NameCensus.

UK surname

Davenport

An English locational surname referring to someone from a town near the Dane's port or landing place.

In the 1881 census there were 5,670 people recorded with the Davenport surname, ranking it #777 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,117, ranked #813, down from #777 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Radcliffe and Stockport. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Tameside and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Davenport is 8,691 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.2%.

1881 census count

5,670

Ranked #777

Modern count

8,117

2016, ranked #813

Peak year

1911

8,691 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Davenport had 5,670 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #777 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,117 in 2016, ranked #813.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,691 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Davenport surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Davenport surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Davenport 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 3,427 #833
1861 historical 3,729 #755
1881 historical 5,670 #777
1891 historical 6,226 #745
1901 historical 7,495 #719
1911 historical 8,691 #566
1997 modern 8,088 #786
1998 modern 8,523 #775
1999 modern 8,601 #774
2000 modern 8,587 #775
2001 modern 8,347 #777
2002 modern 8,514 #778
2003 modern 8,287 #787
2004 modern 8,229 #790
2005 modern 7,987 #802
2006 modern 8,025 #801
2007 modern 8,091 #803
2008 modern 8,081 #806
2009 modern 8,255 #806
2010 modern 8,413 #803
2011 modern 8,287 #806
2012 modern 8,077 #809
2013 modern 8,213 #811
2014 modern 8,256 #812
2015 modern 8,164 #812
2016 modern 8,117 #813

Geography

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Where Davenports are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Radcliffe, Stockport, Burslem and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Tameside and Wrexham. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Radcliffe Lancashire
3 Stockport Cheshire
4 Burslem Staffordshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 051 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire East 016 Cheshire East
3 Tameside 020 Tameside
4 Cheshire East 018 Cheshire East
5 Wrexham 019 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Davenport

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Davenport

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Davenport, 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 Davenport surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Davenport 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, Davenport 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

Davenport is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Davenport 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 Davenport is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Davenport

The surname Davenport originates from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Davenport in Cheshire, which means "port for the hill called Davenport". The name is composed of the Old English words "dæfan" meaning "demon" or "fairy", and "port" meaning "town".

One of the earliest records of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where it is spelled "Davenport". The Davenport family was prominent in Cheshire and held lands there from the 12th century onwards. The name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Devenport".

In the 13th century, several members of the Davenport family were recorded in various documents, including John Davenport, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272. Another notable figure from this period was Sir John Davenport, who was knighted in 1337 for his service during the Hundred Years' War.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Davenports were a prominent family in Cheshire and Staffordshire. One of the most famous Davenports was John Davenport (1597-1670), a Puritan minister who founded the colony of New Haven in Connecticut, USA.

Other notable Davenports include Sir Samuel Davenport (1718-1786), a British admiral who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War, and Sir Humphry Davenport (1566-1645), an English judge and Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Davenport name spread across England and beyond as people migrated to other parts of the British Empire and the United States. Some well-known Davenports from this period include Edward Davenport (1777-1847), an English actor and playwright, and Harry Davenport (1866-1949), an American actor who appeared in over 200 films.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Davenport families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Davenport 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. Lancashire leads with 2,016 Davenports recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,016 3.07x
Cheshire 1,294 10.59x
Staffordshire 567 3.03x
Middlesex 282 0.51x
Warwickshire 280 2.01x
Worcestershire 141 1.95x
Yorkshire 139 0.25x
Derbyshire 135 1.56x
Surrey 114 0.42x
Shropshire 104 2.17x
Leicestershire 94 1.53x
Hampshire 58 0.51x
Kent 53 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 43 0.58x
Sussex 39 0.42x
Northumberland 28 0.34x
Gloucestershire 23 0.21x
Herefordshire 22 0.97x
Berkshire 21 0.51x
Essex 18 0.16x
Devon 17 0.15x
Radnorshire 13 2.91x
Denbighshire 12 0.57x
Durham 12 0.07x
Northamptonshire 12 0.23x
Inverness-shire 11 0.67x
Oxfordshire 11 0.32x
Glamorgan 9 0.09x
Brecknockshire 8 0.72x
Dunbartonshire 7 0.47x
Hertfordshire 7 0.18x
Lanarkshire 7 0.04x
Norfolk 7 0.08x
Royal Navy 7 1.06x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.18x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.49x
Suffolk 5 0.07x
Wiltshire 5 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.11x
Channel Islands 4 0.24x
Dorset 4 0.11x
Lincolnshire 4 0.05x
Monmouthshire 4 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.13x
Cumberland 3 0.06x
Midlothian 3 0.04x
Flintshire 2 0.13x
Somerset 2 0.02x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Fife 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.10x
Merionethshire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Radcliffe in Lancashire leads with 183 Davenports recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.80x.

Place Total Index
Radcliffe 183 57.80x
Bury 131 17.46x
Pilkington 131 52.51x
Oldham 126 5.94x
Macclesfield 122 22.46x
Burslem 114 21.30x
Congleton 107 50.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 106 5.35x
Leek Lowe 88 35.40x
Manchester 77 2.61x
Salford 74 3.83x
Little Bolton 68 8.05x
Stockport 65 10.34x
Birmingham 62 1.33x
Pendleton In Salford 61 7.80x
Hulme 58 4.23x
Aston 50 1.30x
Bollington In 50 45.98x
Nantwich 50 35.22x
Newton 50 9.88x
Ashton Under Lyne 42 2.93x
Edgbaston 41 9.47x
Monks Coppenhall 41 8.89x
Lambeth 40 0.83x
Warrington 40 5.14x
Altrincham 37 17.33x
Cheadle 37 15.86x
Elton 36 15.86x
Barton Upon Irwell 34 6.88x
Heap 32 9.19x
Hyde 32 8.88x
Sutton In Macclesfield 32 25.24x
Toxteth Park 32 1.44x
Ardwick 31 5.23x
Blackburn 31 1.77x
Great Bolton 31 3.56x
Bromsgrove 30 12.33x
Widnes 30 6.33x
Wigan 30 3.27x
Wolstanton 30 5.29x
Blackley 28 24.32x
Farnworth 27 6.86x
Liverpool 27 0.68x
Maidstone 26 4.62x
Portsea 26 1.17x
Hale 25 59.33x
Over Darwen 25 4.77x
Stretford 25 6.92x
Wolverhampton 25 1.74x
Hackney London 24 0.77x
Prestwich 24 14.65x
Hampstead London 23 2.67x
Kings Norton 22 3.39x
Preston 22 1.25x
Chesterfield 21 6.46x
Poynton 21 51.12x
Broughton In Salford 20 3.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 20 1.92x
Monks Kirby 20 65.13x
Rusholme 20 11.42x
Foleshill 19 12.94x
Islington London 19 0.35x
Mile End Old Town London 19 1.61x
Sheffield 19 1.09x
Chilvers Coton 18 31.35x
Leicester St Margaret 18 1.20x
Newbold Astbury 18 123.71x
Castleton 17 2.59x
Handsworth 17 3.69x
Marton In Prestbury 17 291.10x
Middleton In Oldham 17 8.63x
Tottington Higher End 17 22.74x
Alberbury 16 142.22x
Failsworth 16 10.65x
Halifax 16 1.99x
Heaton Norris 16 4.28x
Kirkby In Ashfield 16 20.05x
St Marylebone London 16 0.54x
Willenhall 16 4.57x
West Derby 15 0.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 421
Sarah 251
Elizabeth 244
Ann 114
Alice 102
Jane 94
Emma 91
Annie 88
Hannah 88
Martha 83
Ellen 79
Eliza 72
Margaret 65
Emily 54
Harriet 47
Maria 38
Florence 30
Anne 29
Fanny 29
Ada 28
Clara 25
Catherine 24
Louisa 24
Agnes 23
Edith 23
Charlotte 21
Esther 21
Lucy 21
Caroline 20
Amelia 19
Frances 18
Kate 17
Rose 16
Amy 15
Eleanor 15
Betty 14
Elizth. 14
Jessie 13
Sophia 13
Gertrude 12
Isabella 12
Rachel 11
Susan 11
Lizzie 10
Minnie 9
Susannah 9
Betsy 8
Ethel 8
Ruth 8
Selina 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 375
William 309
James 256
Thomas 219
George 144
Joseph 126
Charles 100
Henry 98
Samuel 96
Edward 56
Alfred 50
Robert 47
Arthur 45
Harry 45
Richard 43
Walter 33
Frank 32
Daniel 27
Herbert 27
Albert 24
Ernest 21
Frederick 20
David 19
Wm. 19
Francis 18
Peter 18
Jonathan 17
Thos. 16
Edwin 14
Benjamin 12
Fred 12
Isaac 12
Mark 9
Robt. 9
Harold 8
Jacob 8
Matthew 7
Philip 7
Willm. 7
Ellis 6
Percy 6
Jesse 5
Squire 5
Stephen 5
Allen 4
Geo. 4
Horace 4
Jabez 4
Nathaniel 4
Saml. 4

FAQ

Davenport surname: questions and answers

How common was the Davenport surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,670 people were recorded with the Davenport surname. That placed it at #777 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Davenport surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,117 in 2016. That gives Davenport a modern rank of #813.

What does the Davenport surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from a town near the Dane's port or landing place.

What does the Davenport map show?

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