NameCensus.

UK surname

Nunan

A surname of Irish origin derived from the Gaelic Ó Nualláin meaning "descendant of Nuallán".

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Nunan surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, up from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Bristol and Bournemouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nunan is 229 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 223.0%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

2002

229 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nunan had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 102 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Nunan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nunan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nunan 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 90 #25,399
1901 historical 102 #22,596
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 209 #17,650
1999 modern 227 #16,834
2000 modern 218 #17,246
2001 modern 213 #17,267
2002 modern 229 #16,771
2003 modern 206 #17,799
2004 modern 207 #17,821
2005 modern 200 #18,144
2006 modern 208 #17,835
2007 modern 209 #17,951
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 209 #18,493
2010 modern 206 #19,066
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 197 #19,408
2013 modern 206 #19,153
2014 modern 210 #19,064
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Nunans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Bristol, Bournemouth, Winchester and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 002 North Warwickshire
2 Bristol 025 Bristol, City of
3 Bournemouth 018 Bournemouth
4 Winchester 014 Winchester
5 Tunbridge Wells 011 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nunan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nunan

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Nunan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Nunan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Nunan is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Nunan 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

Nunan falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nunan 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 Nunan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nunan

The surname Nunan originated in Ireland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Nualláin, which translates to "descendant of Nualláin." Nualláin itself is derived from the Old Irish word "nuall," meaning "roar" or "loud voice."

The Nunan name is primarily associated with County Tipperary and County Kilkenny in Ireland, where the earliest bearers of the name were based. The Ó Nualláin clan was part of the Dál gCais tribal group, which ruled the region now known as County Clare during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known references to the Nunan name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a "Maurice O'Nullane" who died in 1569.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Nunan family was prominent in County Kilkenny, where they held lands in the baronies of Crannagh and Gowran. One notable member of the family was James Nunan (c. 1580-1650), a Catholic landowner who was involved in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

Another significant figure was Patrick Nunan (1650-1720), a Jacobite soldier and landowner from County Tipperary. He fought for the Catholic King James II during the Williamite War in Ireland (1689-1691) and later had his lands confiscated by the Protestant authorities.

In the 18th century, the Nunan name spread across Ireland and beyond, with some members emigrating to other parts of the British Empire, including North America and Australia. One notable bearer of the name was Joseph Nunan (1800-1880), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army and later settled in Australia, where he became a successful farmer and landowner.

Other notable individuals with the Nunan surname include Thomas Nunan (1786-1859), an Irish-born businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Montreal, Canada, in the 1840s, and Thomas Patrick Nunan (1851-1925), an Irish-American lawyer and judge who served on the Illinois Supreme Court in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nunan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nunan 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. Middlesex leads with 25 Nunans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 4.07x
Lancashire 11 1.51x
Hampshire 9 7.15x
Surrey 6 2.00x
Gloucestershire 3 2.49x
Aberdeenshire 1 1.76x
Berkshire 1 2.17x
Devon 1 0.78x
Kent 1 0.48x
Monmouthshire 1 2.25x
Royal Navy 1 13.66x
Staffordshire 1 0.48x
Suffolk 1 1.34x
Yorkshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 11 Nunans recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.24x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 11 22.24x
St Thomas Winchester 7 786.52x
Lambeth 6 11.20x
St George Hanover 5 62.34x
Clifton 4 727.27x
Islington London 4 6.72x
Toxteth Park 4 16.20x
Parr 3 114.94x
Bristol St Stephen 2 645.16x
Poplar London 2 17.24x
St Peter Cheesehill 2 1111.11x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 8.42x
Bristol St Augustine 1 51.55x
Chislehurst 1 89.29x
Devonport 1 68.03x
Hayes 1 158.73x
Helion Bumpstead 1 625.00x
Llanvihangel Crucorney 1 1111.11x
North Cave Drewton 1 416.67x
Reading St Mary 1 27.10x
Royal Navy 1 15.97x
St Anne Soho London 1 28.49x
St Marylebone London 1 3.05x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 4.55x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Nunan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nunan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Nunan surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nunan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Nunan a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Nunan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin derived from the Gaelic Ó Nualláin meaning "descendant of Nuallán".

What does the Nunan map show?

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