NameCensus.

UK surname

Tague

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Taidhg," meaning "descendant of Tadhg" (a personal name meaning "poet" or "philosopher").

In the 1881 census there were 141 people recorded with the Tague surname, ranking it #16,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 506, ranked #9,905, up from #16,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Glossop and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Halton and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tague is 538 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 258.9%.

1881 census count

141

Ranked #16,091

Modern count

506

2016, ranked #9,905

Peak year

2010

538 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tague had 141 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 506 in 2016, ranked #9,905.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 205 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Tague surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tague surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tague 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 141 #16,091
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 205 #14,884
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 498 #9,324
1998 modern 491 #9,737
1999 modern 481 #9,958
2000 modern 492 #9,749
2001 modern 485 #9,688
2002 modern 472 #10,060
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 474 #9,889
2005 modern 471 #9,867
2006 modern 477 #9,821
2007 modern 476 #9,916
2008 modern 490 #9,794
2009 modern 516 #9,614
2010 modern 538 #9,523
2011 modern 538 #9,444
2012 modern 514 #9,677
2013 modern 528 #9,633
2014 modern 524 #9,763
2015 modern 508 #9,891
2016 modern 506 #9,905

Geography

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Where Tagues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Glossop, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Halton and Cornwall. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 005 County Durham
2 Halton 007 Halton
3 Halton 003 Halton
4 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
5 County Durham 057 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tague

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tague

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Tague surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tague household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Tague 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

Tague 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

Tague 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 Tague 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tague

The surname Tague is of Irish and Norman-French origin, with its roots tracing back to the 12th century when Anglo-Norman settlers arrived in Ireland. The name is derived from the Old French "taquin," meaning "stubborn" or "obstinate," suggesting that the initial bearer may have possessed these characteristics.

Tague is believed to have originated in County Westmeath, Ireland, where it was first recorded in the early 13th century. The earliest known reference to the name appears in the Annals of Lough Cé, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "William Taque" in 1226.

In the 14th century, the Tague family gained prominence in County Westmeath, where they held land and estates. One notable figure from this period was John Tague, a landowner and influential member of the local community, who was born around 1350.

During the 16th century, the Tague surname began to spread beyond County Westmeath, with records showing families bearing this name in neighboring counties such as Longford and Meath. In 1587, a Thomas Tague was recorded as a landowner in County Longford.

The 17th century saw the Tague name appear in various historical documents, including the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665, which recorded households for taxation purposes. One entry lists a Patrick Tague as a householder in County Westmeath.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable individuals bore the Tague surname. Among them were Richard Tague (1736-1812), a prominent merchant and landowner in County Westmeath, and Michael Tague (1795-1868), a Catholic priest and educator who played a significant role in establishing schools in Ireland.

Another individual of note was John Tague (1867-1945), a Irish-American politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and was actively involved in the Irish independence movement.

In the 20th century, one of the most famous Tagues was Peter Tague (1904-1978), a renowned American artist and painter known for his landscape and seascape works. His paintings are held in collections at various museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tague families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tague 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 38 Tagues recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 38 2.33x
Northumberland 24 11.73x
Lanarkshire 19 4.27x
Yorkshire 18 1.32x
Midlothian 9 4.88x
Durham 7 1.71x
West Lothian 7 33.80x
Renfrewshire 5 4.69x
Derbyshire 4 1.86x
Dorset 4 4.43x
Monmouthshire 2 2.01x
Worcestershire 2 1.11x
Berwickshire 1 6.00x
Glamorgan 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornaby in Yorkshire leads with 16 Tagues recorded in 1881 and an index of 314.34x.

Place Total Index
Thornaby 16 314.34x
Liverpool 10 10.09x
Ashton In Makerfield 9 193.55x
Edinburgh Trinity 9 1525.42x
Glasgow 8 10.13x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 65.47x
Linlithgow 7 263.16x
Parr 7 119.86x
Govan 6 5.45x
Longbenton 6 69.20x
New Monkland 5 38.02x
West Greenock 5 26.14x
Widnes 5 42.48x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 4 281.69x
Conside Knitsley 4 125.79x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 37.70x
Sharples 4 225.99x
Abberwick 3 6000.00x
Bishop Auckland 3 54.64x
Byker 3 29.64x
Chaddesley Corbett 2 298.51x
Cranborne 2 183.49x
Sixpenny Handley 2 454.55x
Trelleck 2 487.80x
Crompton 1 21.51x
Cwmdu 1 34.25x
Eyemouth 1 71.94x
Middlesbrough 1 5.63x
Radcliffe 1 12.71x
West Derby 1 2.09x
Whitby 1 21.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Margaret 8
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Elizabeth 2
Harriet 2
Rose 2
Anne 1
Christiana 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Maraget 1
Maria 1
Sabina 1
Sarah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Tague surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tague surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Tague surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 506 in 2016. That gives Tague a modern rank of #9,905.

What does the Tague surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Taidhg," meaning "descendant of Tadhg" (a personal name meaning "poet" or "philosopher").

What does the Tague map show?

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