NameCensus.

UK surname

Moonan

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Monacháin, meaning "descendant of the monk".

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Moonan surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Conwy, Wirral and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moonan is 147 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1422.2%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

2011

147 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moonan had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 63 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Moonan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moonan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moonan 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1891 historical 47 #30,566
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 56 #27,216
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 144 #22,221
1999 modern 145 #22,305
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 132 #23,459
2004 modern 125 #24,443
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 141 #24,258
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 142 #24,617
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Moonans 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 Conwy, Wirral, Southwark, Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea and Glenwood South. 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 Conwy 004 Conwy
2 Wirral 005 Wirral
3 Southwark 021 Southwark
4 Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea Aberdeenshire
5 Glenwood South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moonan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moonan

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Moonan 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

Moonan 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

Moonan 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 Moonan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Moonan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moonan

The surname Moonan has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "muineach," which means "neck" or "ridge." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a topographical feature, perhaps referring to a person who lived near a ridge or a neck of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Moonan surname can be found in the Irish Annals of the Four Masters, which mention a Donnchadh Ó Muineacháin in the year 1554. This entry suggests that the name may have originated in the province of Ulster, where Gaelic surnames were prevalent.

In the 17th century, the Moonan surname appears in various historical records, including the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665, which listed households and their occupants for tax purposes. Several Moonan families were recorded in counties such as Tyrone and Donegal, further solidifying the name's roots in Ulster.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Moonan surname continued to be documented in various Irish records, including birth, marriage, and death registers. Notable individuals bearing this name include:

1. Michael Moonan (1758-1832), an Irish soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. 2. Elizabeth Moonan (1785-1860), an Irish immigrant to the United States who settled in Philadelphia and became a prominent businesswoman. 3. James Moonan (1820-1892), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 4. Patrick Moonan (1845-1912), an Irish-born American Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in the Midwest. 5. Mary Moonan (1872-1948), an Irish novelist and poet known for her works exploring the lives of rural Irish communities.

While the Moonan surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to emigration. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moonan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moonan 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 5 Moonans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.81x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 4.81x
Lanarkshire 2 7.06x
Middlesex 2 2.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 3 Moonans recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.68x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 3 98.68x
Everton 1 30.21x
Glasgow 1 19.88x
Govan 1 14.27x
Paddington London 1 31.06x
Salford 1 32.68x
St Marylebone London 1 21.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1
Mathew 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Moonan households.

FAQ

Moonan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moonan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Moonan surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moonan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Moonan a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Moonan surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Monacháin, meaning "descendant of the monk".

What does the Moonan map show?

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