NameCensus.

UK surname

Reagan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Riagáin," meaning "descendant of Riagán" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Reagan surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel and Maulden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include York, Bradford and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reagan is 168 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.3%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1861

168 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reagan had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Reagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reagan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reagan 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 168 #13,895
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 63 #28,881
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 18 #31,542
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 90 #29,260
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 121 #27,005
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Reagans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel, Maulden, St Giles-in-the-Fields and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to York, Bradford and Maldon. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 Maulden Bedfordshire
4 St Giles-in-the-Fields London (Central Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 York 022 York
2 Bradford 061 Bradford
3 York 003 York
4 York 012 York
5 Maldon 001 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reagan

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Reagan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Reagan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Reagan 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

Reagan 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

Reagan 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 Reagan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Reagan

The surname Reagan originates from Ireland and is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name O'Riagain. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic phrase "Rí Ágáin," meaning "little king" or "descendant of the king." The name has its roots in the ancient Irish kingdom of Bréifne, which encompassed parts of modern-day counties Cavan, Leitrim, and Longford.

The earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. It references individuals with the surname O'Riagain as early as the 11th century, indicating the name's long history in Ireland.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gilla na Naem O'Riagain, who served as the Bishop of Ardagh in the late 12th century. Another notable figure was Maelsechlainn O'Riagain, a 13th-century poet and scholar from County Cavan.

As the name evolved, it took on various spellings, such as O'Regan, Regan, and eventually Reagan. The modern spelling of "Reagan" is believed to have emerged in the 16th century, as English influence in Ireland grew stronger.

In the 17th century, the name appears in records related to the Plantation of Ulster, a planned process of colonizing Ulster with Protestant English and Scottish settlers. During this time, many Irish families, including those bearing the surname Reagan, were displaced from their ancestral lands.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Reagan was John Reagan, an Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Born in County Cavan, Ireland, in 1737, he emigrated to Pennsylvania and later served as a captain in the Continental Army.

Another notable figure was Michael Joseph Reagan, an Irish-American Catholic priest and educator born in 1837. He played a significant role in establishing Catholic education in the United States and founded several schools and institutions.

In the 20th century, the surname gained global recognition with Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Born in 1911 in Tampico, Illinois, he served as President from 1981 to 1989 and is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern American politics.

Other notable individuals with the surname Reagan include Neil Reagan, an American actor and television director born in 1908, and David Reagan, an American Christian author and evangelist born in 1946.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reagan 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 46 Reagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.21x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 46 3.21x
Cheshire 14 5.24x
Surrey 13 2.21x
Middlesex 11 0.91x
Glamorgan 8 3.80x
Staffordshire 7 1.71x
Yorkshire 5 0.42x
Angus 4 3.57x
Monmouthshire 4 4.58x
Channel Islands 3 8.37x
Durham 3 0.83x
Warwickshire 2 0.66x
Ayrshire 1 1.10x
Cumberland 1 0.96x
Hampshire 1 0.40x
Northumberland 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Runcorn in Cheshire leads with 10 Reagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 162.34x.

Place Total Index
Runcorn 10 162.34x
Liverpool 9 10.33x
Coedfrank 8 547.95x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 61.40x
Ratcliffe London 7 104.79x
Heap 6 78.84x
Lambeth 6 5.69x
Prescot 6 230.77x
Burslem 5 42.77x
Southwark St John 5 135.14x
Heaton Norris 4 48.96x
Liff Benvie 4 23.52x
Over Darwen 4 34.90x
Stockport 4 29.11x
Parr 3 58.48x
St Helier 3 25.71x
Barnsley 2 16.18x
Birmingham 2 1.97x
Burnley 2 16.54x
Rotherham 2 29.59x
St Luke London 2 10.31x
St Woollos 2 20.49x
Stranton 2 16.52x
Bedwellty 1 6.48x
Bradford 1 14.88x
Broughton In Salford 1 7.62x
Burton Upon Trent 1 10.47x
Caldewgate 1 17.51x
Croydon 1 3.06x
Droylsden 1 21.37x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 13.89x
Farnworth 1 11.63x
Gateshead 1 3.71x
Limehouse London 1 7.53x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 9.30x
Newport 1 23.98x
Paddington London 1 2.25x
Portsmouth 1 17.51x
Riccarton Hurlford 1 62.89x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 4.11x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.31x
York St Cuthbert 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
Thomas 5
James 4
Peter 4
Michael 3
Patrick 3
Timothy 3
William 3
Charles 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Dennis 2
Fred 2
Jeremiah 2
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Burnett 1
Corneilus 1
Edward 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Morris 1
Robert 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Reagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Reagan surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Reagan a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Reagan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Riagáin," meaning "descendant of Riagán" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

What does the Reagan map show?

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