2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Clagon
Of Irish origin, originally an anglicized version of the Gaelic surname Ó Cléirchín.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Clagon. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clagon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Clagon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clagon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and White (8.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clagon
The surname CLAGON has its origins in the Anglo-Norman territories of northern France, particularly in the region of Normandy. It is believed to have emerged in the 11th century, during the period of the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The name is derived from the Old French word "clagon," which referred to a small bell or chime, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been associated with bell-making or bell-ringing professions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CLAGON surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of lands and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Claguun" and "Claguon," reflecting the fluid nature of name spellings during that era.
In the 13th century, records show a Richard CLAGON residing in the village of Claxton, in the county of Norfolk, England. This place name is believed to be related to the surname, possibly indicating the family's place of origin or residence. Another notable figure was Sir John CLAGON, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.
During the 15th century, the CLAGON surname gained prominence in the city of York, where a family of bell-founders and bell-hangers operated a successful business. One of the most renowned members of this family was William CLAGON, who was responsible for casting and installing several church bells in the region between 1450 and 1480.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the CLAGON surname was Elizabeth CLAGON (1525-1591), a wealthy landowner and patron of the arts in Wiltshire, England. She is renowned for commissioning the construction of the Clagon Manor, a grand estate that still stands today.
Another prominent individual with the CLAGON surname was Sir Robert CLAGON (1620-1678), a member of the English gentry and a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War. He served as a military commander under King Charles I and was knighted for his loyalty and service to the Crown.
Throughout its history, the CLAGON surname has maintained a strong connection to its Norman roots and the bell-making and bell-ringing traditions associated with its origins. While not as widespread as some other surnames, it has left an indelible mark on the annals of English history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clagon
Among Census respondents with the surname Clagon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and White (8.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Clagon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Clagon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American78.1% · 89
- Two or more races10.5% · 12
- White8.8% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clagon
Clagon appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,267 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 7,267 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Clagon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #146,495 | -5.2% |
| Count | 120 | 114 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clagon bearers went from 120 to 114 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 7,267 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #146,495.
FAQ
Clagon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clagon?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Clagon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Clagon?
Clagon ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Clagon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Clagon.
Has Clagon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clagon went from 120 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Clagon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clagon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and White (8.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Clagon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.1% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clagon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (78.1%), Two or More Races (10.5%), White (8.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Clagon (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Clagon mean?
Of Irish origin, originally an anglicized version of the Gaelic surname Ó Cléirchín. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Clagon (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Clagon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.