NameCensus.

UK surname

Danes

An ethnic surname derived from Denmark or denoting someone of Danish descent.

In the 1881 census there were 469 people recorded with the Danes surname, ranking it #7,106 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 311, ranked #14,376, down from #7,106 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Hoo or St Werburgh and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Flintshire and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Danes is 786 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 33.7%.

1881 census count

469

Ranked #7,106

Modern count

311

2016, ranked #14,376

Peak year

1891

786 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Danes had 469 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,106 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016, ranked #14,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 786 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Danes surname distribution map

The map shows where the Danes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Danes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Danes over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 296 #7,723
1861 historical 690 #3,907
1881 historical 469 #7,106
1891 historical 786 #5,110
1901 historical 438 #8,881
1911 historical 450 #8,507
1997 modern 316 #13,080
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 341 #12,851
2000 modern 335 #12,953
2001 modern 317 #13,228
2002 modern 333 #13,062
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 312 #13,532
2005 modern 306 #13,657
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 316 #13,566
2008 modern 311 #13,800
2009 modern 320 #13,796
2010 modern 321 #14,066
2011 modern 318 #14,023
2012 modern 303 #14,415
2013 modern 313 #14,299
2014 modern 316 #14,301
2015 modern 316 #14,214
2016 modern 311 #14,376

Geography

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Where Danes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Hoo or St Werburgh, London parishes, St Pancras and Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Flintshire, Babergh and Coventry. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Hoo or St Werburgh Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 014 Taunton Deane
2 Flintshire 006 Flintshire
3 Taunton Deane 009 Taunton Deane
4 Babergh 007 Babergh
5 Coventry 002 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Danes

These lists show first names that appear often with the Danes surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Danes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Danes, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Danes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Danes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Danes is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Danes is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Danes falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Danes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Danes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Danes

The surname DANES originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "Dene," which means "Dane" or "Danish." This name was likely given to someone who had Danish ancestry or who came from Denmark.

The earliest recorded instance of the name DANES can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dene." This suggests that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the DANES surname was particularly common in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. This region had strong connections with Denmark due to its proximity to the North Sea and its history of Danish settlement and invasion.

One notable early bearer of the name was Robert Danes, a 13th-century landowner in Norfolk who is mentioned in various medieval records. Another was John Danes, a 14th-century merchant from Norwich who was involved in the wool trade with the Netherlands.

In the 15th century, the DANES surname appears in the records of the University of Cambridge, with several students and scholars bearing the name. One example is William Danes, who was a fellow of Peterhouse College in the late 1400s.

During the Tudor period, the DANES family became established in Devon and Cornwall, where they were prominent landowners and gentry. Sir John Danes (c.1509-1580) was a notable figure from this branch of the family, serving as a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Devon.

Other notable bearers of the DANES surname include Captain William Danes (1605-1677), an English naval officer who fought in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and Reverend John Danes (1619-1680), a Puritan minister and author who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony.

As the DANES surname spread across England, various spelling variations emerged, such as Daines, Danes, Daynes, and Deynes. These variations reflect regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling before standardization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Danes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Danes surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 87 Danes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 87 1.93x
Kent 83 5.41x
Essex 36 4.06x
Yorkshire 36 0.81x
Surrey 35 1.60x
Lancashire 22 0.41x
Staffordshire 17 1.12x
Monmouthshire 16 4.92x
Huntingdonshire 15 16.80x
Hertfordshire 14 4.52x
Norfolk 11 1.59x
Bedfordshire 10 4.29x
Glamorgan 10 1.28x
Warwickshire 10 0.88x
Dorset 9 3.05x
Northamptonshire 9 2.13x
Derbyshire 5 0.71x
Oxfordshire 5 1.80x
Leicestershire 4 0.80x
Rutland 4 12.11x
Suffolk 4 0.73x
Herefordshire 3 1.63x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.70x
Hampshire 2 0.22x
Worcestershire 2 0.34x
Brecknockshire 1 1.11x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.37x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.07x
Fife 1 0.38x
Northumberland 1 0.15x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.17x
Shropshire 1 0.26x
Somerset 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 25 Danes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.91x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 25 6.91x
Hoo 18 886.70x
Camberwell 17 5.92x
St Woollos 15 41.35x
Bradford 12 11.12x
Margaretting 11 1358.02x
Uttoxeter 10 128.70x
Aylesford 9 211.76x
Waresley 9 2500.00x
West Malling 9 260.87x
Wyke Regis 9 212.77x
Birling 8 588.24x
Cottingham 8 83.33x
Llantrisant 8 40.53x
South Weald 8 105.26x
Anstey 7 1147.54x
Ovenden 7 35.30x
Paddington London 7 4.23x
Stoke Newington London 7 19.98x
Battersea 6 3.63x
Kensington London 6 2.40x
Lee 6 26.93x
Openshaw 6 24.01x
Shoreditch London 6 3.08x
Aston 5 1.60x
Boxley 5 211.86x
Chesterfield 5 18.95x
Habergham Eaves 5 10.25x
Kempston 5 94.52x
Kingsbury 5 427.35x
Norwich Liberty Of Town 5 1086.96x
Oxford St Thomas 5 38.58x
Rainham 5 118.48x
Rotherhithe 5 9.00x
St Clement Danes London 5 53.71x
St George Bloomsbury 5 19.38x
Yelling 5 1020.41x
Birmingham 4 1.06x
Bromley London 4 4.04x
Everton 4 2.35x
Great Billing 4 666.67x
Great Gaddesden 4 275.86x
Hevingham 4 338.98x
Hornsey 4 7.03x
Navestock 4 312.50x
Smeeton 4 666.67x
Wateringbury 4 200.00x
West Thurrock 4 135.59x
Bedford St Paul 3 18.79x
Bromyard 3 123.46x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.54x
Hornchurch 3 68.97x
Maidstone 3 6.56x
Newington 3 1.81x
Oakham Lordshold 3 86.71x
Peterborough 3 9.80x
Salford 3 1.91x
South Kirkby 3 306.12x
Southwark Christchurch 3 14.24x
St Lawrence 3 28.44x
St Luke London 3 4.16x
West Bromwich 3 3.45x
West Ham 3 1.53x
Alderton 2 243.90x
Heeley 2 14.77x
Hemel Hempstead 2 14.32x
Horton Kirby 2 84.39x
Islington London 2 0.46x
Kirkdale 2 2.23x
Lichfield St Michael 2 42.02x
Milton In Milton 2 30.67x
Nettlestead 2 217.39x
Norton 2 317.46x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 15.69x
Wolverhampton 2 1.71x
Bury 1 1.64x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 12.94x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.64x
Rugby 1 6.52x
Uppingham 1 25.38x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Danes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 27
Ann 16
Emma 15
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 14
Eliza 12
Alice 11
Louisa 11
Jane 7
Ellen 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Florence 4
Jessie 4
Lydia 4
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Amy 2
Anna 2
Beatrice 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizh. 1
Enmily 1
Ester 1
Eva 1
Grace 1
Jeanette 1
Jemima 1
Jennie 1
Kezia 1
Kezial 1
Lettia 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Unity 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Danes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 34
Thomas 23
John 18
George 16
James 14
Charles 12
Edward 10
Albert 7
Henry 7
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Daniel 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Gorge 2
Jerome 2
Parker 2
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Foskey 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Gilbert 1
H. 1
Hamlet 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horage 1
Horatio 1
Hugh 1
Jonthan 1
Lot 1
Michael 1
Norman 1
Philip 1
Rees 1
Roger 1
Sydney 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Danes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Danes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 469 people were recorded with the Danes surname. That placed it at #7,106 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Danes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016. That gives Danes a modern rank of #14,376.

What does the Danes surname mean?

An ethnic surname derived from Denmark or denoting someone of Danish descent.

What does the Danes map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Danes bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.