NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccolgan

An Irish surname meaning "son of Colgan", a Gaelic personal name derived from colgán meaning "young whelp or pup".

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Mccolgan surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,031, ranked #5,666, up from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Govan Combination and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ03, IZ07 and Ardrossan North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccolgan is 1,031 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 675.2%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

1,031

2016, ranked #5,666

Peak year

2016

1,031 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccolgan had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,031 in 2016, ranked #5,666.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccolgan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccolgan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccolgan 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 180 #16,143
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 903 #5,947
1998 modern 944 #5,938
1999 modern 960 #5,906
2000 modern 967 #5,848
2001 modern 936 #5,883
2002 modern 944 #5,958
2003 modern 923 #5,961
2004 modern 939 #5,897
2005 modern 912 #5,962
2006 modern 925 #5,909
2007 modern 927 #5,951
2008 modern 943 #5,917
2009 modern 981 #5,852
2010 modern 1,006 #5,852
2011 modern 996 #5,843
2012 modern 987 #5,806
2013 modern 1,002 #5,812
2014 modern 1,023 #5,750
2015 modern 1,021 #5,713
2016 modern 1,031 #5,666

Geography

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Where Mccolgans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Govan Combination, Glasgow, Liverpool and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ03, IZ07, Ardrossan North East, IZ01 and Summerston North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ03 West Dunbartonshire
2 IZ07 West Dunbartonshire
3 Ardrossan North East North Ayrshire
4 IZ01 West Dunbartonshire
5 Summerston North Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccolgan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccolgan

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mccolgan is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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.

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Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Mccolgan is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mccolgan

The surname MCCOLGAN is of Irish origin, dating back to the medieval period in Ireland. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "Mac Colgan," which means "son of Colgan."

The name is believed to have originated in County Donegal, Ireland, where the Colgan clan was based. The prefix "Mac" is a common Irish patronymic, meaning "son of." The Colgans were a prominent family in the region, and their name is associated with several place names, such as Ballycolgan and Drumcolgan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCCOLGAN can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention several members of the Colgan family, including Manus O'Colgan, who was a renowned scribe and historian in the 15th century.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the upheavals of the Tudor and Cromwellian conquests of Ireland, many Irish families, including the MCCOLGANs, were dispossessed of their lands and scattered throughout the country and beyond. This led to the widespread dispersal of the name across Ireland and to other parts of the world.

One notable bearer of the name was Niall MCCOLGAN (1808-1870), a prominent Irish scholar and historian who wrote extensively on Irish history and literature. Another was John MCCOLGAN (1863-1936), an Irish-American labor leader and politician who served as the mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Other notable MCCOLGANs include John MCCOLGAN (1892-1968), an Irish-American actor and playwright; Seamus MCCOLGAN (1918-2003), an Irish republican and member of the Irish Republican Army; and Patrick MCCOLGAN (1938-2012), a Northern Irish politician and member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party.

The surname MCCOLGAN remains most prevalent in Ireland, particularly in Ulster and Connacht, but it has also spread to other parts of the world through Irish emigration. While the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name continues to carry its rich Irish heritage and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mccolgan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccolgan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Mccolgan surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccolgan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,031 in 2016. That gives Mccolgan a modern rank of #5,666.

What does the Mccolgan surname mean?

An Irish surname meaning "son of Colgan", a Gaelic personal name derived from colgán meaning "young whelp or pup".

What does the Mccolgan map show?

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