NameCensus.

UK surname

Ogorman

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gormáin," meaning "descendant of Gormán" (a personal name meaning "little blue one").

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Ogorman surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,113, ranked #3,060, up from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Bridgend and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ogorman is 2,207 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1442.3%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

2,113

2016, ranked #3,060

Peak year

2010

2,207 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ogorman had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,113 in 2016, ranked #3,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Ogorman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ogorman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ogorman 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 254 #13,005
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 1,967 #3,097
1998 modern 2,091 #3,048
1999 modern 2,090 #3,072
2000 modern 2,071 #3,083
2001 modern 2,048 #3,048
2002 modern 2,090 #3,063
2003 modern 2,012 #3,099
2004 modern 2,045 #3,061
2005 modern 2,034 #3,031
2006 modern 2,043 #3,027
2007 modern 2,085 #2,999
2008 modern 2,088 #3,018
2009 modern 2,135 #3,035
2010 modern 2,207 #3,002
2011 modern 2,167 #3,017
2012 modern 2,142 #2,988
2013 modern 2,176 #2,995
2014 modern 2,159 #3,045
2015 modern 2,132 #3,043
2016 modern 2,113 #3,060

Geography

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Where Ogormans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Bridgend and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 3
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 027 Wirral
2 Wirral 029 Wirral
3 Bridgend 001 Bridgend
4 Wirral 031 Wirral
5 Cheshire West and Chester 031 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ogorman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ogorman

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Ogorman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ogorman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ogorman 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

Ogorman 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ogorman

The surname O'Gorman originates from Ireland and can be traced back to ancient Gaelic roots. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Gormáin," which means "descendant of Gormán." Gormán was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "gorm," meaning "blue" or "brilliant."

The O'Gorman clan was prominent in County Clare and County Limerick, with their ancestral homeland located in the territory of Ibrickan, near Quin in County Clare. The name first appeared in Irish annals and records as early as the 11th century, with several notable members of the O'Gorman family mentioned throughout the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, which mention a chieftain named Gormán mac Duibdabairenn, who ruled over the Uí Cormaic territory in County Clare in the 11th century. Another notable figure was Mathghamhain Ó Gormáin, who served as the Bishop of Killaloe from 1279 to 1293.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the O'Gorman clan played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars, with several members serving as leaders and military commanders. One such figure was Donogh O'Gorman, who was appointed as the Colonel of the Irish Infantry in 1642 during the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

In the 18th century, John O'Gorman (1723-1804) was a prominent Irish Catholic priest and writer who advocated for Catholic rights and participated in the Irish Patriot movement. He served as the president of the Irish College in Paris and was a vocal supporter of the French Revolution.

Another notable figure was Nicholas Purcell O'Gorman (1785-1857), an Irish-born American politician who served as the Secretary of the Navy under President James K. Polk from 1845 to 1849. He played a crucial role in the Mexican-American War and the acquisition of California and the Southwest territories.

The O'Gorman name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Ballygurman, Gormansmill, and Gormanbeg, which were derived from the original Gaelic form of the surname.

Throughout history, the O'Gorman family has produced numerous scholars, writers, politicians, and military leaders, contributing significantly to the cultural and historical legacy of Ireland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ogorman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ogorman 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 21 Ogormans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 21 3.24x
Yorkshire 10 1.85x
Middlesex 9 1.65x
Dunbartonshire 2 13.63x
Glamorgan 2 2.10x
Hampshire 2 1.79x
Lanarkshire 2 1.13x
Berkshire 1 2.44x
Cheshire 1 0.83x
Essex 1 0.93x
Hertfordshire 1 2.66x
Renfrewshire 1 2.36x
Royal Navy 1 15.36x
Surrey 1 0.38x
Warwickshire 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley London in Middlesex leads with 7 Ogormans recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.28x.

Place Total Index
Bromley London 7 58.28x
North Meols 7 110.41x
Thornaby 7 346.53x
Liverpool 6 15.25x
Farnworth 3 77.32x
Cardiff St Mary 2 38.17x
Glasgow 2 6.38x
Heeley 2 121.95x
Salford 2 10.49x
Abbey 1 15.48x
Birmingham 1 2.18x
Bonhill 1 42.37x
Cardross 1 56.82x
Carisbrooke 1 64.52x
East Ham 1 50.00x
Kensington London 1 3.29x
Linthorpe 1 30.96x
Manchester 1 3.43x
Old Windsor 1 212.77x
Putney 1 40.16x
Radcliffe 1 32.05x
Royal Navy 1 17.99x
Ryde 1 41.67x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 89.29x
Tranmere 1 22.57x
Ware 1 92.59x
Withington 1 47.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 4
Mary 4
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Emily 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Joann 1
Letitia 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Michael 5
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
James 2
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Hugh 1
Jno. 1
Owen 1
William 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 Ogorman households.

FAQ

Ogorman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ogorman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Ogorman surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ogorman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,113 in 2016. That gives Ogorman a modern rank of #3,060.

What does the Ogorman surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gormáin," meaning "descendant of Gormán" (a personal name meaning "little blue one").

What does the Ogorman map show?

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