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Merrigan Family History

Merrigan Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Muireagáin ‘descendant of Muireagán’ a personal name derived from muir ‘sea’.

Compare Morgan with which this name has been confused.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Merrigan family from?

You can see how Merrigan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merrigan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Merrigan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 36 Merrigan families living in Lancashire. This was about 45% of all the recorded Merrigan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Merrigan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merrigan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Merrigan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Merrigan. 67% of Merrigan men worked as a General Labourer and 95% of Merrigan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Merrigan were Dock Labourer and Ironer laundry.

View Census Data for Merrigan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    67%
  • Dock Labourer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    95%
  • Ironer laundry
    5%

What Merrigan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Merrigan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merrigan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Merrigan

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Merrigan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Merrigan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Merrigan. For the veterans among your Merrigan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Merrigan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Merrigan family history

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What is the average Merrigan lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Merrigan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Merrigan in 1958 was 55, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merrigan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Merrigan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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