NameCensus.

UK surname

Noonan

An Irish surname derived from Ó Nuanáin, meaning "descendant of Nuanán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 511 people recorded with the Noonan surname, ranking it #6,667 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,206, ranked #2,941, up from #6,667 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Chryston and Muirhead and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Noonan is 2,280 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 331.7%.

1881 census count

511

Ranked #6,667

Modern count

2,206

2016, ranked #2,941

Peak year

2010

2,280 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Noonan had 511 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,667 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,206 in 2016, ranked #2,941.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 697 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Noonan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Noonan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Noonan 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 175 #11,542
1861 historical 199 #12,062
1881 historical 511 #6,667
1891 historical 461 #7,937
1901 historical 685 #6,388
1911 historical 697 #6,101
1997 modern 2,006 #3,045
1998 modern 2,118 #3,019
1999 modern 2,160 #2,989
2000 modern 2,122 #3,013
2001 modern 2,105 #2,978
2002 modern 2,172 #2,954
2003 modern 2,120 #2,958
2004 modern 2,147 #2,928
2005 modern 2,068 #2,987
2006 modern 2,080 #2,979
2007 modern 2,118 #2,960
2008 modern 2,117 #2,984
2009 modern 2,205 #2,944
2010 modern 2,280 #2,919
2011 modern 2,234 #2,940
2012 modern 2,145 #2,981
2013 modern 2,195 #2,973
2014 modern 2,233 #2,945
2015 modern 2,206 #2,937
2016 modern 2,206 #2,941

Geography

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Where Noonans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Chryston and Muirhead and Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 014 St. Helens
2 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
3 Chryston and Muirhead North Lanarkshire
4 St. Helens 022 St. Helens
5 Cornwall 033 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Noonan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Noonan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Noonan, 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 Noonan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Noonan 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Noonan 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

Noonan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Noonan

The surname Noonan has its origins in Ireland, emerging during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "O'Nuadhain," which means "descendant of Nuadhan." Nuadhan was a relatively common given name in ancient Ireland, stemming from the Old Irish word "nuadh," meaning "new" or "fresh."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1063, a figure named Toirdhealbhach O'Nuadhain is mentioned as a chief of the Ui Fiachrach Aidne, a prominent Irish clan based in what is now County Galway.

The Noonan surname is particularly associated with the counties of Galway and Mayo in the western province of Connacht. However, due to migration and the dispersal of Irish families during the 16th and 17th centuries, the name can now be found throughout Ireland and in various parts of the English-speaking world.

An early bearer of the name was Sir John Noonan, a prominent Irish judge and legal scholar who lived during the 16th century. He served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1568 to 1571 and played a significant role in the development of Irish common law.

Another notable figure was Michael Noonan, an Irish politician and economist who served as Minister for Finance of Ireland from 2011 to 2017. He played a crucial role in guiding Ireland's economic recovery following the global financial crisis of the late 2000s.

In the realm of literature, Kathleen Noonan was an Irish-American novelist and short story writer who lived from 1915 to 2008. Her works often explored themes of Irish-American identity and the immigrant experience.

The name Noonan has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Noonan's Bridge in County Cork and Noonan's Cross in County Tipperary. These place names often derive from the presence of Noonan families in those areas or from significant events or landmarks associated with individuals bearing the surname.

Additionally, the name has been recorded in various historical documents, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were records of letters patent issued by the English Crown during the Tudor period. These records provide valuable insights into the distribution and activities of Noonan families in Ireland during that time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Noonan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Noonan 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 175 Noonans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 175 2.94x
Middlesex 116 2.31x
Yorkshire 30 0.60x
Surrey 27 1.10x
Monmouthshire 19 5.23x
Staffordshire 19 1.12x
Angus 18 3.87x
Lanarkshire 18 1.11x
Essex 14 1.41x
Gloucestershire 14 1.42x
Glamorgan 13 1.49x
Dorset 12 3.64x
Aberdeenshire 6 1.29x
Pembrokeshire 5 3.13x
Hampshire 4 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.59x
Cheshire 3 0.27x
Devon 3 0.29x
Durham 3 0.20x
Northumberland 3 0.40x
Royal Navy 3 5.01x
Brecknockshire 1 1.00x
Channel Islands 1 0.67x
Hertfordshire 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.38x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

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 42 Noonans recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.60x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 42 11.60x
St Marylebone London 25 9.32x
Manchester 19 7.09x
Lambeth 13 2.97x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 9.21x
Bedwellty 12 18.71x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 12.94x
Bromley London 10 9.05x
Dundee 10 5.76x
Kensington London 10 3.58x
West Ham 10 4.57x
Leeds 9 3.20x
Salford 9 5.13x
St Giles In Fields 9 51.93x
Wigan 9 10.80x
Bilston 8 24.35x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 8.45x
Everton 8 4.21x
Failsworth 8 58.65x
Azerley 7 593.22x
Middlesbrough 7 10.80x
Neath 7 39.33x
Parr 7 32.82x
St Martin In Fields 7 23.27x
Walsall Borough 7 53.19x
Westminster St John 7 11.44x
Cadder 6 50.00x
Glasgow 6 2.08x
Kirkdale 6 5.98x
Limehouse London 6 10.88x
Mile End Old Town 6 7.57x
Preston 6 3.76x
Broughton In Salford 5 9.17x
Burnley 5 9.96x
Fulham London 5 6.86x
Kinson 5 77.64x
Newhills 5 52.47x
Oldham 5 2.60x
Pembroke St Michael 5 216.45x
Rotherhithe 5 8.06x
St George Martyr 5 59.03x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 8.45x
Cardiff St Mary 4 8.30x
Forfar 4 15.87x
Govan 4 1.00x
Liff Benvie 4 5.66x
Stone 4 18.44x
Tottenham 4 5.00x
Trevethin 4 11.66x
Wandsworth 4 8.27x
Dukinfield 3 5.85x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 10.02x
Hulme 3 2.41x
Pendleton In Salford 3 4.22x
Royal Navy 3 5.86x
St George In East 3 8.78x
St Pancras London 3 0.74x
Walton On Hill 3 9.29x
Bermondsey 2 1.34x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.56x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.69x
Devonport 2 16.64x
Isleworth 2 8.96x
Much Woolton 2 24.72x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.14x
Parkstone 2 51.95x
Poole St James 2 16.14x
Poplar London 2 2.11x
Snenton 2 7.52x
South Shoebury 2 50.25x
Tanshelf 2 50.25x
Thorganby Cum West 2 285.71x
Tynemouth 2 5.00x
West Derby 2 1.15x
Wyke Regis 2 42.28x
Shadwell London 1 7.11x
Sunderland 1 3.79x
Troqueer 1 10.48x
Westgate 1 2.16x
Yealand Conyers 1 188.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Ellen 26
Margaret 17
Elizabeth 15
Catherine 14
Bridget 9
Ann 5
Jane 5
Annie 4
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Johanna 3
M. 3
Rebecca 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Beatrice 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Margret 2
Susan 2
Alice 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Dora 1
Eleanor 1
Elizza 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harrul 1
Henretta 1
Hetty 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Lawrence 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maryanne 1
Nellie 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
James 32
William 19
Patrick 13
Thomas 12
Edward 10
Michael 10
Timothy 9
Charles 6
David 6
Daniel 5
Dennis 5
Francis 4
Richard 4
Denis 3
Jeremiah 3
Joseph 3
Martin 3
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Cornelius 2
Edmond 2
Eugene 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Lawrence 2
M. 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Nicholas 2
Paul 2
Peter 2
Bernard 1
Brian 1
Dan 1
Daret 1
Edmund 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Jerry 1
Josep. 1
Micheal 1
Michel 1
Owen 1
Patk. 1
Philip 1
Purci 1
Rd. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Noonan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Noonan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 511 people were recorded with the Noonan surname. That placed it at #6,667 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Noonan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,206 in 2016. That gives Noonan a modern rank of #2,941.

What does the Noonan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Nuanáin, meaning "descendant of Nuanán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Noonan map show?

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