NameCensus.

UK surname

Quane

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuáin, derived from the Irish word cuán meaning "harbor" or "haven".

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Quane surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Liverpool and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Quane is 103 in 2006. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1187.5%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2006

103 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Quane had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Quane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Quane surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Quane 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 93 #28,711
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 87 #29,615
2004 modern 85 #30,132
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Quanes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Liverpool, Brent, Tower Hamlets and Wigan. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
2 Liverpool 006 Liverpool
3 Brent 032 Brent
4 Tower Hamlets 009 Tower Hamlets
5 Wigan 015 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Quane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Quane

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Quane, 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 Quane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Quane 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, Quane 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

Quane 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

Quane falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Quane 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Quane

The surname Quane originated in Ireland, deriving from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Cuáin, meaning "descendant of Cuán." Cuán was a personal name derived from the old Irish word "cuan," meaning "harbor" or "haven." The name is believed to have emerged in the 11th or 12th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Quane can be found in medieval Irish annals and manuscripts. One notable reference is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, which mentions a certain Muircheartach Ó Cuáin in the year 1168. This individual was likely from the region of County Galway, where the name was particularly prevalent.

In the 16th century, the surname Quane appeared in various forms, such as O'Quane, O'Quoyne, and O'Cuan. These variations reflect the challenges of transliterating Irish names into English during this period. One notable individual from this time was Donnchadh Ó Cuáin, a Irish poet and historian who lived in the late 16th century.

The name Quane has been connected to several place names in Ireland, particularly Quane in County Clare and Quanemore in County Galway. These locations likely derived their names from early Quane families who settled in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Quane. These include:

1. William Quane (c. 1660 – 1734), an Irish Catholic lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament. 2. John Quane (1828 – 1904), an Irish-American politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of San Francisco from 1887 to 1889. 3. Patrick Quane (1857 – 1935), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of Denver from 1917 to 1920. 4. Michael Quane (1905 – 1967), an Irish actor and film director who appeared in several British and Hollywood productions in the 1940s and 1950s. 5. John Quane (born 1937), an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior hurling team and won three All-Ireland medals in the 1950s and 1960s.

While not as numerous as some other Irish surnames, the Quane name has a long and rich history, with its origins dating back to medieval times and connections to various regions of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Quane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Quane 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. Isle of Man leads with 52 Quanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 478.38x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 52 478.38x
Yorkshire 7 1.21x
Surrey 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. German in Isle of Man leads with 20 Quanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3389.83x.

Place Total Index
German 20 3389.83x
Patrick 12 2264.15x
German Peel 6 952.38x
Onchan 6 191.69x
Leeds 5 15.27x
Lonan 5 757.58x
Armley 2 78.13x
Rushen 2 273.97x
Ballaugh 1 526.32x
Richmond 1 25.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Catherine 3
Christian 2
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catharine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellin 1
Frances 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Thomas 6
William 3
Charles 2
Philip 2
Ceasar 1
Daniel 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Quane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Quane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Quane surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Quane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Quane a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Quane surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuáin, derived from the Irish word cuán meaning "harbor" or "haven".

What does the Quane map show?

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