NameCensus.

UK surname

Muldoon

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoldúin, meaning "descendant of the devotee of the church."

In the 1881 census there were 587 people recorded with the Muldoon surname, ranking it #5,943 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,938, ranked #3,303, up from #5,943 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Manchester and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Newmains and Strathaven South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Muldoon is 1,971 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 230.2%.

1881 census count

587

Ranked #5,943

Modern count

1,938

2016, ranked #3,303

Peak year

2010

1,971 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Muldoon had 587 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,943 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,938 in 2016, ranked #3,303.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 722 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Muldoon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Muldoon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Muldoon 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 220 #11,076
1881 historical 587 #5,943
1891 historical 574 #6,631
1901 historical 722 #6,124
1911 historical 384 #9,571
1997 modern 1,660 #3,581
1998 modern 1,739 #3,569
1999 modern 1,768 #3,533
2000 modern 1,764 #3,531
2001 modern 1,744 #3,483
2002 modern 1,799 #3,450
2003 modern 1,770 #3,445
2004 modern 1,760 #3,464
2005 modern 1,766 #3,430
2006 modern 1,780 #3,406
2007 modern 1,815 #3,378
2008 modern 1,853 #3,344
2009 modern 1,916 #3,320
2010 modern 1,971 #3,309
2011 modern 1,902 #3,377
2012 modern 1,883 #3,354
2013 modern 1,933 #3,336
2014 modern 1,944 #3,335
2015 modern 1,947 #3,302
2016 modern 1,938 #3,303

Geography

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Where Muldoons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Manchester, 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 Northumberland, Newmains, Strathaven South and Paisley Ferguslie. 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 Manchester Lancashire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
2 Newmains North Lanarkshire
3 Strathaven South South Lanarkshire
4 Northumberland 021 Northumberland
5 Paisley Ferguslie Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Muldoon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Muldoon

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

Muldoon is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Muldoon 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 Muldoon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Muldoon

The surname Muldoon is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Maoldúin". This name is believed to have originated in the 10th century and can be traced back to County Sligo in the northwest of Ireland.

Ó Maoldúin translates to "descendant of Maoldún", with "Maol" meaning bald or tonsured and "dún" signifying a fortified place or stronghold. This suggests that the name may have belonged to an early chieftain or landowner in the region.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. It mentions a "Maoldún Ua Maoil Doraid" who died in 1035 AD. This entry highlights the name's longevity and its association with the area now known as County Sligo.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as Muldoon, Muldowney, and Muldowny emerging. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and anglicization of the original Irish name.

Notable individuals with the surname Muldoon include:

1. Patrick Muldoon (born 1969), an American actor best known for his roles in films like "Starship Troopers" and "Stigmata".

2. Sir Robert Muldoon (1921-1992), a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984.

3. Paul Muldoon (born 1951), an Irish poet and academic who has won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2003.

4. William Muldoon (1845-1933), an American wrestler and physical culture pioneer who trained several notable figures, including President Theodore Roosevelt.

5. John Joseph Muldoon (1849-1919), an Irish-American prelate who served as the Bishop of Rockford, Illinois, from 1908 until his death.

The name Muldoon can also be found in various place names, such as Muldoon, Texas, and Muldoon Road in Auckland, New Zealand, further solidifying its historical presence and geographic spread.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Muldoon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Muldoon 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 188 Muldoons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 188 2.75x
Lanarkshire 114 6.12x
Renfrewshire 74 16.59x
Durham 35 2.04x
Northumberland 33 3.85x
Yorkshire 29 0.51x
Essex 14 1.23x
Middlesex 13 0.23x
Roxburghshire 12 11.51x
Selkirkshire 11 21.13x
Ayrshire 9 2.09x
Glamorgan 8 0.80x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 9.60x
Kent 6 0.31x
Derbyshire 5 0.55x
Staffordshire 4 0.21x
West Lothian 4 4.62x
Cumberland 3 0.61x
Stirlingshire 3 1.41x
Channel Islands 2 1.17x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.29x
Angus 1 0.19x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.26x
East Lothian 1 1.31x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Isle of Man 1 0.94x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Merionethshire 1 0.95x
Midlothian 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.18x
Surrey 1 0.04x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

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 51 Muldoons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.30x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 51 12.30x
Barony 35 7.43x
Glasgow 32 9.68x
Abbey 23 33.79x
Manchester 17 5.54x
Maryhill 17 46.65x
Barton Upon Irwell 14 27.23x
Oldham 14 6.35x
West Derby 14 7.01x
West Ham 14 5.58x
Eastwood 12 43.68x
Govan 12 2.61x
Smailholm 12 1363.64x
Westgate 12 22.63x
Kilbarchan 10 73.80x
Newton 10 19.00x
Paisley Middle Church 10 38.51x
Selkirk 10 68.17x
Toxteth Park 10 4.32x
Batley 9 16.61x
Blackrod 9 106.01x
Barnsley 8 13.60x
Berwick Upon Tweed 8 44.10x
Monkwearmouth 8 48.81x
Paisley High Church 8 22.53x
Troqueer 8 73.19x
Hammersmith London 7 4.94x
Hulme 7 4.91x
Pendleton In Salford 7 8.60x
Skelmersdale 7 61.51x
West Greenock 7 8.74x
Darlington 6 9.08x
Dawdon 6 28.49x
Llanwonno 6 16.66x
Widnes 6 12.18x
Bradford 5 3.62x
Derby St Michael 5 264.55x
Glassford 5 174.22x
Hamilton 5 9.63x
Kilbirnie 5 48.36x
Stranton 5 8.67x
Washington 5 69.64x
Bedlington 4 13.99x
Boness 4 33.47x
Burslem 4 7.19x
Everton 4 1.84x
Hackney London 4 1.24x
Kilmarnock 4 7.80x
North Shields 4 23.41x
Clayton Le Moors 3 22.64x
Gomersal 3 11.27x
Gorbals 3 27.15x
Great Bolton 3 3.32x
Greenwich 3 3.27x
Little Bolton 3 3.42x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 6.76x
Old Monkland 3 4.06x
Slamannan 3 25.82x
Ditton 2 71.68x
Elswick 2 2.93x
Halliwell 2 8.05x
Langfield 2 20.04x
Llandaff 2 6.00x
Shotton 2 47.28x
St Cuthbert Within 2 34.84x
St Helier 2 3.60x
Alverstoke 1 2.34x
Berwick North 1 18.73x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.40x
Cheetham 1 1.96x
Darenth 1 33.00x
Dolgelley 1 12.77x
Ealing 1 1.94x
Galashiels 1 5.19x
Gillingham 1 2.47x
Iveston 1 12.67x
Port Glasgow 1 4.64x
Portland 1 4.92x
Shettleston 1 6.00x
Whitwick 1 12.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Catherine 19
Ann 13
Bridget 10
Elizabeth 10
Ellen 8
Margaret 7
Jane 6
Sarah 6
Annie 4
Eliza 4
Anne 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Rosanna 2
Catharine 1
Eleanor 1
Elen 1
Eliz 1
Esieleller 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Georgeina 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Honorah 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Marth 1
Martha 1
May 1
Onoria 1
Rosannah 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
James 32
Thomas 21
Patrick 14
William 9
Bernard 7
Michael 7
Edward 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Felix 3
David 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Jns. 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Tom 2
Andrew 1
Augustus 1
Bartholomew 1
Christopher 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jerymiah 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Terrance 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Muldoon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Muldoon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 587 people were recorded with the Muldoon surname. That placed it at #5,943 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Muldoon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,938 in 2016. That gives Muldoon a modern rank of #3,303.

What does the Muldoon surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoldúin, meaning "descendant of the devotee of the church."

What does the Muldoon map show?

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