NameCensus.

UK surname

Oloughlin

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Lochlainn," meaning "descendant of Lochlann" (a Viking).

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Oloughlin surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,573, ranked #3,942, up from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Kingston upon Hull and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oloughlin is 1,629 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2213.2%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

1,573

2016, ranked #3,942

Peak year

2013

1,629 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oloughlin had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,573 in 2016, ranked #3,942.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 236 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Oloughlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oloughlin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oloughlin 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 57 #26,718
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 217 #14,381
1911 historical 236 #13,452
1997 modern 1,466 #3,991
1998 modern 1,500 #4,046
1999 modern 1,547 #3,972
2000 modern 1,535 #3,984
2001 modern 1,494 #3,996
2002 modern 1,522 #4,022
2003 modern 1,504 #3,989
2004 modern 1,504 #3,985
2005 modern 1,501 #3,961
2006 modern 1,506 #3,951
2007 modern 1,501 #3,996
2008 modern 1,519 #3,973
2009 modern 1,545 #4,008
2010 modern 1,588 #3,983
2011 modern 1,576 #3,965
2012 modern 1,583 #3,889
2013 modern 1,629 #3,857
2014 modern 1,621 #3,896
2015 modern 1,588 #3,928
2016 modern 1,573 #3,942

Geography

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Where Oloughlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Liverpool, West Derby and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Kingston upon Hull, Trafford, Wirral 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 009 Rossendale
2 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Trafford 017 Trafford
4 Wirral 024 Wirral
5 Coventry 043 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oloughlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oloughlin

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

Oloughlin 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

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

Meaning and origin of Oloughlin

The surname OLOUGHLIN has its origins in Ireland and dates back to the late Middle Ages. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Lochlainn, which means "descendant of Lochlainn". Lochlainn was a personal name derived from the old Norse word "lochlan", meaning "fjord dweller" or "from Norway".

This surname is found predominantly in the counties of Westmeath, Meath, and Offaly in the Irish Midlands. It is thought to be a branch of the Uí Néill royal dynasty that ruled parts of Ireland from the 5th to the 10th century. The earliest recorded example of the name is Amhalgaidh Ua Lochlainn, who was King of Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland from 1014 to 1036.

In the Annals of Ulster, a medieval Irish chronicle, there are several references to individuals with the name Ua Lochlainn or Ó Lochlainn. For instance, Aodh Ó Lochlainn, who died in 1197, is mentioned as the King of Cenél nEógain and a prominent leader during the Norman invasion of Ireland.

Another notable figure was Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn, who was the High King of Ireland from 1156 to 1166. He is renowned for his military campaigns against the Anglo-Normans and for presiding over a period of relative peace and prosperity in Ireland.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Ó Lochlainn family settled in the Barony of Fartullagh, County Westmeath, where they became known as the OLOUGHLIN clan. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this anglicized spelling was John OLOUGHLIN, who was a member of the Irish Parliament in the late 16th century.

During the Williamite War in Ireland (1689-1691), several members of the OLOUGHLIN family fought on the Jacobite side, supporting the deposed Catholic King James II against the forces of King William III. Notable among them was Colonel Terence OLOUGHLIN, who commanded a regiment of dragoons and was killed in action at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

In the 18th century, a distinguished member of the family was Reverend Michael OLOUGHLIN, who was a prominent Catholic priest and writer. He was born in County Westmeath in 1737 and is best known for his work "A Brief View of the Tenets and Practices of the Ancient Irish", published in 1789.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oloughlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oloughlin 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 20 Oloughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.96x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 20 5.96x
Warwickshire 3 4.21x
Dunbartonshire 1 13.16x
Gloucestershire 1 1.80x
Hampshire 1 1.73x
Kent 1 1.04x
Middlesex 1 0.35x
Yorkshire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 9 Oloughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 191.90x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 9 191.90x
Manchester 6 39.76x
Birmingham 3 12.62x
Liverpool 3 14.72x
Aldershot 1 51.55x
Hammersmith London 1 14.35x
Hougham 1 175.44x
Kirkintilloch 1 97.09x
Little Bolton 1 23.20x
Manningham 1 28.99x
Stapleton 1 95.24x
Westhoughton 1 111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 4
Mary 3
Bridget 1
Hannah 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
Peter 3
James 2
Michael 2
Cornelius 1
Jno.Thos. 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 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 Oloughlin households.

FAQ

Oloughlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oloughlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Oloughlin surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oloughlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,573 in 2016. That gives Oloughlin a modern rank of #3,942.

What does the Oloughlin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Lochlainn," meaning "descendant of Lochlann" (a Viking).

What does the Oloughlin map show?

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