NameCensus.

UK surname

Queenan

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuinneáin meaning descendant of Cuinneán, a diminutive of the name Conn.

In the 1881 census there were 141 people recorded with the Queenan surname, ranking it #16,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 312, ranked #14,350, up from #16,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Selby, Hemingborough (Barlby). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Eyemouth and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Queenan is 344 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 121.3%.

1881 census count

141

Ranked #16,091

Modern count

312

2016, ranked #14,350

Peak year

2005

344 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Queenan had 141 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 312 in 2016, ranked #14,350.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 177 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Queenan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Queenan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Queenan 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 141 #16,091
1891 historical 146 #18,664
1901 historical 177 #16,342
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 333 #12,615
1998 modern 328 #13,100
1999 modern 333 #13,049
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 339 #12,641
2002 modern 329 #13,167
2003 modern 332 #12,914
2004 modern 339 #12,744
2005 modern 344 #12,521
2006 modern 329 #13,044
2007 modern 336 #12,975
2008 modern 325 #13,406
2009 modern 333 #13,434
2010 modern 339 #13,523
2011 modern 334 #13,556
2012 modern 318 #13,926
2013 modern 320 #14,104
2014 modern 320 #14,181
2015 modern 323 #13,991
2016 modern 312 #14,350

Geography

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Where Queenans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Selby, Hemingborough (Barlby), Bishop Wearmouth and Jedburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Eyemouth, Leeds and Selby. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Selby, Hemingborough (Barlby) Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Jedburgh Roxburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 030 Northumberland
2 Eyemouth Scottish Borders
3 Leeds 029 Leeds
4 Selby 005 Selby
5 Selby 007 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Queenan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Queenan

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Queenan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Queenan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Queenan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Queenan is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Queenan 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 Queenan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Queenan

The surname Queenan has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Gaelic name O'Cuinneagain or O'Cuinneagain, which means "descendant of Cuinneagain." Cuinneagain itself is thought to be derived from the Irish word "cuinne," meaning a corner or an angle, possibly referring to a physical feature or location.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Queenan can be found in various Irish records and documents from the 1600s. One notable example is the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a individual named O'Cuinneagain in the year 1621.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Queenan was predominantly found in counties such as Galway, Mayo, and Sligo in the western part of Ireland. It is likely that the name originated in these regions before spreading to other parts of the country.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Queenan was Patrick Queenan, who was born in County Mayo in the mid-17th century. He was a prominent figure in the local community and is mentioned in several historical records from that time period.

Another notable figure was Michael Queenan, born in County Sligo in the late 18th century. He was a successful merchant and landowner, and his name appears in various land records and deeds from the early 19th century.

In the 19th century, the name Queenan gained more prominence, with several individuals making significant contributions in various fields. One such person was John Queenan (1837-1901), a prominent Irish politician and member of the British House of Commons, representing constituencies in County Mayo.

Another noteworthy individual was Mary Queenan (1860-1932), an Irish writer and poet who published several collections of works during her lifetime. Her poetry often explored themes of Irish culture and identity.

Towards the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Queenan surname began to spread beyond Ireland, as many individuals emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly the United States and Canada. One notable example is James Queenan (1866-1945), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Chicago.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Queenan who have left their mark on history. While the name may have originated in a specific region of Ireland, it has since spread and become more widespread, with descendants carrying on the legacy of this distinctive Irish surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Queenan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Queenan 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. Roxburghshire leads with 43 Queenans recorded in 1881 and an index of 173.88x.

County Total Index
Roxburghshire 43 173.88x
Durham 27 6.65x
Lancashire 25 1.54x
Yorkshire 15 1.11x
Midlothian 6 3.28x
Lanarkshire 5 1.13x
Northumberland 5 2.46x
Angus 4 3.16x
Cheshire 4 1.33x
Essex 4 1.48x
Berwickshire 1 6.05x
Cumberland 1 0.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 13 Queenans recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.28x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 13 37.28x
Selby 11 388.69x
Linton 10 3846.15x
Sprouston 10 2083.33x
Westoe 10 43.42x
Roxburgh 7 1489.36x
Edinburgh Tron Church 6 697.67x
Jedburgh 6 247.93x
Little Bolton 6 28.80x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 14.12x
Elswick 5 30.85x
Govan 5 4.58x
Liverpool 5 5.08x
Yetholm 5 1020.41x
Brentwood 4 243.90x
Burnley 4 29.33x
Dundee 4 8.47x
Great Neston 4 400.00x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 22.74x
Eckford 3 697.67x
Everton 3 5.81x
Leeds 3 3.93x
Smailholm 2 952.38x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.54x
Coldstream 1 83.33x
Forcett With Carkin 1 384.62x
Oldham 1 1.91x
Wigton 1 56.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Margaret 6
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Catherine 3
Sarah 3
Bridget 2
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Charlott 1
Clara 1
Emily 1
Jane 1
Maria 1
Rosana 1
Rosanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
James 5
Michael 4
Patrick 4
Lawrence 3
Thomas 3
William 3
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Bartholmew 1
Fredrick 1
Jas. 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Oswald 1
Robert 1
Thaddeus 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 Queenan households.

FAQ

Queenan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Queenan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 141 people were recorded with the Queenan surname. That placed it at #16,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Queenan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 312 in 2016. That gives Queenan a modern rank of #14,350.

What does the Queenan surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuinneáin meaning descendant of Cuinneán, a diminutive of the name Conn.

What does the Queenan map show?

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