2000
#6,778
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,584
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.70
Rare Last name
Rogan
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Ruadhagáin, meaning "descendant of the red-haired one."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,124 Americans carry the last name Rogan. That puts it at #7,206 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,892 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rogan 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Rogan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.1K
1 in 66,892
Census rank
#7,206
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,468 bearers of the surname Rogan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7206th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rogan, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.8%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rogan
The surname Rogan is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "rogán," which means "a choice one" or "a famous person." The name is also connected to the Irish word "rógán," meaning "a proud walker."
The earliest known reference to the Rogan name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1181, a person named Gilla-Pátraic Ua Rogáin is mentioned, suggesting that the name was already in use during that time.
Historically, the Rogan family is believed to have originated in County Cavan, located in the northern part of Ireland. The name was particularly prominent in the Barony of Tullyhaw, where several Rogan families were landowners and influential members of the local community.
One notable individual bearing the Rogan surname was Sir James Rogan (c. 1590-1660), an Irish military commander who served in the English Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Parliamentarian and played a significant role in the siege of Drogheda in 1649.
Another prominent figure was John Rogan (1750-1823), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in County Cavan. He was instrumental in promoting education and literacy in the region during a time when Catholic education was suppressed.
In the late 18th century, a branch of the Rogan family relocated to County Antrim, where they became landowners and established themselves as a prominent family in the area. One member of this branch was William Rogan (1775-1848), a successful merchant and landowner who served as High Sheriff of County Antrim in 1824.
The Rogan name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Rogan's Town in County Cavan and Rogan's Hill in County Antrim. These place names further demonstrate the historical presence and influence of the Rogan family in different parts of the country.
Other notable individuals with the surname Rogan include John Rogan (1868-1950), an Irish politician and member of the UK Parliament; Mary Rogan (1885-1976), an Irish poet and writer; and Eileen Rogan (1902-1982), an Irish actress who appeared in several Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rogan
Among Census respondents with the surname Rogan, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.8%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Rogan 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 Rogan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.8% · 3,386
- Black or African American13.0% · 580
- Two or more races5.8% · 257
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 154
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 80
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rogan
Rogan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,345
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,537
-47 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 1.54
Rank movement Down 567 places
2020
#7,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,468
-69 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Up 139 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,778 | 4,584 | 1.70 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,345 | 4,537 | 1.54 | -47 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 567 places |
| 2020 | #7,206 | 4,468 | 1.49 | -69 bearers (-1.5%) | Up 139 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 Rogan 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 | #7,345 | #7,206 | 1.9% |
| Count | 4,537 | 4,468 | -1.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.54 | 1.49 | -2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rogan bearers went from 4,537 to 4,468 (-1.5% change). The surname moved up 139 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,345 to #7,206.
FAQ
Rogan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rogan?
Name Census estimates that about 5,124 living Americans carry the surname Rogan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,892 residents.
How common is Rogan?
Rogan ranks #7,206 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,468 people with the surname Rogan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.49 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rogan.
Has Rogan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rogan went from 4,537 recorded bearers to 4,468. That is a decrease of 69 (-1.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,345 to #7,206.
What does the Census say about the background of Rogan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rogan, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.8%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Two or More Races (5.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rogan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.8% (3,386 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rogan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.8%), Black (13.0%), Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Rogan (2000, 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 Rogan mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Ruadhagáin, meaning "descendant of the red-haired one." 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 Rogan (1.49 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 common is the surname Rogan?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Rogan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.