NameCensus.

UK surname

Noone

Derived from the Irish Ó Nuadháin, meaning "descendant of Nuadhán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 119 people recorded with the Noone surname, ranking it #17,841 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,283, ranked #4,670, up from #17,841 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, West Lancashire and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Noone is 1,295 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 978.2%.

1881 census count

119

Ranked #17,841

Modern count

1,283

2016, ranked #4,670

Peak year

2015

1,295 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Noone had 119 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,841 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,283 in 2016, ranked #4,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 301 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Noone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Noone surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Noone 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 74 #24,370
1881 historical 119 #17,841
1891 historical 138 #19,411
1901 historical 170 #16,762
1911 historical 301 #11,422
1997 modern 1,080 #5,156
1998 modern 1,138 #5,105
1999 modern 1,183 #4,995
2000 modern 1,175 #4,995
2001 modern 1,151 #4,984
2002 modern 1,180 #4,972
2003 modern 1,161 #4,942
2004 modern 1,172 #4,910
2005 modern 1,151 #4,940
2006 modern 1,176 #4,859
2007 modern 1,193 #4,832
2008 modern 1,202 #4,836
2009 modern 1,208 #4,913
2010 modern 1,255 #4,861
2011 modern 1,234 #4,870
2012 modern 1,229 #4,818
2013 modern 1,271 #4,751
2014 modern 1,277 #4,753
2015 modern 1,295 #4,650
2016 modern 1,283 #4,670

Geography

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Where Noones are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Halton, West Lancashire, Bury and Sandwell. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Stockton Warwickshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Halton 003 Halton
2 West Lancashire 006 West Lancashire
3 Bury 016 Bury
4 Sandwell 007 Sandwell
5 Halton 005 Halton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Noone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Noone

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

Noone is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Noone

The surname "NOONE" is believed to have originated in Ireland, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Irish Gaelic words "nó" (or) and "aon" (one), suggesting a meaning along the lines of "none" or "no one."

In ancient Irish records, the name was often spelled as "Nóaon" or "Nóón," with variations reflecting regional dialects and scribal conventions. Some of the earliest documented instances of the surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name was Seán Nóaon, a 14th-century chieftain from County Mayo, who was recorded as leading a rebellion against English rule in the region. Another notable figure was Tadhg Nóón, a 16th-century Irish poet and harpist renowned for his compositions celebrating the Gaelic traditions of his homeland.

As the name spread throughout Ireland, it also became associated with certain place names, such as Noone Bridge in County Kilkenny and Noone Abbey in County Westmeath, both of which date back to the Middle Ages. The spelling "NOONE" became more standardized during the 18th and 19th centuries, as Irish families sought to adopt anglicized versions of their surnames.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname "NOONE" in more recent history were Michael NOONE (1789-1868), an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for County Longford, and John NOONE (1816-1894), a renowned Irish-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Other individuals of note include James NOONE (1872-1951), an Irish-American labor leader and co-founder of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and Sir Michael NOONE (1928-2010), a British jurist who served as Lord Justice of Appeal and was knighted for his contributions to the legal profession.

Throughout its history, the surname "NOONE" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse experiences and achievements of those who bear this distinctly Irish name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Noone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Noone 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 37 Noones recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.69x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 37 2.69x
Yorkshire 23 2.00x
Middlesex 11 0.95x
Warwickshire 11 3.76x
Durham 8 2.32x
Midlothian 7 4.50x
Cheshire 5 1.95x
Staffordshire 3 0.77x
Essex 2 0.87x
Lanarkshire 2 0.53x
Lincolnshire 2 1.08x
Surrey 2 0.35x
Argyllshire 1 3.10x
Cardiganshire 1 3.53x
Derbyshire 1 0.55x
Hampshire 1 0.42x
Suffolk 1 0.71x
West Lothian 1 5.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 11 Noones recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.04x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 11 30.04x
Manchester 10 16.14x
Bulkington 8 1269.84x
West Calder 7 228.76x
Widnes 7 70.49x
Wortley In Bramley 6 65.86x
Bethnal Green London 5 9.92x
Parr 5 101.42x
Warrington 5 30.62x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 26.74x
Leeds 4 6.16x
Liverpool 4 4.78x
Birmingham 3 3.08x
Darlington 3 22.51x
Dukinfield 3 25.34x
Islington London 3 2.67x
Billington 2 357.14x
Chester St Nicholas 2 1250.00x
Glasgow 2 3.00x
Hulme 2 6.96x
Stainfield 2 2500.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 4.81x
Aberystwith 1 40.98x
Aldridge 1 133.33x
Armley 1 19.72x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 26.46x
Caterham 1 40.00x
Derby St Michael 1 263.16x
Ealing 1 9.64x
Farnborough 1 40.00x
Gateshead 1 3.87x
Hindley 1 17.04x
Lambeth 1 0.99x
Lismore Appin 1 92.59x
Northowram 1 12.41x
Runcorn 1 16.92x
St Marylebone London 1 1.61x
St Nicholas Acons 1 5000.00x
Uphall 1 52.08x
Wardleworth 1 12.71x
West Kirby 1 222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Bridget 6
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Catherine 3
Ann 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Agniss 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Hannah 1
Patrick 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
James 9
Martin 5
Thomas 5
Michael 4
Patrick 3
William 3
Patt 2
Timothy 2
Bryan 1
Edward 1
Fredk.J. 1
George 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Mary 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Noone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Noone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 119 people were recorded with the Noone surname. That placed it at #17,841 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Noone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,283 in 2016. That gives Noone a modern rank of #4,670.

What does the Noone surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Ó Nuadháin, meaning "descendant of Nuadhán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Noone map show?

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