NameCensus.

UK surname

Teague

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

In the 1881 census there were 1,689 people recorded with the Teague surname, ranking it #2,543 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,799, ranked #2,413, up from #2,543 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Redruth and Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, Forest of Dean and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Teague is 2,938 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.7%.

1881 census count

1,689

Ranked #2,543

Modern count

2,799

2016, ranked #2,413

Peak year

2010

2,938 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Teague had 1,689 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,543 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,799 in 2016, ranked #2,413.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,154 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Teague surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Teague surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Teague 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 1,318 #2,175
1861 historical 861 #3,212
1881 historical 1,689 #2,543
1891 historical 1,468 #2,996
1901 historical 2,154 #2,497
1911 historical 1,969 #2,520
1997 modern 2,752 #2,330
1998 modern 2,876 #2,334
1999 modern 2,904 #2,330
2000 modern 2,874 #2,344
2001 modern 2,814 #2,339
2002 modern 2,861 #2,348
2003 modern 2,802 #2,343
2004 modern 2,811 #2,344
2005 modern 2,715 #2,379
2006 modern 2,718 #2,378
2007 modern 2,770 #2,369
2008 modern 2,780 #2,374
2009 modern 2,878 #2,343
2010 modern 2,938 #2,349
2011 modern 2,883 #2,356
2012 modern 2,849 #2,341
2013 modern 2,868 #2,371
2014 modern 2,884 #2,374
2015 modern 2,847 #2,377
2016 modern 2,799 #2,413

Geography

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Where Teagues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Redruth, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, Forest of Dean, Torfaen 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Redruth Cornwall
3 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
4 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
2 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
3 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean
4 Torfaen 003 Torfaen
5 Cornwall 048 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Teague

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Teague

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Teague surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Teague household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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, Teague 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

Teague is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Teague falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Teague 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Teague

The surname Teague originated in Ireland, with the first known records dating back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Tuathaigh," which translates to "descendant of Tuathalach." The name Tuathalach itself is derived from the Old Irish word "tuath," meaning "people" or "territory."

The Teague family was historically associated with Counties Westmeath, Longford, and Roscommon in the central region of Ireland. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Tuithe, Tuohy, Tuohig, and Toohey, reflecting regional dialectal variations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1170, a man named Tuathal Ua Tuathaigh is mentioned as the chief of Muintir Anghaile, a territory in County Longford.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, the Teague family was among those who resisted the invading forces. In the 14th century, a prominent member of the family, Maolmuire Ó Tuathaigh, served as the Bishop of Ardagh in County Longford.

In the 16th century, the Teague family played a significant role in the Gaelic resistance against English rule. Conn Ó Tuathaigh, also known as Conn Teague, was a notable chieftain who fought alongside the Earl of Tyrone in the Nine Years' War (1594-1603) against Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure with the surname Teague was John Teague (1590-1661), an Irish Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Meath during the tumultuous period of the Confederate Wars and the Cromwellian Conquest of Ireland.

In the 18th century, Denis Taaffe (also spelled Teague) (1670-1737) was an Irish soldier who served in the armies of Louis XIV and later became a Marshal of France. He was a prominent member of the Irish Brigade, a formation of Irish soldiers who served in the French military after the Flight of the Wild Geese.

Edward Teague (1590-1659) was an English pirate and privateer who operated in the Caribbean during the 17th century. He is known for his association with the infamous pirate Henry Morgan and his involvement in the sacking of Panama City in 1671.

Throughout history, the surname Teague has been associated with various place names, such as Tuohyville in County Mayo, Ireland, and Tuohygara, a townland in County Roscommon. The name has also been recorded in various forms, including Tew, Tewgh, and Tughie, reflecting its evolution over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Teague families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Teague 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. Cornwall leads with 343 Teagues recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.33x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 343 18.33x
Gloucestershire 198 6.11x
Worcestershire 158 7.32x
Shropshire 108 7.56x
Sussex 87 3.12x
Surrey 83 1.03x
Middlesex 79 0.48x
Warwickshire 65 1.56x
Devon 60 1.74x
Herefordshire 56 8.26x
Lancashire 52 0.27x
Glamorgan 49 1.70x
Monmouthshire 48 4.02x
Hampshire 47 1.39x
Staffordshire 42 0.75x
Northumberland 28 1.14x
Dorset 22 2.03x
Cheshire 21 0.58x
Yorkshire 21 0.13x
Essex 19 0.58x
Durham 14 0.28x
Wiltshire 14 0.96x
Somerset 12 0.45x
Kent 9 0.16x
Lanarkshire 9 0.17x
Montgomeryshire 7 1.85x
Denbighshire 6 0.96x
Lincolnshire 6 0.23x
Channel Islands 4 0.82x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.18x
Oxfordshire 4 0.39x
Brecknockshire 3 0.91x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.57x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.20x
Cumberland 2 0.14x
Derbyshire 2 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.13x
Royal Navy 2 1.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Merionethshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Dean in Gloucestershire leads with 52 Teagues recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.77x.

Place Total Index
West Dean 52 98.77x
Kenwyn 49 100.16x
Aston 39 3.40x
Redruth 36 68.03x
Newland 34 124.82x
Eastbourne 29 22.62x
Ross 27 100.19x
Whistones 27 172.86x
St Teath 26 230.70x
Illogan 24 48.46x
Birmingham 20 1.44x
Claines 20 33.77x
Westbury On Severn East 19 25.93x
Berwick Upon Tweed 18 34.55x
St Stephen In Brannel 18 105.45x
Wellington 18 22.43x
St Pancras London 16 1.20x
Wombridge 16 90.75x
Gwennap 15 42.51x
Rotherfield 15 61.15x
Brighton 14 2.49x
Lambeth 14 0.97x
Leckhampton 13 65.10x
Monmouth 13 41.04x
Redmarley 13 229.68x
St Clement 13 66.56x
St Marylebone London 13 1.47x
Camberwell 12 1.14x
Clunbury 12 215.05x
Creed Grampound 12 530.97x
Lifton 12 144.93x
Mevagissey 12 96.54x
Tibberton 12 585.37x
Feock 11 93.94x
Llanvetherine 11 880.00x
Ryde 11 15.12x
Southampton St Mary 11 5.16x
Stokesay 11 261.28x
Wanstead 11 19.26x
Bermondsey 10 2.03x
Birkenhead 10 3.44x
Chelsea London 10 2.01x
Gerrans 10 198.02x
Newington 10 1.64x
Thames Ditton 10 59.77x
Uckfield 10 82.37x
Wandsworth 10 6.29x
Govan 9 0.68x
Hopesay 9 247.93x
Kidderminster Borough 9 7.13x
Madron Penzance 9 13.23x
Methley 9 39.03x
Millbrook 9 10.55x
Paddington London 9 1.48x
Parkstone 9 71.15x
St Ewe 9 158.73x
Ystradyfodwg 9 3.57x
Bedminster 8 3.20x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.57x
Farnworth 8 6.81x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 8 13.49x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 3.02x
Tynemouth 8 6.08x
Bristol St Augustine 7 13.38x
Camborne 7 9.08x
Darlington 7 3.69x
Dudley 7 2.67x
Liverpool 7 0.59x
Michaelstow 7 555.56x
Ringmer 7 89.17x
Shifnal 7 18.06x
Stockton On Tees 7 2.95x
Tavistock 7 17.87x
Tintagel 7 137.52x
Trevethin 7 6.21x
Wolstanton 7 4.13x
Aberdare 6 3.04x
Dyffryn Clydach 6 86.71x
Enfield 6 5.53x
Wrockwardine 6 19.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 127
Elizabeth 65
Sarah 43
Jane 42
Eliza 35
Ann 34
Annie 30
Emily 27
Ellen 23
Emma 22
Alice 18
Louisa 14
Edith 13
Florence 13
Margaret 11
Amelia 10
Fanny 10
Julia 10
Rose 10
Caroline 9
Hannah 9
Kate 9
Martha 9
Harriet 8
Lucy 8
Maria 8
Ada 7
Catherine 7
Esther 6
Sophia 6
Agnes 5
Clara 5
Frances 5
Lizzie 5
Rebecca 5
Selina 5
Susan 5
Amy 4
Anne 4
Bessie 4
Charlotte 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Gertrude 4
Harriett 4
Lydia 4
Mabel 4
Rosa 4
Anna 3
Marian 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 105
John 94
Thomas 63
George 46
James 44
Henry 37
Charles 33
Richard 32
Alfred 27
Joseph 26
Edward 20
Arthur 18
Samuel 17
Frederick 14
Albert 11
Edwin 11
Francis 10
Robert 10
Harry 9
Walter 9
Benjamin 8
Ernest 6
David 5
Fredrick 5
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Herbert 4
Peter 4
Tom 4
Enoch 3
Fredk. 3
Hugh 3
Philip 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Edgar 2
Enos 2
Hubert 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Matthew 2
Nicholas 2
Reginald 2
Stanley 2
Theophilus 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Caleb 1
Felix 1

FAQ

Teague surname: questions and answers

How common was the Teague surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,689 people were recorded with the Teague surname. That placed it at #2,543 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Teague surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,799 in 2016. That gives Teague a modern rank of #2,413.

What does the Teague surname mean?

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

What does the Teague map show?

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