NameCensus.

UK surname

Skehan

A variant spelling of an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'O'Sceacháin' meaning "descendant of the falconer".

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Skehan surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Ryedale and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skehan is 167 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1183.3%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

2002

167 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Skehan had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 30 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Skehan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skehan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skehan 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 29 #31,963
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 30 #30,073
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 153 #21,551
2000 modern 161 #20,822
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 167 #20,457
2003 modern 156 #21,115
2004 modern 165 #20,530
2005 modern 160 #20,899
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 159 #21,387
2008 modern 155 #21,956
2009 modern 160 #21,978
2010 modern 163 #22,205
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 158 #22,913
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Skehans 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 Tameside, Ryedale, Bolton, East Staffordshire and Stockport. 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 Tameside 015 Tameside
2 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
3 Bolton 024 Bolton
4 East Staffordshire 015 East Staffordshire
5 Stockport 022 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skehan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skehan

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Skehan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Skehan 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Skehan 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

Skehan 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

Skehan falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Skehan

The surname Skehan originated in Ireland, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be a variant of the Gaelic name O'Sgathain, which means "descendant of Sgathan." The name Sgathan itself derives from the Gaelic word "sgath," meaning "wing" or "shade."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Skehan can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Domhnall O'Sgathain, who lived in the 14th century and was a member of a prominent Irish family.

In the 16th century, the name Skehan appeared in several documents and records from County Cork, Ireland. This region is considered the ancestral homeland of many Skehan families. The name was often spelled in various ways, such as O'Skehan, Skeahan, and Skeehan, reflecting the fluidity of spelling practices during that time.

One notable individual with the surname Skehan was Edmund Skehan, a Catholic priest and biblical scholar born in Pennsylvania in 1891. He made significant contributions to the field of biblical studies and was involved in the translation of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Another prominent figure was Michael Skehan, an American archaeologist and biblical scholar born in 1901. He conducted excavations in the Middle East and was instrumental in the discovery and interpretation of ancient manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls.

In the 19th century, a renowned figure named Daniel Skehan was a prominent Irish politician and member of the British Parliament, representing the constituency of Mallow in County Cork from 1852 to 1857.

The name Skehan has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Skehanagh, a townland in County Cork, and Skehanerine, a civil parish in County Waterford. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the presence of Skehan families in those areas.

Throughout history, various individuals with the surname Skehan have made their mark in fields ranging from academia and religion to politics and archaeology. While the name has evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of Ireland, where it has been deeply rooted for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skehan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skehan 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 5 Skehans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.61x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 3.61x
Glamorgan 3 14.74x
Berkshire 1 11.40x
Hampshire 1 4.18x
Kent 1 2.51x
Lanarkshire 1 2.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 5 Skehans recorded in 1881 and an index of 113.12x.

Place Total Index
Everton 5 113.12x
Cardiff St Mary 3 267.86x
Aldershot 1 125.00x
Govan 1 10.70x
New Windsor 1 344.83x
Woolwich 1 68.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Bridget 1
Julia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Daniel 1
Edward 1
James 1
Micheal 1
Michl. 1
Patrick 1
Thomas 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 Skehan households.

FAQ

Skehan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skehan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Skehan surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skehan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Skehan a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Skehan surname mean?

A variant spelling of an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'O'Sceacháin' meaning "descendant of the falconer".

What does the Skehan map show?

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