NameCensus.

UK surname

Ocallaghan

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Ceallacháin," meaning "descendant of Ceallachán" (a personal name meaning "bright-headed").

In the 1881 census there were 232 people recorded with the Ocallaghan surname, ranking it #11,677 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,224, ranked #1,603, up from #11,677 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Neath Port Talbot and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ocallaghan is 4,392 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1720.7%.

1881 census count

232

Ranked #11,677

Modern count

4,224

2016, ranked #1,603

Peak year

2010

4,392 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ocallaghan had 232 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,677 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,224 in 2016, ranked #1,603.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 565 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ocallaghan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ocallaghan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ocallaghan 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 77 #23,975
1881 historical 232 #11,677
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 464 #8,512
1911 historical 565 #7,146
1997 modern 3,957 #1,640
1998 modern 4,145 #1,628
1999 modern 4,215 #1,615
2000 modern 4,201 #1,605
2001 modern 4,072 #1,622
2002 modern 4,126 #1,642
2003 modern 4,013 #1,651
2004 modern 4,030 #1,635
2005 modern 3,971 #1,636
2006 modern 4,022 #1,613
2007 modern 4,097 #1,602
2008 modern 4,188 #1,585
2009 modern 4,251 #1,601
2010 modern 4,392 #1,584
2011 modern 4,336 #1,578
2012 modern 4,235 #1,585
2013 modern 4,348 #1,581
2014 modern 4,357 #1,585
2015 modern 4,265 #1,600
2016 modern 4,224 #1,603

Geography

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Where Ocallaghans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Liverpool and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Blaenau Gwent. 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 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 005 Breckland
2 Neath Port Talbot 014 Neath Port Talbot
3 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 001 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 Blaenau Gwent 004 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ocallaghan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ocallaghan

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

Ocallaghan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ocallaghan

The surname O'Callaghan is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic Ó Ceallacháin, meaning "descendant of Ceallachán". Ceallachán was an ancient Irish personal name, which potentially contained elements referring to "bright-headed" or "frequenting churches".

The name originated in County Cork, where the O'Callaghans were a notable family of the Uí Duinnchuan sept. The first recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with references to Dermot O'Callaghan, a prominent member of the clan during that period.

In the 16th century, the O'Callaghans were involved in the Second Desmond Rebellion against English rule in Ireland. Cormac O'Callaghan, born around 1550, was a notable figure in this conflict, leading the clan's forces alongside the Earl of Desmond.

The O'Callaghan name appears in various historical records, including the Annals of Inisfallen and the Annals of the Four Masters, which chronicle events in medieval Ireland. These sources mention several noteworthy individuals bearing the surname.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Gillebertus Challan is listed as a landowner in Lincolnshire, England. This entry may represent an early variant spelling of the name.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have carried the O'Callaghan surname. These include:

1. Jeremiah O'Callaghan (1805-1880), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. 2. Sir Ralph O'Callaghan (1854-1937), an Irish businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin in the early 20th century. 3. Sean O'Callaghan (born 1954), an Irish author and former member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who later became an informant for the British government. 4. Conor O'Callaghan (born 1968), an Irish poet and novelist who has received numerous literary awards for his works. 5. Rory O'Callaghan (1961-2022), an Irish actor known for his roles in films such as "The Boxer" and "The Snapper".

The O'Callaghan name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Callaghanstown and Callaghan's Bridge, further emphasizing its deep roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ocallaghan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ocallaghan 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 38 Ocallaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 38 2.30x
Middlesex 24 1.72x
Hampshire 12 4.20x
Cheshire 8 2.60x
Lanarkshire 8 1.77x
Nottinghamshire 7 3.72x
Royal Navy 7 42.12x
Essex 5 1.82x
Selkirkshire 5 39.62x
Brecknockshire 4 14.34x
Glamorgan 4 1.65x
Yorkshire 4 0.29x
Kent 3 0.63x
Midlothian 3 1.61x
Surrey 3 0.44x
Somerset 2 0.89x
Sussex 2 0.85x
Warwickshire 2 0.57x
Cornwall 1 0.63x
Durham 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 8 Ocallaghans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.17x.

Place Total Index
Everton 8 15.17x
Crumpsall 7 179.49x
Nottingham St Mary 7 14.40x
Royal Navy 7 49.26x
Barony 6 5.26x
Liverpool 6 5.97x
Millbrook 6 83.33x
Cheetham 5 40.52x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 19.02x
Melrose 5 157.23x
Birkenhead 4 16.30x
Kensington London 4 5.16x
Llanelly 4 119.76x
Swansea Town 4 20.09x
Timperley 4 373.83x
Edinburgh Old Church 3 200.00x
Leeds 3 3.84x
Openshaw 3 38.71x
Portsea 3 5.35x
South Shoebury 3 270.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 10.69x
Westminster St James 3 20.92x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 39.84x
Lanark 2 55.10x
Lewisham 2 7.88x
Mile End Old Town London 2 6.74x
Newton 2 15.67x
St Pancras London 2 1.78x
Walthamstow 2 20.18x
Aldershot 1 10.44x
Aston 1 1.03x
Cannington 1 149.25x
Finchley 1 18.69x
Great Bolton 1 4.56x
Greenwich 1 4.50x
Hackney London 1 1.28x
Hampstead London 1 4.60x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 5.56x
Holy Trinity 1 3.01x
Hound 1 51.55x
Leamington Priors 1 11.56x
Mile End New Town London 1 36.23x
Phillack 1 49.02x
Poplar London 1 3.80x
Ryde 1 16.29x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 16.56x
St Giles In Fields London 1 14.62x
St Luke London 1 4.47x
St Stephen Coleman Street 1 204.08x
Stoke Newington London 1 9.21x
Taunton St James 1 30.58x
Teddington London 1 31.65x
Towerof London London 1 227.27x
Walton On Hill 1 11.15x
Westminster St Margaret 1 14.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Catherine 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Abigail 1
Adele 1
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Bessy 1
Catharine 1
Cathe. 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Galetti 1
Harriet 1
Harrt. 1
Hellen 1
Honour 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Leonard 1
Lizzie 1
Margt 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
May 1
Norah 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Patrick 8
Thomas 6
Michael 5
Charles 4
James 4
Dennis 3
Joseph 3
Timothy 3
Augustus 2
Francis 2
William 2
Aubrey 1
Bernard 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Desmond 1
Edward 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Gerard 1
Henry 1
Humphrey 1
Jeremiah 1
Kenneth 1
Mallachy 1
Mary 1
Mich 1
T.H. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Ocallaghan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ocallaghan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 232 people were recorded with the Ocallaghan surname. That placed it at #11,677 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ocallaghan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,224 in 2016. That gives Ocallaghan a modern rank of #1,603.

What does the Ocallaghan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Ceallacháin," meaning "descendant of Ceallachán" (a personal name meaning "bright-headed").

What does the Ocallaghan map show?

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