NameCensus.

UK surname

Moran

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Móráin, meaning "descendant of Mórán," a personal name meaning "great chieftain."

In the 1881 census there were 5,480 people recorded with the Moran surname, ranking it #813 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,152, ranked #420, up from #813 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, Stoke-on-Trent and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moran is 15,418 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 176.5%.

1881 census count

5,480

Ranked #813

Modern count

15,152

2016, ranked #420

Peak year

2010

15,418 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moran had 5,480 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #813 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,152 in 2016, ranked #420.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,658 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Moran surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moran surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moran 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 2,003 #1,447
1861 historical 2,737 #1,072
1881 historical 5,480 #813
1891 historical 5,423 #865
1901 historical 6,658 #831
1911 historical 6,441 #797
1997 modern 13,962 #434
1998 modern 14,561 #433
1999 modern 14,758 #427
2000 modern 14,669 #429
2001 modern 14,301 #431
2002 modern 14,668 #429
2003 modern 14,311 #429
2004 modern 14,343 #426
2005 modern 14,242 #424
2006 modern 14,319 #421
2007 modern 14,442 #424
2008 modern 14,669 #423
2009 modern 15,074 #421
2010 modern 15,418 #422
2011 modern 15,252 #419
2012 modern 14,923 #423
2013 modern 15,252 #421
2014 modern 15,337 #422
2015 modern 15,256 #419
2016 modern 15,152 #420

Geography

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Where Morans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Salford, Stoke-on-Trent, Liverpool and Wakefield. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 016 Salford
2 Stoke-on-Trent 002 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Salford 022 Salford
4 Liverpool 057 Liverpool
5 Wakefield 039 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moran

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moran

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

Moran 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

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

Meaning and origin of Moran

The surname Moran originated from the Irish language and is derived from the Gaelic word "O'Morain," meaning "descendant of Morain." The name can be traced back to the 11th century in Ireland, where it was particularly prevalent in the counties of Leitrim and Sligo.

The earliest known record of the Moran surname dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle of medieval Ireland. One notable mention is Domhnall O'Morain, a renowned Irish chieftain who lived in the late 12th century.

In the 16th century, the name was anglicized to "Moran," and its various spellings, such as "Moren," "Morane," and "Murn," were also used. During this period, the Moran family was prominent in County Leitrim, where they held significant landholdings and played a crucial role in local affairs.

One of the most famous bearers of the Moran name was Dermot Moran, a 16th-century Irish chieftain and leader of the Moran clan in County Leitrim. He was known for his resistance against English rule in Ireland and his efforts to preserve Irish culture and traditions.

In the 17th century, the Moran surname spread across Ireland and beyond, as many families emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to North America and Australia. One notable figure was Patrick Moran (1823-1911), an Irish-American prelate who served as the second Bishop of Dubuque, Iowa, and later as the fourth Archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

Another prominent individual was Benjamin Moran (1820-1886), an American naval officer who served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was known for his contributions to the development of naval signaling systems and his leadership during several key battles.

In the 19th century, the Moran name gained further recognition with individuals like Thomas Moran (1837-1926), an American painter and member of the Hudson River School, renowned for his landscape paintings of the American West.

Throughout history, the Moran surname has been carried by numerous individuals across various fields, including politics, arts, and academia. Some other notable figures include Pat Moran (1876-1924), an American baseball player and manager, and Dermot Moran (born 1952), an Irish philosopher and scholar of phenomenology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moran families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moran 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 2,358 Morans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,358 3.72x
Yorkshire 672 1.27x
Cheshire 288 2.44x
Durham 276 1.73x
Middlesex 264 0.49x
Staffordshire 238 1.32x
Lanarkshire 207 1.20x
Warwickshire 187 1.39x
Midlothian 120 1.67x
Northumberland 109 1.37x
Surrey 94 0.36x
Derbyshire 85 1.02x
Angus 48 0.97x
Hampshire 40 0.36x
Cumberland 36 0.78x
Kent 36 0.20x
Shropshire 34 0.74x
Glamorgan 33 0.35x
Renfrewshire 28 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 22 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 21 1.46x
Stirlingshire 20 1.01x
Gloucestershire 19 0.18x
Sussex 19 0.21x
Worcestershire 19 0.27x
Kirkcudbrightshire 18 2.32x
East Lothian 15 2.12x
Devon 14 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 13 0.26x
Essex 12 0.11x
Royal Navy 12 1.88x
Northamptonshire 11 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 10 0.46x
Cornwall 10 0.17x
Dumfriesshire 9 0.76x
Berwickshire 7 1.08x
Denbighshire 7 0.35x
Flintshire 6 0.42x
Norfolk 6 0.07x
Perthshire 6 0.25x
Bedfordshire 5 0.18x
Dorset 5 0.14x
Monmouthshire 5 0.13x
Selkirkshire 5 1.03x
Ayrshire 4 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.12x
Oxfordshire 3 0.09x
Anglesey 2 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.19x
Leicestershire 2 0.03x
Lincolnshire 2 0.02x
Somerset 2 0.02x
West Lothian 2 0.25x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.10x
Kincardineshire 1 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.06x
Roxburghshire 1 0.10x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Westmorland 1 0.09x

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 352 Morans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.13x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 352 9.13x
Manchester 271 9.49x
Leeds 145 4.84x
Blackburn 134 7.94x
Birmingham 131 2.91x
Ormskirk 93 76.58x
Oldham 84 4.10x
Toxteth Park 82 3.82x
Wigan 77 8.68x
Salford 74 3.96x
Stockport 69 11.36x
West Derby 64 3.45x
Sheffield 61 3.62x
Everton 60 2.97x
Govan 53 1.24x
Preston 50 2.94x
Barony 49 1.12x
Hulme 46 3.47x
Glasgow 44 1.43x
Chorlton On Medlock 38 3.77x
Chester St John Baptist 37 17.44x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 37 1.28x
Pontefract 37 32.41x
Birkenhead 35 3.72x
Wednesbury 35 7.76x
Aston 34 0.92x
St Marylebone London 33 1.16x
Wardleworth 32 8.82x
Bradford 31 2.42x
Halifax 30 3.86x
Stockton On Tees 30 3.91x
Camberwell 29 0.85x
Kensington London 29 0.98x
Warrington 28 3.72x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 1.95x
Castleton 27 4.26x
Stranton 26 4.85x
Wolstanton 26 4.74x
Great Bolton 25 2.97x
Horton In Bradford 25 3.02x
Kimberworth 25 8.50x
Mile End Old Town 25 2.96x
St Pancras London 25 0.58x
Walsall Foreign 25 2.68x
Bury 24 3.31x
Farnworth 23 6.05x
Glossop Dale 23 5.87x
Liff Benvie 23 3.06x
Newchurch 23 4.43x
Stoke Upon Trent 23 1.20x
Widnes 23 5.02x
Burslem 22 4.25x
Eccleston In Prescot 22 6.90x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 22 3.19x
Little Bolton 22 2.70x
Moss Side 22 6.59x
Bootle Cum Linacre 21 4.17x
Framwellgate 21 22.28x
Islington London 21 0.41x
Newport 21 37.65x
Battersea 20 1.02x
Dukinfield 20 3.67x
Dundee 20 1.08x
Holy Trinity 20 1.57x
Macclesfield 20 3.81x
Over Darwen 20 3.95x
Bowling 19 3.62x
Burnley 18 3.37x
Longbenton 18 5.34x
New Monkland 18 3.52x
Northowram 17 4.57x
Sutton 17 7.99x
Walsall Borough 17 12.13x
North Meols 16 2.58x
Spotland 16 2.27x
Wolverhampton 16 1.15x
Batley 15 2.98x
Heaton Norris 15 4.15x
Walton On Hill 15 4.36x
Windle 15 4.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 600
Margaret 175
Catherine 170
Bridget 162
Ann 146
Ellen 119
Elizabeth 110
Sarah 80
Annie 73
Jane 48
Kate 42
Alice 35
Eliza 31
Maria 29
Anne 28
Julia 21
Winifred 20
Agnes 19
Hannah 15
Martha 14
Emily 13
Rose 13
Emma 12
Frances 11
Teresa 11
Catharine 10
Margt. 9
Caroline 7
Jessie 7
Margret 7
Susan 7
Ada 6
Esther 6
Florence 6
Helen 6
Johanna 6
Louisa 6
Maggie 6
Amy 5
Clara 5
Selina 5
Amelia 4
Bridgett 4
Cathrine 4
Cecilia 4
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Honora 4
Lucy 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 496
James 304
Thomas 298
Michael 209
Patrick 202
William 183
Edward 87
Martin 72
Peter 58
Joseph 48
Daniel 29
Francis 29
George 27
Charles 25
Henry 24
Anthony 23
Hugh 20
Andrew 18
Richard 18
Thos. 18
Bernard 17
Robert 14
Austin 12
Owen 12
Arthur 10
David 10
Laurence 9
Matthew 9
Jas. 8
Nicholas 8
Bartholomew 7
Luke 7
Alfred 6
Harry 6
Lawrence 6
Mathew 6
Stephen 6
Walter 6
Wm. 6
Bryan 5
Dennis 5
Dominic 5
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Micheal 5
Michl. 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Felix 4
Mark 4

FAQ

Moran surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moran surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,480 people were recorded with the Moran surname. That placed it at #813 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moran surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,152 in 2016. That gives Moran a modern rank of #420.

What does the Moran surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Móráin, meaning "descendant of Mórán," a personal name meaning "great chieftain."

What does the Moran map show?

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