NameCensus.

UK surname

Danvers

A surname derived from the town of Danvers in Essex, England.

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Danvers surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 488, ranked #10,156, up from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Yardley, London parishes and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Danvers is 503 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 168.1%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

488

2016, ranked #10,156

Peak year

2010

503 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Danvers had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 488 in 2016, ranked #10,156.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 298 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Danvers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Danvers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Danvers 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 122 #18,036
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1891 historical 205 #14,649
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 298 #11,505
1997 modern 464 #9,831
1998 modern 467 #10,120
1999 modern 474 #10,055
2000 modern 484 #9,873
2001 modern 469 #9,927
2002 modern 488 #9,802
2003 modern 468 #9,958
2004 modern 478 #9,823
2005 modern 484 #9,659
2006 modern 489 #9,633
2007 modern 500 #9,562
2008 modern 494 #9,738
2009 modern 496 #9,929
2010 modern 503 #10,017
2011 modern 499 #9,965
2012 modern 468 #10,366
2013 modern 490 #10,176
2014 modern 489 #10,253
2015 modern 483 #10,264
2016 modern 488 #10,156

Geography

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Where Danvers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Yardley, London parishes, St Werburgh and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood and North West Leicestershire. 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 Yardley Warwickshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 005 Charnwood
2 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
3 North West Leicestershire 010 North West Leicestershire
4 North West Leicestershire 002 North West Leicestershire
5 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Danvers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Danvers

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Danvers, 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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Danvers is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Danvers is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Danvers falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Danvers 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 Danvers, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Danvers

The surname DANVERS is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the town of Danvers, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The name is thought to be a corruption of the Old English words "daen" meaning "valley" and "feres" meaning "dwellers," essentially translating to "dwellers in the valley."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the DANVERS surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de Daners." This early spelling variation highlights the locational roots of the name, with the prefix "de" indicating "of" or "from" the place called Daners or Danvers.

During the medieval period, the DANVERS family held significant land and influence in Gloucestershire and surrounding areas. The name appears in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and the Patent Rolls of 1348, where individuals with the DANVERS surname are mentioned in connection with land transactions and legal proceedings.

Notable individuals with the DANVERS surname include Sir John Danvers (c. 1588-1655), an English politician and regicide who was a signatory to the death warrant of King Charles I. Another prominent figure was Sir Henry Danvers (1573-1644), an English landowner and politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and represented the county in Parliament.

In the 17th century, the DANVERS name gained further recognition with the birth of Judith Danvers (1636-1713), a colonial American woman who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Her ordeal and eventual acquittal have been extensively documented in historical accounts of the trials.

The DANVERS surname also has ties to literary history, with the English poet and playwright George Danvers (1637-1689) being a noteworthy figure. His works, including plays and translations of Latin and Greek texts, were published during the latter part of the 17th century.

Another individual of note is Sir John Danvers (1588-1655), an English politician and regicide who played a significant role in the English Civil War. He was a member of the parliamentary forces and served as a colonel in the army. Danvers was one of the signatories to the death warrant of King Charles I in 1649.

Over the centuries, the DANVERS surname has maintained its presence in various parts of England, particularly in the West Midlands and surrounding regions. While the name has evolved through various spellings, such as Danvers, Daners, and Danferes, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the locational roots in Gloucestershire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Danvers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Danvers 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. Leicestershire leads with 54 Danvers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.43x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 54 27.43x
Middlesex 38 2.14x
Glamorgan 19 6.15x
Kent 7 1.16x
Suffolk 7 3.24x
Surrey 7 0.81x
Sussex 7 2.34x
Derbyshire 6 2.16x
Worcestershire 6 2.59x
Lancashire 5 0.24x
Yorkshire 5 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.67x
Berkshire 3 2.25x
Gloucestershire 3 0.86x
Bedfordshire 2 2.18x
Warwickshire 2 0.45x
Wiltshire 2 1.27x
Argyllshire 1 2.02x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.93x
Durham 1 0.19x
Essex 1 0.29x
Shropshire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheepshed in Leicestershire leads with 42 Danvers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1555.56x.

Place Total Index
Sheepshed 42 1555.56x
Ystradyfodwg 11 40.56x
Diseworth 9 3600.00x
Mile End Old Town London 8 21.18x
Falkenham 7 4117.65x
Brighton 6 9.94x
St Marylebone London 6 6.33x
Yardley 6 101.18x
Hackney London 5 5.02x
Shoreditch London 5 6.50x
Derby St Alkmund 4 48.02x
St George In East London 4 23.95x
Swansea Town 4 15.79x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 6.52x
Croydon 3 6.25x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 10.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 8.40x
Woolwich 3 13.40x
Bristol St James In 2 39.06x
Castle Donnington 2 122.70x
Chislehurst 2 61.54x
Cookham 2 48.19x
Farnborough 2 869.57x
Hampstead London 2 7.23x
Heckmondwike 2 35.34x
Heston 2 33.90x
Luton 2 12.57x
Paddington London 2 3.06x
Radford 2 16.45x
Salisbury The Close 2 512.82x
St Pancras London 2 1.40x
West Derby 2 3.25x
Wilne 2 312.50x
Aberdare 1 4.71x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 8.61x
East Grinstead 1 23.58x
Folkestone 1 8.51x
Godalming 1 18.35x
Greenwich 1 3.54x
Hammersmith London 1 2.29x
Holy Trinity 1 2.36x
Hucknall Torkard 1 16.47x
Kegworth 1 76.34x
Leyton 1 16.56x
Lismore Appin 1 60.98x
Monks Risborough 1 196.08x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.62x
Reading St Mary 1 9.37x
Sheffield 1 1.79x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 1 59.17x
Stockton On Tees 1 3.93x
Westminster St John 1 4.63x
York Holy Trinity 1 65.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Sarah 9
Annie 4
Elizabeth 4
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Violet 2
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Allan 1
Annabelle 1
Beatrice 1
Cecilia 1
Dinah 1
Dorothea 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elen 1
Elisabeth 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isbella 1
Janet 1
Johannah 1
Kathleen 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
M.A.A. 1
M.J. 1
Madeleine 1
Marwin 1
Minnie 1
Mira 1
Nelly 1
Rosalie 1
Sara 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Danvers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Danvers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Danvers surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Danvers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 488 in 2016. That gives Danvers a modern rank of #10,156.

What does the Danvers surname mean?

A surname derived from the town of Danvers in Essex, England.

What does the Danvers map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Danvers 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.