
2013 modern 1,698 #3,713
2014 modern 1,725 #3,676
2015 modern 1,698 #3,689
2016 modern 1,691 #3,697

Geography

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Where Mangans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Lambeth and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Leeds, Stoke-on-Trent and West Lancashire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
2 Knowsley 006 Knowsley
3 Leeds 011 Leeds
4 Stoke-on-Trent 006 Stoke-on-Trent
5 West Lancashire 014 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mangan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mangan

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mangan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mangan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mangan

The surname Mangan originated in Ireland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Mongáin" which means "descendant of Mongán." Mongán was a popular personal name in ancient Ireland and is thought to have meant "little monk" or "small furry one."

The Mangan name was first found in County Cork and the surrounding areas of Munster province. It is one of the few Irish surnames that does not have an "O" or "Mac" prefix, indicating it may have originated from a nickname rather than a direct patronymic.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Mangan name is in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a man named Mael Mongán is mentioned in the year 1025. The name also appears in the Registry of Deeds of Ireland from the 16th century.

A notable early bearer of the Mangan surname was James Clarence Mangan (1803-1849), an Irish poet and translator. His works helped revive interest in Irish literature and mythology during the 19th century Celtic revival.

Another prominent figure was John Mangan (1816-1898), an Irish-American engineer and architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Old Saint Patrick's Cathedral and the New York State Arsenal.

In the 17th century, the Mangan name can be found in records from the Irish Rebellion of 1641, where several men with this surname fought against English rule in Ireland.

The name Mangan also has ties to various place names in Ireland, such as Mangans Cross in County Cork and Mangans Hill in County Limerick, indicating areas where families with this surname may have lived or originated.

Other notable Mangans throughout history include John Mangan (1823-1904), an Irish-American Catholic priest and author; Clarence Mangan (1890-1961), an American football player and coach; and James Mangan (1836-1912), an Irish-American politician who served as Mayor of Brooklyn, New York.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mangan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mangan 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 117 Mangans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 117 3.40x
Yorkshire 31 1.08x
Lanarkshire 20 2.13x
Middlesex 18 0.62x
Renfrewshire 18 8.02x
Surrey 17 1.20x
Cheshire 13 2.03x
Kent 11 1.11x
Durham 10 1.16x
Gloucestershire 7 1.23x
Devon 6 0.99x
Northumberland 5 1.16x
Denbighshire 4 3.66x
Cumberland 3 1.20x
Staffordshire 3 0.31x
Suffolk 3 0.85x
Angus 2 0.75x
Hampshire 2 0.34x
Berwickshire 1 2.85x
Channel Islands 1 1.16x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.28x
Essex 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 2.90x
Shetland 1 3.38x
Worcestershire 1 0.26x

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 33 Mangans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.81x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 33 15.81x
Toxteth Park 18 15.46x
Canterbury St Mildred 11 468.09x
Brightside Bierlow 10 17.76x
Burnley 10 34.54x
Birkenhead 9 17.65x
Everton 9 8.21x
Preston 9 9.78x
Glasgow 8 4.81x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 21.43x
Lambeth 8 3.17x
Oldham 8 7.21x
Rotherhithe 8 22.35x
Clifton 7 24.36x
Ovenden 7 54.77x
St Luke London 7 15.06x
Barony 6 2.53x
Inverkip 6 113.42x
Kensington London 6 3.73x
Salford 6 5.93x
Bradford 5 31.08x
Manchester 5 3.23x
Paisley High Church 5 27.96x
Westgate 5 18.73x
Bradford 4 5.76x
Wrexham Regis 4 49.20x
Abbey 3 8.76x
Burslem 3 10.71x
Felixstow 3 348.84x
Gorbals 3 53.96x
Govan 3 1.29x
Horton In Bradford 3 6.69x
Manningham 3 8.48x
Walton On Hill 3 16.11x
West Greenock 3 7.44x
Weston In Runcorn 3 180.72x
Wetheral 3 90.91x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.70x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.66x
Chulmleigh 2 145.99x
Fulham London 2 4.76x
Gorton 2 6.19x
Hackney London 2 1.23x
St Vigeans 2 13.80x
Stoke Damerel 2 4.74x
Stretford 2 10.58x
West Teignmouth 2 43.38x
Aldershot 1 5.03x
Battersea 1 0.94x
Blackburn 1 1.09x
Bolton By Bowland 1 142.86x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.66x
Burghwallis 1 454.55x
Cardross 1 10.70x
Chevet 1 1000.00x
Claughton With Grange 1 34.36x
Cockburnspath 1 89.29x
Colchester St Botolph 1 20.58x
East Greenock 1 4.72x
Hardhorn With Newton 1 238.10x
Hound 1 24.81x
Hulme 1 1.39x
Kirkdale 1 1.73x
Lerwick Gulberwick 1 21.83x
Lye 1 15.87x
Norton In Doncaster 1 172.41x
Royal Navy 1 3.39x
Shoreditch London 1 0.80x
St Helier 1 3.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 9
Catherine 8
Margaret 6
Bridget 5
Kate 5
Annie 4
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Anne 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Julia 3
Eleanor 2
Hannah 2
Rose 2
Sylvia 2
Agatha 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Belinda 1
Blanche 1
Cath. 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Dora 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Francies 1
Georgiana 1
Harriet 1
Honor 1
Joanna 1
Katie 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Mildred 1
Monica 1
Syria 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
Thomas 12
James 11
Michael 9
Patrick 9
William 9
George 6
Francis 4
Peter 4
Owen 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Jas. 2
Joseph 2
Rd. 2
Thos.Jas. 2
Adderley 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Dominic 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Garrett 1
Geo. 1
Gerald 1
Henry 1
Ludlow 1
Mathew 1
Michal 1
Philip 1
Purejoy 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1
Urbine 1

FAQ

Mangan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mangan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 296 people were recorded with the Mangan surname. That placed it at #9,823 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mangan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,691 in 2016. That gives Mangan a modern rank of #3,697.

What does the Mangan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Mongáin, meaning "descendant of Mongán," a personal name of uncertain meaning.

What does the Mangan map show?

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