NameCensus.

UK surname

Okane

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Catháin," meaning "descendant of Cathán," a personal name meaning "warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Okane surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,839, ranked #3,449, up from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ11, Lochlash and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Okane is 1,937 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1262.2%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

1,839

2016, ranked #3,449

Peak year

2010

1,937 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Okane had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,839 in 2016, ranked #3,449.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 308 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Okane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Okane surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Okane 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 196 #15,163
1901 historical 308 #11,446
1911 historical 185 #15,686
1997 modern 1,693 #3,526
1998 modern 1,788 #3,466
1999 modern 1,757 #3,556
2000 modern 1,797 #3,465
2001 modern 1,755 #3,468
2002 modern 1,785 #3,486
2003 modern 1,757 #3,471
2004 modern 1,770 #3,448
2005 modern 1,734 #3,480
2006 modern 1,755 #3,449
2007 modern 1,818 #3,370
2008 modern 1,839 #3,369
2009 modern 1,884 #3,370
2010 modern 1,937 #3,363
2011 modern 1,876 #3,414
2012 modern 1,822 #3,441
2013 modern 1,866 #3,426
2014 modern 1,883 #3,423
2015 modern 1,864 #3,422
2016 modern 1,839 #3,449

Geography

Back to top

Where Okanes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination, Gateshead and Arbroath and St. Vigeans. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ11, Lochlash, Coventry, Liverpool and Summerston North. 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 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
2 Lochlash Highland
3 Coventry 037 Coventry
4 Liverpool 060 Liverpool
5 Summerston North Glasgow City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Okane

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Okane

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Okane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Okane household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Okane 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

Okane 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

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

Meaning and origin of Okane

The surname OKANE originated in Ireland, with records of the name dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic Ó Canainn, meaning "descendant of Canann" or "son of Canann". Canann is a personal name of uncertain meaning, possibly from the Old Irish word "cain", meaning "chief" or "leader".

The OKANE surname is found primarily in the counties of Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary in southern Ireland. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century, which mentions "Donill O'Canann" in the year 1171.

In the 14th century, the name is recorded in various Irish manuscripts and legal documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, which mention "Willielmus O'Canann" in 1302. The name is also found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which record land grants and appointments, referencing "Dermitius O'Canann" in 1552.

Notable individuals with the surname OKANE throughout history include:

1. Richard O'Kane (1914-1994), a highly decorated United States Navy submarine commander during World War II, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the war. 2. John O'Kane (1622-1662), an Irish Catholic priest and philosopher who wrote the influential treatise "Divinae Fidei Analysis". 3. Maureen O'Kane (born 1938), an Irish actress known for her roles in films such as "The Commitments" and "Waking Ned Devine". 4. Walter J. O'Kane (1880-1971), an American entomologist and professor at the University of New Hampshire, who made significant contributions to the study of insect ecology and pest control. 5. Patrick O'Kane (1847-1925), an Irish-American prelate who served as the Bishop of Richmond, Virginia, from 1888 to 1925.

The OKANE surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as O'Kane's Well in County Londonderry and O'Kane's Bridge in County Antrim, reflecting the historical presence of the family in those regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Okane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Okane 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. Lanarkshire leads with 33 Okanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.37x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 33 11.37x
Renfrewshire 31 44.57x
Durham 12 4.49x
Northumberland 5 3.74x
Lancashire 4 0.38x
Selkirkshire 3 36.95x
Argyllshire 2 8.01x
Midlothian 1 0.83x
Royal Navy 1 9.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Okanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.10x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 15 29.10x
Govan 13 18.11x
Port Glasgow 11 327.38x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 86.51x
East Greenock 8 121.77x
Middle Greenock 6 315.79x
Wallsend 5 118.20x
West Greenock 4 32.05x
Bothwell 3 38.12x
Everton 3 8.84x
Galashiels 3 100.00x
Barony 2 2.72x
Campbeltown 2 66.45x
Conside Knitsley 2 96.15x
Paisley High Church 2 36.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 5.91x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.07x
Royal Navy 1 10.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 2
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.O. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Bernard 2
Robert 2
Cornelias 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
James 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Thomas 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 Okane households.

FAQ

Okane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Okane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Okane surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Okane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,839 in 2016. That gives Okane a modern rank of #3,449.

What does the Okane surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Catháin," meaning "descendant of Cathán," a personal name meaning "warrior."

What does the Okane map show?

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