NameCensus.

UK surname

Darnley

An English surname derived from a parish in England, referring to someone from Darnley or Darnall.

In the 1881 census there were 199 people recorded with the Darnley surname, ranking it #12,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 327, ranked #13,868, down from #12,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Stockport and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Solihull and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Darnley is 330 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.3%.

1881 census count

199

Ranked #12,880

Modern count

327

2016, ranked #13,868

Peak year

2014

330 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Darnley had 199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016, ranked #13,868.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 199 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Darnley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Darnley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Darnley 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 121 #15,049
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 199 #12,880
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 169 #16,824
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 265 #14,692
1998 modern 295 #14,029
1999 modern 287 #14,374
2000 modern 290 #14,237
2001 modern 279 #14,408
2002 modern 276 #14,794
2003 modern 284 #14,331
2004 modern 273 #14,804
2005 modern 276 #14,579
2006 modern 274 #14,769
2007 modern 267 #15,225
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 288 #14,838
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 306 #14,410
2012 modern 312 #14,131
2013 modern 323 #14,003
2014 modern 330 #13,889
2015 modern 327 #13,871
2016 modern 327 #13,868

Geography

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Where Darnleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Stockport, London parishes, Kings Norton and Birstall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Solihull, Bristol, Torridge and Woking. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Kings Norton Worcestershire
5 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 020 Barnsley
2 Solihull 009 Solihull
3 Bristol 035 Bristol, City of
4 Torridge 005 Torridge
5 Woking 002 Woking

Forenames

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First names often paired with Darnley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Darnley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Darnley 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

Darnley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Darnley falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Darnley

The surname Darnley originated in Scotland during the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "doire" meaning a grove or thicket, and "leath" meaning a slope or hillside. This suggests that the name likely referred to a person or family residing near a wooded hillside or grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in reference to Lord John Darnley, who was born around 1470 and held lands in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The Darnley family later gained prominence when Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, married Mary, Queen of Scots in 1565. Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley (1545-1567) was the father of King James VI of Scotland and I of England.

The name Darnley is also associated with the village of Darnley, located in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. This village likely took its name from the Darnley family who held lands in the area. The earliest known spelling of the place name was "Darnlie" in the 16th century.

In England, the name Darnley can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing a John Darnley residing in Staffordshire in 1592. Another notable bearer of the name was Edward Darnley (1668-1737), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Wigan.

Other historical figures with the surname Darnley include:

1. Sir Thomas Darnley (1615-1685), an English politician and landowner from Yorkshire. 2. George Darnley (1722-1811), a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as Governor of the Leeward Islands. 3. John Darnley (1786-1849), an English industrialist and inventor who developed a process for smelting lead ore. 4. Edward Darnley (1838-1914), a British naval officer who served in the Crimean War and the Second Opium War. 5. William Darnley (1864-1928), an Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Darnley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Darnley 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. Yorkshire leads with 46 Darnleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 46 2.44x
Lancashire 37 1.64x
Middlesex 24 1.26x
Warwickshire 20 4.17x
Morayshire 14 47.38x
Cheshire 11 2.62x
Lanarkshire 9 1.46x
Worcestershire 8 3.22x
Bedfordshire 5 5.08x
Selkirkshire 5 29.05x
Northumberland 4 1.41x
Staffordshire 4 0.62x
Shropshire 2 1.22x
Derbyshire 1 0.34x
Essex 1 0.27x
Gloucestershire 1 0.27x
Kent 1 0.15x
Lincolnshire 1 0.33x
Sussex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cleckheaton in Yorkshire leads with 13 Darnleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 187.32x.

Place Total Index
Cleckheaton 13 187.32x
Leeds 13 12.21x
Birmingham 11 6.88x
Stockport 11 50.90x
Drainie 10 381.68x
Denton 9 180.00x
Gorton 8 37.70x
Kings Norton 8 35.92x
Aston 6 4.54x
Kensington London 6 5.67x
Mile End Old Town London 6 14.82x
Bedford St Paul 5 73.96x
Droylsden 5 67.93x
Galashiels 5 78.62x
Forres 4 128.62x
Govan 4 2.63x
Hackney London 4 3.75x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 32.98x
Liverpool 4 2.92x
Mirfield 4 38.65x
New Monkland 4 22.00x
Ripon 4 91.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 5.87x
Warrington 4 14.95x
Batley 3 16.75x
Chiswick 3 28.87x
Coventry St Michael 3 19.47x
Manchester 3 2.96x
Bradford 2 4.38x
Drayton In Hales 2 59.00x
Haslingden 2 21.39x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 13.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 2 53.76x
Sculcoates 2 6.69x
St Pancras London 2 1.31x
Barony 1 0.64x
Glossop Dale 1 7.17x
Gloucester St John Baptist 1 41.49x
Great Grimsby 1 5.18x
Great Stanmore 1 117.65x
Heaton Norris 1 7.78x
Hove 1 7.11x
Lyminge 1 178.57x
Pendleton In Salford 1 3.72x
St Marylebone London 1 0.98x
Walthamstow 1 7.40x
Westminster St John 1 4.32x
Worsbrough 1 18.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 13
Mary 10
Elizabeth 6
Hannah 5
Ada 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Abigail 1
Amina 1
Ann 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Emmia 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Hayan 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Judith 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Marie 1
Mariorr 1
Martha 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Rosette 1
Selena 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
John 7
Charles 6
George 5
Henry 5
William 5
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Wm. 3
Harry 2
Jonas 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Alexandra 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Darnley 1
Edwd.B. 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Jos. 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Patrick 1
Phillip 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Darnley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Darnley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 199 people were recorded with the Darnley surname. That placed it at #12,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Darnley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016. That gives Darnley a modern rank of #13,868.

What does the Darnley surname mean?

An English surname derived from a parish in England, referring to someone from Darnley or Darnall.

What does the Darnley map show?

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