NameCensus.

UK surname

Monaghan

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Manacháin," meaning "descendant of the monk."

In the 1881 census there were 2,171 people recorded with the Monaghan surname, ranking it #2,045 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,281, ranked #919, up from #2,045 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stevenston Hayocks, Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Monaghan is 7,405 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 235.4%.

1881 census count

2,171

Ranked #2,045

Modern count

7,281

2016, ranked #919

Peak year

2010

7,405 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Monaghan had 2,171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,045 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,281 in 2016, ranked #919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,799 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Monaghan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Monaghan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Monaghan 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 599 #4,279
1861 historical 834 #3,307
1881 historical 2,171 #2,045
1891 historical 2,004 #2,297
1901 historical 2,799 #1,996
1911 historical 1,887 #2,617
1997 modern 6,764 #961
1998 modern 7,038 #962
1999 modern 7,033 #974
2000 modern 6,985 #974
2001 modern 6,839 #972
2002 modern 6,984 #972
2003 modern 6,875 #955
2004 modern 6,870 #962
2005 modern 6,840 #951
2006 modern 6,870 #950
2007 modern 6,944 #948
2008 modern 7,050 #934
2009 modern 7,212 #934
2010 modern 7,405 #930
2011 modern 7,329 #922
2012 modern 7,183 #921
2013 modern 7,293 #924
2014 modern 7,340 #923
2015 modern 7,258 #925
2016 modern 7,281 #919

Geography

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Where Monaghans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Stevenston Hayocks, Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne and Stevenston North West. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stevenston Hayocks North Ayrshire
2 Northumberland 021 Northumberland
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 004 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
5 Stevenston North West North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Monaghan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Monaghan

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

Monaghan is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Monaghan

The surname Monaghan originates from Ireland and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Irish Gaelic 'Muineachán,' meaning 'little plain' or 'little thicket.' This name refers to the town of Monaghan in County Monaghan, which was established by Irish monks in the 5th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a chieftain named Muiredach Muineachán who died in 767 AD. In the 12th century, the Book of Leinster, an important medieval Irish manuscript, also includes references to individuals with the surname Muineachán or Monaghan.

During the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its modern form, Monaghan. One notable bearer of this surname was Hugh Monaghan, a prominent Irish chieftain who fought against the English forces in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the 1659 Census of Ireland, which lists several Monaghan families living in County Monaghan and neighboring counties. One prominent figure from this period was Patrick Monaghan (1630-1706), a Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Raphoe.

In the 18th century, the Monaghan family continued to play an important role in Irish history. Notably, Andrew Monaghan (1743-1820) was a member of the Irish Patriot movement and fought alongside the United Irishmen during the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Other notable individuals with the surname Monaghan include:

1. James Monaghan (1831-1910), an Irish-American Catholic priest and educator who co-founded the University of Detroit Mercy. 2. John Monaghan (1878-1916), an Irish nationalist and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood who participated in the Easter Rising of 1916. 3. Dorothy Monaghan (1895-1971), an American actress and vaudeville performer known for her roles in several silent films. 4. Tom Monaghan (born 1937), an American entrepreneur and founder of the Domino's Pizza chain. 5. Brendan Monaghan (born 1958), an Irish Gaelic football player and manager who played for the Dublin senior football team.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Monaghan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Monaghan 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 626 Monaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.49x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 626 2.49x
Lanarkshire 422 6.16x
Durham 159 2.52x
Yorkshire 147 0.70x
Renfrewshire 111 6.76x
Ayrshire 92 5.80x
Northumberland 70 2.22x
Cheshire 56 1.20x
Midlothian 49 1.73x
Angus 40 2.04x
Staffordshire 32 0.45x
Middlesex 30 0.14x
Stirlingshire 30 3.84x
Devon 29 0.66x
Cumberland 27 1.48x
Kirkcudbrightshire 27 8.81x
Warwickshire 24 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 23 4.04x
Surrey 20 0.19x
West Lothian 15 4.70x
Perthshire 12 1.26x
Roxburghshire 11 2.87x
Hampshire 10 0.23x
Kent 10 0.14x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.41x
Fife 8 0.64x
Berwickshire 7 2.73x
East Lothian 7 2.50x
Wigtownshire 7 2.49x
Monmouthshire 6 0.39x
Royal Navy 6 2.38x
Derbyshire 5 0.15x
Gloucestershire 5 0.12x
Isle of Man 5 1.27x
Leicestershire 4 0.17x
Wiltshire 4 0.21x
Cornwall 3 0.13x
Dorset 3 0.22x
Argyllshire 2 0.34x
Buteshire 2 1.56x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.23x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.43x
Morayshire 2 0.61x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Essex 1 0.02x
Flintshire 1 0.18x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Selkirkshire 1 0.52x
Shropshire 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

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 130 Monaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.52x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 130 8.52x
Glasgow 115 9.46x
Barony 88 5.08x
Govan 85 5.02x
Manchester 64 5.66x
Abbey 46 18.37x
Gateshead 33 7.00x
Toxteth Park 33 3.88x
Wigan 31 8.83x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 29 10.63x
Dundee 27 3.69x
Rutherglen 27 26.87x
West Derby 24 3.26x
Hulme 23 4.38x
Bradford 22 4.33x
Maryhill 22 16.41x
Everton 21 2.62x
Warrington 20 6.71x
Linthorpe 19 15.17x
Kirkmabreck 18 134.33x
Paisley Middle Church 18 18.84x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 4.26x
Dukinfield 16 7.41x
Salford 16 2.16x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 2.73x
Birkenhead 15 4.03x
Hamilton 15 7.85x
West Greenock 15 5.09x
Bootle Cum Linacre 14 7.02x
Byker 14 8.99x
Leeds 14 1.18x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 1.14x
Kirkdale 13 3.08x
Sheffield 13 1.95x
Accrington 12 5.25x
Caldewgate 12 12.01x
East Stonehouse 12 13.82x
Gorton 12 5.08x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 12 6.38x
Shipley 12 11.02x
Stirling 12 12.19x
Alva 11 29.53x
Jedburgh 11 29.26x
Kirkham 11 33.11x
New Monkland 11 5.43x
Tarbolton 11 42.18x
Widnes 11 6.07x
Ayr 10 13.37x
Bothwell 10 5.38x
Cambusnethan 10 6.57x
Dumbarton 10 12.62x
Linlithgow 10 24.45x
Paisley High Church 10 7.65x
Riccarton Hurlford 10 35.97x
Shotts 10 12.20x
Stockton On Tees 10 3.29x
Atherton 9 9.84x
Barmston 9 191.08x
Birmingham 9 0.51x
Blackburn 9 1.35x
Cowpen Bewley 9 126.05x
Kilwinning 9 17.59x
Liberton 9 20.55x
Morpeth 9 24.29x
Riccarton 9 37.64x
Rothbury 9 99.45x
Shettleston 9 14.68x
Wednesbury 9 5.04x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 2.18x
Blantyre 8 11.22x
Cardross 8 11.71x
Dalmellington 8 17.16x
Escomb 8 27.63x
Kilbirnie 8 21.02x
Lambeth 8 0.43x
Longbenton 8 5.99x
Paisley Low Church 8 15.40x
South Leith 8 2.51x
St George Hanover 8 2.89x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 7 16.90x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 139
James 70
Patrick 70
Thomas 68
William 38
Michael 36
Joseph 23
Martin 15
Francis 12
Hugh 11
Robert 11
Edward 10
Peter 10
Charles 8
Wm. 8
Philip 7
Daniel 5
George 5
Henry 5
Owen 5
Richard 5
Jno. 4
Luke 4
Matthew 4
Thos. 4
Andrew 3
Christopher 3
Laurence 3
Micheal 3
Pat 3
Pat. 3
Phillip 3
Tom 3
Anthony 2
Arthur 2
Bartholomew 2
Bernard 2
Brian 2
David 2
Dennis 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Heugh 2
Jas. 2
Lawrence 2
Michal 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Monaghan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Monaghan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,171 people were recorded with the Monaghan surname. That placed it at #2,045 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Monaghan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,281 in 2016. That gives Monaghan a modern rank of #919.

What does the Monaghan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Manacháin," meaning "descendant of the monk."

What does the Monaghan map show?

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