Ryan Name Meaning: Derives from the Gaelic word 'righ', meaning 'little king'. May have also derived from the Irish word'rian' meaning 'water'.
A popular surname in Ireland, thought to have derived from the forename 'Maolriain'.
Discover how your Ryan ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.| Bedfordshire | 12 |
| Buckinghamshire | 13 |
| Berkshire | 50 |
| Cambridgeshire | 19 |
| Channel Islands | 55 |
| Cheshire | 403 |
| Cornwall | 18 |
| Cumberland | 102 |
| Derbyshire | 109 |
| Devon | 149 |
| Dorset | 22 |
| Durham | 557 |
| Essex | 371 |
| Gloucestershire | 98 |
| Hampshire | 217 |
| Herefordshire | 12 |
| Hertfordshire | 32 |
| Huntingdonshire (and Rutland) | 5 |
| Isle of Man | 30 |
| Kent | 204 |
| Lancashire | 3,207 |
| Leicestershire | 63 |
| Lincolnshire | 57 |
| London | 2,075 |
| Middlesex | 367 |
| Northumberland | 196 |
| Norfolk | 19 |
| Northamptonshire | 47 |
| Nottinghamshire | 37 |
| Oxfordshire | 5 |
| Rutland (and Huntingdonshire) | 5 |
| Shropshire | 19 |
| Suffolk | 20 |
| Somerset | 49 |
| Surrey | 221 |
| Sussex | 88 |
| Staffordshire | 181 |
| Warwickshire | 236 |
| Westmorland | 2 |
| Wiltshire | 20 |
| Worcestershire | 36 |
| Yorkshire | 997 |
| Anglesey | 0 |
| Brecknockshire | 0 |
| Cardiganshire | 0 |
| Carnarvonshire | 8 |
| Carmarthenshire | 27 |
| Denbighshire | 14 |
| Flintshire | 8 |
| Glamorgan | 579 |
| Merionethshire | 1 |
| Montgomeryshire | 0 |
| Monmouthshire | 180 |
| Pembrokeshire | 13 |
| Radnorshire | 0 |
| Profession | Census Frequency |
|---|---|
| School | 1,064 |
| General Labourer | 142 |
| Labourer | 141 |
| Dock Labourer | 115 |
| Coal Miner Hewer | 61 |
| None | 57 |
| Private Means | 54 |
| Charwoman | 53 |
| General Servant (domestic) | 52 |
| Domestic Servant | 44 |
| Laundress | 44 |
| Cotton Weaver | 44 |
| Dressmaker | 41 |
| Soldier | 41 |
| At School | 36 |
| At Home | 33 |
| House Keeper | 32 |
| Labourer General | 30 |
| Scholar | 28 |
| Student | 28 |
| Clerk | 26 |
| House Painter | 26 |
| Housekeeper | 26 |
| General Servant Domestic | 25 |
| No Occupation | 25 |
| Name | Census Frequency |
|---|---|
| Mary Ryan | 5,779 |
| John Ryan | 5,214 |
| James Ryan | 2,857 |
| Thomas Ryan | 2,797 |
| William Ryan | 2,583 |
| Margaret Ryan | 1,953 |
| Catherine Ryan | 1,747 |
| Ellen Ryan | 1,658 |
| Patrick Ryan | 1,649 |
| Michael Ryan | 1,579 |
| Elizabeth Ryan | 1,513 |
| Ann Ryan | 1,128 |
| Bridget Ryan | 1,026 |
| Sarah Ryan | 976 |
| Edward Ryan | 918 |
| Annie Ryan | 776 |
| Jane Ryan | 738 |
| Joseph Ryan | 695 |
| George Ryan | 616 |
| Daniel Ryan | 538 |
| Alice Ryan | 520 |
| Eliza Ryan | 438 |
| Richard Ryan | 438 |
| Charles Ryan | 432 |
| Kate Ryan | 430 |
| Rank | Surname | Match | Census Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan | 100% | 57,032 |
| 2 | Rayne | 40% | 2,616 |
| 3 | Ryne | 50% | 704 |
| 4 | Ryon | 75% | 603 |
| 5 | Royan | 80% | 562 |
| 6 | Rayan | 80% | 275 |
| 7 | Reyan | 80% | 191 |
| 8 | Royne | 40% | 183 |
| 9 | Ryen | 75% | 174 |
| 10 | Reyne | 40% | 114 |
The surname Ryan is the most popular version of all its varients