NameCensus.

UK surname

Roughan

An Irish surname derived from "roughán" meaning a rower, boatman, or mariner.

In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Roughan surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 121, ranked #27,399, up from #29,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Braintree and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roughan is 137 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 317.2%.

1881 census count

29

Ranked #29,484

Modern count

121

2016, ranked #27,399

Peak year

2010

137 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roughan had 29 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016, ranked #27,399.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Roughan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roughan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Roughan 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 31 #30,058
1881 historical 29 #29,484
1891 historical 38 #31,330
1901 historical 27 #31,057
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 124 #24,469
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 130 #25,176
2010 modern 137 #24,907
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 121 #27,399

Geography

Back to top

Where Roughans 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 Forest of Dean, Braintree, Hammersmith and Fulham, Sutton and Shropshire. 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 Forest of Dean 003 Forest of Dean
2 Braintree 012 Braintree
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 001 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Sutton 019 Sutton
5 Shropshire 026 Shropshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Roughan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Roughan

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Roughan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Roughan 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Roughan is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roughan 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

Roughan falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roughan 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 Roughan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roughan

The surname Roughan is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "ruagán" which means "a wanderer" or "a rover." It is believed to have originated in the western counties of Ireland, particularly in Connacht and Munster, during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the 14th century, when it appeared in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The name was spelled as "Ó Ruagáin," indicating that it was a patronymic surname, meaning "descendant of Ruagán."

In the 16th century, the surname was anglicized to "Roughan" as English influence grew in Ireland. This spelling variation became more prevalent, and it is the form that is most commonly used today.

One notable bearer of the Roughan name was John Roughan, born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1761. He was a successful merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic development of his local community.

Another individual of historical significance was Mary Roughan (1842-1912), a prominent Irish nationalist and activist. She was actively involved in the Land League movement, fighting for the rights of Irish tenant farmers against landlord oppression.

In the realm of literature, Patrick Roughan (1884-1952) was an Irish poet and playwright. His works, such as "The Gaelic Twilight" and "The Rebel's Rhyme," explored themes of Irish identity and nationalism.

The surname Roughan has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Roughan Castle in County Mayo and Roughan Hill in County Galway. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Roughan surname who settled in or owned land in those areas.

While the Roughan surname may not be as widespread as some other Irish surnames, it has a rich history and has contributed to the cultural tapestry of Ireland through the generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Roughan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roughan 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. Yorkshire leads with 11 Roughans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 11 3.93x
Lancashire 9 2.68x
Warwickshire 8 11.22x
Hampshire 1 1.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 11 Roughans recorded in 1881 and an index of 367.89x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 11 367.89x
Birmingham 8 33.66x
Widnes 5 206.61x
Pemberton 2 149.25x
West Derby 2 20.37x
Fareham 1 142.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Martin 4
Patrick 2
Thomas 2
Anthony 1
George 1
Hugh 1
Lawrence 1
Michael 1
Robert 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 Roughan households.

FAQ

Roughan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roughan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Roughan surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roughan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016. That gives Roughan a modern rank of #27,399.

What does the Roughan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from "roughán" meaning a rower, boatman, or mariner.

What does the Roughan map show?

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