NameCensus.

UK surname

Ohagan

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó hÁgáin," meaning "descendant of Ágán" (a diminutive of Ága, meaning "battle").

In the 1881 census there were 307 people recorded with the Ohagan surname, ranking it #9,568 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,061, ranked #3,137, up from #9,568 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Port Glasgow Upper East and Cardenden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ohagan is 2,078 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 571.3%.

1881 census count

307

Ranked #9,568

Modern count

2,061

2016, ranked #3,137

Peak year

2014

2,078 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ohagan had 307 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,568 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,061 in 2016, ranked #3,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 477 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ohagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ohagan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ohagan 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 52 #27,369
1881 historical 307 #9,568
1891 historical 377 #9,302
1901 historical 477 #8,343
1911 historical 388 #9,497
1997 modern 1,847 #3,258
1998 modern 1,879 #3,335
1999 modern 1,887 #3,339
2000 modern 1,851 #3,380
2001 modern 1,825 #3,355
2002 modern 1,871 #3,348
2003 modern 1,848 #3,314
2004 modern 1,885 #3,258
2005 modern 1,863 #3,265
2006 modern 1,866 #3,285
2007 modern 1,893 #3,263
2008 modern 1,929 #3,231
2009 modern 1,971 #3,252
2010 modern 2,022 #3,247
2011 modern 1,987 #3,249
2012 modern 2,012 #3,178
2013 modern 2,032 #3,197
2014 modern 2,078 #3,157
2015 modern 2,055 #3,156
2016 modern 2,061 #3,137

Geography

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Where Ohagans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Workington (Workington), Clossocks and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Port Glasgow Upper East, Cardenden, Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central and Coventry. 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 Gateshead Durham
4 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
2 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde
3 Cardenden Fife
4 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
5 Coventry 029 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ohagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ohagan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ohagan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ohagan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ohagan 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

Ohagan 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

Ohagan 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 Ohagan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ohagan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ohagan

The surname OHAGAN is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó hAgáin" meaning "descendant of Agán". The name can be traced back to the 10th century in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

The OHAGAN surname is believed to have originated in the Ballyclog area of County Tyrone, where the family was part of the Clann Ó hAgáin, a sept or sub-group of the larger Airghialla dynasty. The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions an "Ó hAgáin" in the year 1022.

In the 12th century, the OHAGAN family was involved in a boundary dispute with the O'Neills, another prominent Irish clan. This conflict is documented in the Book of Fenagh, an ancient Irish manuscript dating back to the 14th century.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Ruaidrí Ó hAgáin, a 13th-century bard and poet who is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the early 17th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the OHAGAN surname was prominent in the Barony of Loughinsholin, County Londonderry. Notable figures from this period include Aodh Ó hAgáin (c. 1550-1635), a Gaelic poet and scholar, and Cormac Ó hAgáin (c. 1590-1670), a military leader who fought in the Irish Confederate Wars.

In the 18th century, the OHAGAN name was found in County Tyrone, particularly in the parishes of Desertoghill and Drumragh. One notable figure from this time was Patrick O'Hagan (1719-1794), a Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and culture.

As the OHAGAN surname spread throughout Ireland, it also made its way to other parts of the world through emigration. One prominent example is John O'Hagan (1822-1890), an Australian politician and judge who served as the Attorney-General of New South Wales and the Vice-President of the Legislative Council.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ohagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ohagan 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 51 Ohagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.70x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 51 2.70x
Lanarkshire 31 6.03x
Cornwall 16 8.89x
Durham 13 2.75x
Warwickshire 13 3.24x
Ayrshire 9 7.56x
Dunbartonshire 5 11.70x
Sussex 5 1.87x
Northumberland 4 1.69x
Devon 3 0.91x
Surrey 3 0.39x
Gloucestershire 2 0.64x
Middlesex 2 0.13x
Staffordshire 2 0.37x
Yorkshire 2 0.13x
Cumberland 1 0.73x
Royal Navy 1 5.28x

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 25 Ohagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.82x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 25 21.82x
Birmingham 13 9.73x
St Columb Major 13 872.48x
Barony 9 6.92x
Kilbirnie 9 314.69x
Bishop Auckland 7 110.24x
Glasgow 7 7.67x
Salford 7 12.62x
Bothwell 6 43.04x
Govan 6 4.72x
Brighton 5 9.25x
Cardross 5 97.47x
Byker 4 34.22x
Kirkdale 4 12.60x
Pendleton In Salford 4 17.79x
Toxteth Park 4 6.26x
Durham St Nicholas 3 258.62x
Lambeth 3 2.16x
Old Monkland 3 14.71x
Bodmin 2 67.11x
St Marylebone London 2 2.36x
Stockton On Tees 2 8.77x
Barnsley 1 6.15x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.90x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.46x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 6.68x
Bristol St John Baptist 1 344.83x
Cheetham 1 7.11x
Cheltenham 1 4.16x
Cleator 1 17.54x
Devonport 1 26.32x
Falmouth 1 15.70x
Harborne 1 5.81x
Holy Trinity 1 2.64x
Lidford 1 67.11x
Preston 1 1.98x
Royal Navy 1 6.18x
Sedgley 1 5.02x
Tormoham 1 7.14x
Walton On Hill 1 9.78x
Warrington 1 4.47x
Wavertree 1 16.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Catherine 7
Margaret 6
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Eleanor 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Briget 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Louis 1
Marrie 1
Rosa 1
Rosalind 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
John 7
Patrick 6
Peter 4
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Thomas 3
Bernard 2
Hugh 2
Laurence 2
Michael 2
Owen 2
Claud 1
David 1
Edward 1
Felix 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Jonatius 1
Joseph 1
P. 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Terence 1

FAQ

Ohagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ohagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 307 people were recorded with the Ohagan surname. That placed it at #9,568 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ohagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,061 in 2016. That gives Ohagan a modern rank of #3,137.

What does the Ohagan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó hÁgáin," meaning "descendant of Ágán" (a diminutive of Ága, meaning "battle").

What does the Ohagan map show?

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