NameCensus.

UK surname

Rattigan

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Raitigín, a diminutive of Ó Raitigh meaning "son of Raith."

In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Rattigan surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 719, ranked #7,553, up from #28,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Mexborough and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Kirklees and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rattigan is 719 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1954.3%.

1881 census count

35

Ranked #28,715

Modern count

719

2016, ranked #7,553

Peak year

2014

719 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rattigan had 35 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 719 in 2016, ranked #7,553.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Rattigan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rattigan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rattigan 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 35 #28,715
1891 historical 87 #25,802
1901 historical 72 #26,162
1911 historical 159 #17,219
1997 modern 629 #7,868
1998 modern 652 #7,890
1999 modern 657 #7,883
2000 modern 692 #7,552
2001 modern 677 #7,551
2002 modern 694 #7,564
2003 modern 687 #7,493
2004 modern 700 #7,400
2005 modern 700 #7,344
2006 modern 686 #7,491
2007 modern 684 #7,568
2008 modern 678 #7,670
2009 modern 715 #7,519
2010 modern 703 #7,753
2011 modern 697 #7,715
2012 modern 686 #7,717
2013 modern 704 #7,690
2014 modern 719 #7,619
2015 modern 709 #7,646
2016 modern 719 #7,553

Geography

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Where Rattigans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Mexborough, Dean, Sheffield and Huddersfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Kirklees, Rochdale, St. Helens and Luton. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Mexborough Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 034 Doncaster
2 Kirklees 048 Kirklees
3 Rochdale 023 Rochdale
4 St. Helens 022 St. Helens
5 Luton 002 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rattigan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rattigan

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Rattigan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rattigan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rattigan

The surname Rattigan has its origins in Ireland. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word 'raithin', meaning a small earthen fort or rampart. This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who lived near or in a small fortified area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the medieval Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, the name is spelled 'Ó Rathaigáin', indicating that it was originally a patronymic surname, meaning 'descendant of Rathaigán'.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appears in various anglicized forms, such as Rattigan, Rathigan, and Radigan, due to the influence of English language and scribes. These variations reflect the difficulty in transliterating Irish names into English at the time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Rattigan was Terence Rattigan (1911-1977), an English playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for his plays such as The Winslow Boy (1946), The Browning Version (1948), and Separate Tables (1954).

Another famous individual was Sir William Rattigan (1909-1992), a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Jamaica from 1957 to 1962. His tenure coincided with the island's transition to independence within the Commonwealth.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name is John Rattigan, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1846 from Ireland. His descendants can be traced to various parts of the country.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rattigan include Michael Rattigan (1884-1962), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and Denis Rattigan (1888-1953), an Irish priest and author who wrote extensively on Irish folklore and history.

Throughout its history, the surname Rattigan has maintained its connection to its Irish roots, despite its scattered presence across various parts of the world due to emigration and migration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rattigan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rattigan 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 12 Rattigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 2.88x
Yorkshire 7 2.01x
Glamorgan 5 8.18x
Middlesex 5 1.42x
Durham 3 2.87x
Kent 2 1.67x
Channel Islands 1 9.61x
Denbighshire 1 7.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 5 Rattigans recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.80x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 5 99.80x
Widnes 5 166.11x
Brightside Bierlow 4 58.65x
Manchester 4 21.34x
St Luke London 3 53.29x
Westoe 3 50.68x
Boltby 2 5000.00x
Deptford St Paul 2 21.65x
Heap 1 45.25x
Hindley 1 56.18x
Kensington London 1 5.12x
Northallerton 1 227.27x
Oldham 1 7.43x
St Marylebone London 1 5.33x
St Saviour 1 172.41x
Wrexham Regis 1 101.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Julia 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Edward 2
Francis 2
Thomas 2
Archabld 1
Edwd. 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Patrick 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 Rattigan households.

FAQ

Rattigan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rattigan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Rattigan surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rattigan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 719 in 2016. That gives Rattigan a modern rank of #7,553.

What does the Rattigan surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Raitigín, a diminutive of Ó Raitigh meaning "son of Raith."

What does the Rattigan map show?

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