NameCensus.

UK surname

Whalen

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Faoláin," meaning "descendant of Faolán," a personal name meaning "little wolf."

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Whalen surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 706, ranked #7,656, up from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dalbeattie, Doon Valley South and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whalen is 750 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 163.4%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

706

2016, ranked #7,656

Peak year

2010

750 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whalen had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 706 in 2016, ranked #7,656.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 460 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Whalen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whalen surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Whalen 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 367 #9,486
1901 historical 460 #8,564
1911 historical 391 #9,443
1997 modern 683 #7,380
1998 modern 718 #7,326
1999 modern 738 #7,239
2000 modern 736 #7,213
2001 modern 710 #7,286
2002 modern 731 #7,248
2003 modern 694 #7,433
2004 modern 693 #7,463
2005 modern 703 #7,324
2006 modern 692 #7,421
2007 modern 716 #7,302
2008 modern 722 #7,305
2009 modern 748 #7,272
2010 modern 750 #7,377
2011 modern 721 #7,521
2012 modern 701 #7,601
2013 modern 706 #7,685
2014 modern 705 #7,728
2015 modern 696 #7,745
2016 modern 706 #7,656

Geography

Back to top

Where Whalens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dalbeattie, Doon Valley South, Sheffield, South Tyneside and Castle Douglas. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
2 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
3 Sheffield 001 Sheffield
4 South Tyneside 009 South Tyneside
5 Castle Douglas Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Whalen

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Whalen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Whalen, 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 Whalen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Whalen 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Whalen 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

Whalen is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whalen 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 Whalen 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 Whalen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Whalen

The surname Whalen originated in Ireland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Fáilín, meaning 'descendant of Fáilín'. Fáilín itself is a diminutive form of the personal name Fáil, which is believed to have its roots in the Old Irish word 'fál', meaning 'ruler' or 'prince'.

The Whalens were originally based in County Mayo, specifically in the baronies of Carra, Erris, and Gallen. The name can be found in various ancient records and manuscripts, including the Annals of the Four Masters, which mention several individuals bearing the name in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Pipe Roll of Cloyne from 1364, which lists a 'William Whalen'. Another early reference is in the Fiants of the Reign of Henry VIII, where a 'John Whalen' is mentioned in 1537.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone several spelling variations, including Whalen, Whelan, Phelan, Falan, and Fallon. These variations often arose due to regional dialects, phonetic translations, and the preferences of individual record-keepers.

Some notable individuals with the surname Whalen throughout history include:

1. William Whalen (c. 1620 - c. 1690), an Irish soldier and landowner from County Mayo, who served in the Irish Confederate Wars. 2. James Whalen (1742 - 1819), an Irish-American merchant and Revolutionary War patriot, known for his involvement in the Boston Tea Party. 3. Richard Whalen (1810 - 1890), an Irish-American bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. 4. William Joseph Whalen (1866 - 1942), an American politician who served as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. 5. Philip Whalen (1923 - 2002), an American poet and a key figure in the Beat Generation literary movement.

The surname Whalen has also been associated with several place names, particularly in Ireland, such as Whalen's Cross in County Mayo and Whaleytown in County Westmeath.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Whalen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whalen 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 114 Whalens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 114 3.66x
Middlesex 32 1.22x
Durham 26 3.33x
Yorkshire 19 0.73x
Northumberland 16 4.10x
Staffordshire 9 1.02x
Surrey 9 0.70x
Essex 8 1.54x
Derbyshire 7 1.70x
Warwickshire 6 0.91x
Aberdeenshire 5 2.06x
Devon 4 0.73x
Renfrewshire 4 1.97x
Cheshire 3 0.52x
Cumberland 2 0.89x
Cornwall 1 0.34x
Glamorgan 1 0.22x
Kent 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 22 Whalens recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.63x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 22 11.63x
Crompton 11 124.01x
Longbenton 11 66.51x
Birtley 9 282.13x
Kirkdale 9 17.18x
Newchurch 9 35.34x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 34.13x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 23.66x
Mile End Old Town 8 19.31x
Salford 8 8.74x
Blackburn 7 8.45x
Glossop Dale 7 36.38x
West Ham 7 6.12x
Bradford 6 9.53x
Gorton 6 20.50x
North Bierley 6 42.74x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 9.85x
Heap 5 30.28x
Manningham 5 15.61x
Mile End New Town 5 139.66x
North Shields 5 64.18x
Wednesbury 5 22.58x
Battersea 4 4.14x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.51x
Bilston 4 23.30x
Birmingham 4 1.81x
Camberwell 4 2.39x
Coundon 4 126.58x
Hackney London 4 2.72x
Hulme 4 6.15x
Seaton 4 189.57x
Sherburn 4 168.07x
Worsley 4 20.84x
Aspull 3 40.98x
Birkenhead 3 6.50x
Broughton In Salford 3 10.54x
Clayton Le Moors 3 49.67x
Wapping London 3 150.00x
Aston 2 1.10x
Bromley London 2 3.46x
Dewsbury 2 7.50x
East Greenock 2 10.42x
Manchester 2 1.43x
Middle Greenock 2 36.04x
St Luke London 2 4.75x
Sutton 2 19.16x
Toxteth Park 2 1.90x
Arlecdon 1 16.64x
Burnley 1 3.81x
Castleton 1 3.22x
Colchester St Botolph 1 22.68x
Eastoft 1 185.19x
Everton 1 1.01x
Gillingham 1 5.42x
Gulval 1 52.36x
Islington London 1 0.39x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 2.28x
Paddington London 1 1.04x
Parr 1 8.98x
Preston Quarter 1 15.80x
Rusholme 1 12.05x
St George Hanover 1 2.92x
St George In East 1 5.60x
Sunderland 1 7.25x
Wardleworth 1 5.62x
Woking 1 12.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Ellen 12
Sarah 10
Bridget 9
Catherine 8
Elizabeth 8
Margaret 7
Ann 5
Julia 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Emily 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Eve 1
Fanny 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Johena 1
John 1
Juleanne 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maryann 1
Mgt. 1
Norah 1
Rosanna 1
Rosemond 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 21
John 17
Thomas 15
William 8
Michael 7
Patrick 7
Richard 5
Edward 4
Martin 3
Denis 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Ellen 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hezekiah 1
Jeremiah 1
Jerry 1
Jiemer 1
Jno. 1
Laurence 1
Mary 1
Michel 1
Morris 1
Pattrick 1
Peter 1
T. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Whalen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whalen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Whalen surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whalen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 706 in 2016. That gives Whalen a modern rank of #7,656.

What does the Whalen surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Faoláin," meaning "descendant of Faolán," a personal name meaning "little wolf."

What does the Whalen map show?

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