Find out how popular the last name Corrigan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Corrigan.

Corrigan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Corrigan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Corrigan in America

Corrigan is the 3168th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Corrigan surname appeared 11,396 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Corrigan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Corrigan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Corrigan

The surname Corrigan has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name "O'Corraidhin," which means "descendant of Corraidhin." Corraidhin itself is derived from the Irish word "corrach," meaning "speckled" or "freckled."

The name is believed to have originated in County Mayo, where the Corrigan clan was based. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, appearing in various medieval manuscripts and records from the region.

One notable historical reference involving the Corrigan surname is its mention in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals record a notable figure named Muircheartach O'Corraidhin, who was a chief of the Corrigan clan in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Corrigan began to spread beyond County Mayo as the clan members migrated to other parts of Ireland. This led to variations in the spelling, such as Corrigan, Corregan, and Corrigan.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Corrigan surname have made significant contributions in various fields. One notable figure was Sir Dominick Corrigan (1802-1880), an Irish physician who made important discoveries in the field of cardiovascular medicine, including the description of a specific heart murmur now known as the "Corrigan Pulse."

Another prominent Corrigan was Michael Corrigan (1839-1892), an Irish-American Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of New York from 1885 until his death.

In the literary world, Mathew Corrigan (1839-1888) was an Irish-American poet and journalist who wrote extensively about Irish nationalism and the struggle for independence.

Sir Dominic Joseph Corrigan (1802-1880), mentioned earlier, was not only a renowned physician but also a prominent advocate for medical education reform in Ireland.

Lastly, John Corrigan (1930-2017) was an American historian and author who specialized in the study of religion and violence, particularly in the context of the American South.

The Corrigan surname has a rich history rooted in Ireland, with notable individuals bearing the name making significant contributions across various domains throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Corrigan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Corrigan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Corrigan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Corrigan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Corrigan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Corrigan, please contact us.

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