NameCensus.

UK surname

Neilan

Irish surname meaning "champion" or "brave one".

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Neilan surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 194, ranked #19,976, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumchapel North, Drumry East and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Neilan is 205 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 228.8%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

194

2016, ranked #19,976

Peak year

1999

205 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Neilan had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016, ranked #19,976.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 59 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Neilan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Neilan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Neilan 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 25 #32,259
1901 historical 46 #29,047
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 190 #18,199
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 189 #18,590
2002 modern 181 #19,463
2003 modern 191 #18,628
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 183 #19,194
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 190 #19,656
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 188 #20,067
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 192 #20,067
2014 modern 201 #19,641
2015 modern 198 #19,714
2016 modern 194 #19,976

Geography

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Where Neilans 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 Drumchapel North, Drumry East, Stockport, Lewisham and Strathaven 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 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
2 Drumry East Glasgow City
3 Stockport 006 Stockport
4 Lewisham 016 Lewisham
5 Strathaven South South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Neilan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Neilan

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Neilan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Neilan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Neilan 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

Neilan 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

Neilan falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Neilan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Neilan

The surname NEILAN originates from Ireland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Niallán," which itself is a diminutive form of the name "Niall." The name Niall is thought to have its roots in the Old Irish word "nïall," meaning "champion" or "cloud."

The NEILAN surname is particularly associated with County Mayo in the western region of Ireland. Historical records indicate that the name was prominent among families in the baronies of Carra, Erris, and Gallen in Mayo. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

In the 14th century, a document known as the "Pipe Roll of Cloyne" mentions a "Dermitius O'Nellan" as a landowner in County Cork. This suggests that the NEILAN name had spread beyond its original Mayo heartland by that time. Over the centuries, various spelling variations of the surname emerged, including Neylan, Nealon, and Neelan.

One notable bearer of the NEILAN surname was John Neilan (1847-1914), an Irish-born railway contractor and entrepreneur who helped construct many railways in Australia during the late 19th century. Another prominent figure was Michael Neilan (1887-1972), an American film director and producer who worked in Hollywood during the silent film era and early "talkies."

In the world of literature, John Neilan (1904-1980) was an Irish poet and writer who published several collections of poetry and plays. One of his best-known works is the play "The Freeman of Erris," which explores the lives of rural Irish communities in the early 20th century.

The NEILAN name has also been carried by notable academics, such as Edouard Neilan (1892-1984), a French-born American professor of philosophy who taught at several prestigious universities, including Harvard and Columbia.

Furthermore, in the realm of sports, Patrick Neilan (1895-1962) was an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior team and won an All-Ireland championship in 1916.

While these are just a few examples, the NEILAN surname has a rich history and has been borne by individuals across various fields and regions over the centuries, reflecting the diverse experiences and accomplishments of those who carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Neilan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Neilan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 22 Neilans recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.82x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 22 11.82x
Yorkshire 17 2.98x
Lancashire 7 1.03x
Hampshire 5 4.24x
Surrey 5 1.78x
Northumberland 3 3.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 10 Neilans recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.41x.

Place Total Index
Bradford 10 72.41x
Shettleston 10 598.80x
Leeds 7 21.74x
Shotts 7 313.90x
Gorbals 5 454.55x
Lambeth 5 9.96x
Little Bolton 5 56.95x
Carisbrooke 4 243.90x
Westgate 3 56.60x
Castleton 1 14.66x
Manchester 1 3.26x
Portsea 1 4.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Annie 3
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Margaret 2
Bina 1
Elizabeth 1
Ella 1
Maggie 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
John 5
Charles 1
George 1
James 1
Martin 1
Patrick 1
Thos. 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 Neilan households.

FAQ

Neilan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Neilan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Neilan surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Neilan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016. That gives Neilan a modern rank of #19,976.

What does the Neilan surname mean?

Irish surname meaning "champion" or "brave one".

What does the Neilan map show?

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