NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulqueen

A surname derived from the Gaelic words "mul" meaning "hill" and "caoin" meaning "handsome" or "beautiful."

In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Mulqueen surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 346, ranked #13,291, up from #32,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Fenland and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulqueen is 355 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3360.0%.

1881 census count

10

Ranked #32,243

Modern count

346

2016, ranked #13,291

Peak year

2014

355 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulqueen had 10 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 346 in 2016, ranked #13,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 29 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mulqueen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulqueen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulqueen 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 10 #32,243
1891 historical 20 #32,579
1901 historical 21 #31,686
1911 historical 29 #30,190
1997 modern 338 #12,489
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 327 #13,209
2000 modern 316 #13,460
2001 modern 315 #13,291
2002 modern 336 #12,992
2003 modern 315 #13,384
2004 modern 321 #13,284
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 302 #13,863
2007 modern 311 #13,703
2008 modern 333 #13,175
2009 modern 345 #13,107
2010 modern 342 #13,440
2011 modern 348 #13,134
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 350 #13,186
2014 modern 355 #13,125
2015 modern 345 #13,312
2016 modern 346 #13,291

Geography

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Where Mulqueens 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 Bradford, Fenland, Birmingham, Thurrock and Poole. 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 Bradford 047 Bradford
2 Fenland 006 Fenland
3 Birmingham 093 Birmingham
4 Thurrock 018 Thurrock
5 Poole 003 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulqueen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulqueen

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Mulqueen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mulqueen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mulqueen is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mulqueen 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mulqueen

The surname MULQUEEN is of Irish origin and has its roots in County Kerry, Ireland. The name is believed to have originated in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "mul" meaning "summit" or "hill" and "caoin" meaning "gentle" or "pleasant," suggesting the name was likely given to someone who lived on a gentle hill or pleasant summit.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MULQUEEN name appears in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, a collection of official documents from the late 16th century. In these records, a John Mulqueen is mentioned as being granted land in County Kerry in 1588.

The MULQUEEN name can also be found in the Petty Census of 1659, one of the earliest comprehensive surveys of the Irish population. This census recorded several MULQUEEN households in County Kerry, indicating the name's strong association with that region.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the MULQUEEN surname was Cornelius Mulqueen (1713-1788), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the parish priest of Killarney, County Kerry. He was known for his extensive knowledge of Irish history and language.

Another prominent MULQUEEN was Daniel Mulqueen (1812-1890), an Irish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Killarney constituency in the mid-19th century. He was a vocal advocate for tenant rights and land reform in Ireland.

In the 20th century, John Joseph MULQUEEN (1902-1985) was a respected Irish Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Dromore from 1949 to 1977. He was widely known for his pastoral work and commitment to social justice.

The MULQUEEN name has also been associated with various place names in County Kerry, such as Mulqueen's Cross and Mulqueen's Bridge, further reinforcing its connection to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulqueen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulqueen 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. Caernarfonshire leads with 5 Mulqueens recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.23x.

County Total Index
Caernarfonshire 5 127.23x
Middlesex 3 3.08x
Lancashire 2 1.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ynyscynhaiarn in Caernarfonshire leads with 5 Mulqueens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2777.78x.

Place Total Index
Ynyscynhaiarn 5 2777.78x
St Marylebone London 3 57.80x
Manchester 2 38.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Eliza 1
Helena 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 1
John 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 Mulqueen households.

FAQ

Mulqueen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulqueen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Mulqueen surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulqueen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 346 in 2016. That gives Mulqueen a modern rank of #13,291.

What does the Mulqueen surname mean?

A surname derived from the Gaelic words "mul" meaning "hill" and "caoin" meaning "handsome" or "beautiful."

What does the Mulqueen map show?

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