NameCensus.

UK surname

Darboe

A surname originating from the Serer people of Senegal and The Gambia.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bristol, Lewisham and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Darboe is 147 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

147

2016, ranked #24,071

Peak year

2016

147 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016, ranked #24,071.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Darboe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Darboe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Darboe 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
1997 modern 14 #36,528
1998 modern 9 #37,189
1999 modern 13 #36,693
2000 modern 23 #35,588
2001 modern 28 #34,936
2002 modern 34 #34,634
2003 modern 40 #34,215
2004 modern 41 #34,306
2005 modern 53 #33,528
2006 modern 60 #33,235
2007 modern 65 #33,045
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 147 #24,071

Geography

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Where Darboes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bristol, Lewisham, Leicester, Reading and Slough. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of
2 Lewisham 006 Lewisham
3 Leicester 011 Leicester
4 Reading 012 Reading
5 Slough 007 Slough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Darboe

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Darboe

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Darboe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Darboe 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Darboe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Darboe 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

Darboe falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Darboe 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Darboe

The surname Darboe is believed to have originated in The Gambia, a country in West Africa. It is a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Darbo or Darboe, which is thought to be of Mandinka origin. The Mandinka people are an ethnic group found primarily in The Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Darboe can be found in the records of the British colonial administration in The Gambia. In the 19th century, there are references to individuals with the surname Darboe serving in various roles within the colonial administration.

A notable bearer of the name was Alhagie Ousman Darboe, a Gambian politician and diplomat who served as the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1966 to 1970. He played a crucial role in The Gambia's transition to independence from British rule in 1965.

Another prominent figure with the surname Darboe was Sidia Darboe, a Gambian educationist and author. Born in 1923, Sidia Darboe was instrumental in promoting education and literacy in The Gambia, particularly through his work as the principal of Armitage High School, one of the country's leading educational institutions.

In more recent times, Ousainou Darboe, a Gambian lawyer and politician, has been a prominent figure in the country's political landscape. He served as the leader of the United Democratic Party, one of the major opposition parties in The Gambia, and was a vocal critic of the former president, Yahya Jammeh.

The name Darboe is also found among the Mandinka communities in neighboring countries like Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, where it may have variations in spelling or pronunciation due to linguistic and cultural differences.

It's worth noting that while the surname Darboe is predominantly associated with The Gambia and the Mandinka people, it is not uncommon for individuals from other ethnic groups or regions to adopt or be given the name, either through intermarriage or other cultural influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Darboe surname: questions and answers

How common is the Darboe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016. That gives Darboe a modern rank of #24,071.

What does the Darboe surname mean?

A surname originating from the Serer people of Senegal and The Gambia.

What does the Darboe map show?

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