NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckeegan

An anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Aodhagáin, meaning "son of Egan."

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Mckeegan surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 226, ranked #18,044, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Farme Cross and Gallowflat North and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckeegan is 226 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 927.3%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

226

2016, ranked #18,044

Peak year

2016

226 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckeegan had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016, ranked #18,044.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Mckeegan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckeegan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckeegan 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 27 #31,057
1911 historical 23 #30,923
1997 modern 163 #20,038
1998 modern 160 #20,832
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 169 #20,199
2001 modern 162 #20,460
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 174 #19,871
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 184 #19,254
2007 modern 187 #19,271
2008 modern 193 #19,077
2009 modern 203 #18,840
2010 modern 219 #18,319
2011 modern 214 #18,436
2012 modern 205 #18,909
2013 modern 216 #18,543
2014 modern 221 #18,412
2015 modern 220 #18,346
2016 modern 226 #18,044

Geography

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Where Mckeegans 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 Barnsley, Farme Cross and Gallowflat North, St. Helens and Greenend and Carnbroe. 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 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
2 Farme Cross and Gallowflat North South Lanarkshire
3 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
5 Greenend and Carnbroe North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckeegan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckeegan

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Mckeegan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mckeegan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Mckeegan 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.

Read profile summary

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

Mckeegan is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mckeegan

The surname McKeegan has its origins in Ireland and dates back to the early medieval period. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Mac Aodhagáin, which means "son of Aodhagán." Aodhagán is a diminutive of the Old Irish personal name Aodh, meaning "fire" or "flame."

The earliest recorded instances of the McKeegan name can be found in Irish annals and manuscripts from the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable figure was Aodh McKeegan, a Gaelic chieftain from County Fermanagh, who participated in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s, fighting against the English forces.

The name McKeegan was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of Ireland, such as Fermanagh, Tyrone, and Armagh. It is believed that the name may have originated in the Barony of Clogher, which straddles the modern-day counties of Tyrone and Monaghan.

In the 16th century, a branch of the McKeegan family settled in the Scottish Lowlands, where the name evolved into various spellings, including McKegan, McKeggan, and McKeagan. One notable bearer of this variant was Sir William McKegan, a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1689 to 1691.

As the McKeegan family spread throughout Ireland and beyond, the name became associated with various place names, such as Ballymackeegan in County Tyrone and Carrickmackeegan in County Monaghan. The name Carrickmackeegan, for example, is derived from the Irish "Carraig Mhic Aodhagáin," meaning "rock of the son of Aodhagán."

Some other notable individuals with the surname McKeegan include:

1. Father Patrick McKeegan (1825-1894), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded St. Patrick's College in Armagh. 2. John McKeegan (1874-1937), an Irish-American labor leader and politician from New York City. 3. William McKeegan (1924-2016), a Scottish journalist and financial writer for The Observer. 4. Seán McKeegan (born 1958), an Irish hurler who played for the Antrim senior hurling team. 5. Niall McKeegan (born 1974), an Irish actor known for roles in films such as "Omagh" and "Hunger."

The McKeegan surname has a rich history and a strong connection to the Irish and Scottish heritage, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural influences that have shaped its evolution over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mckeegan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckeegan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Mckeegan surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckeegan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016. That gives Mckeegan a modern rank of #18,044.

What does the Mckeegan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Aodhagáin, meaning "son of Egan."

What does the Mckeegan map show?

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