NameCensus.

UK surname

Davitt

An ancient Irish surname derived from the Gaelic elements "dubh" meaning dark and "fhith" meaning meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Davitt surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 508, ranked #9,877, up from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Castlemilk and Glenwood South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Davitt is 597 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 183.8%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

508

2016, ranked #9,877

Peak year

1998

597 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Davitt had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 508 in 2016, ranked #9,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Davitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Davitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Davitt 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 231 #13,472
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 214 #14,333
1997 modern 584 #8,299
1998 modern 597 #8,422
1999 modern 580 #8,632
2000 modern 559 #8,829
2001 modern 551 #8,789
2002 modern 550 #8,981
2003 modern 542 #8,947
2004 modern 534 #9,057
2005 modern 507 #9,351
2006 modern 509 #9,355
2007 modern 522 #9,254
2008 modern 509 #9,513
2009 modern 535 #9,366
2010 modern 539 #9,510
2011 modern 542 #9,387
2012 modern 514 #9,677
2013 modern 514 #9,824
2014 modern 528 #9,701
2015 modern 521 #9,722
2016 modern 508 #9,877

Geography

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Where Davitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Glasgow and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Castlemilk, Glenwood South, Bradford and Leeds. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 002 Knowsley
2 Castlemilk Glasgow City
3 Glenwood South Glasgow City
4 Bradford 008 Bradford
5 Leeds 088 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Davitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Davitt

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Davitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Davitt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Davitt 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

Davitt 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

Davitt 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 Davitt 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Davitt

The surname Davitt has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "damh" meaning "ox" and "fhiodhbhaidh" meaning "green plain or field," suggesting it may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked with oxen or lived near a green meadow.

The Davitt surname is predominantly found in the western counties of Ireland, particularly in Mayo, Galway, and Sligo. It is believed to have originated in the Gaelic kingdom of Connacht, where the name was first recorded in ancient manuscripts and records.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Davitt can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Dáibhídh Ua Dáibhídh, who lived in the late 12th century and was a member of a prominent Gaelic family.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Davitt surname was well-established in County Mayo, particularly in the baronies of Carra and Erris. Records from this period indicate that the Davitts were a prominent landowning family in the region.

Notable individuals with the surname Davitt throughout history include:

1. Michael Davitt (1846-1906), an Irish republican and founder of the Irish National Land League, who campaigned for land reform and tenant rights in Ireland.

2. John Davitt (1765-1835), an Irish-born British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Army Gold Medal for his actions at the Battle of Albuera in 1811.

3. Nicholas Davitt (1925-2000), an Irish Roman Catholic priest and historian who authored several books on Irish history and the Irish diaspora.

4. Thomas Davitt (1855-1936), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada representing the riding of Assiniboia West from 1904 to 1908.

5. Edith Davitt (1877-1954), an Irish-born Australian educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Australian Housewives' Association in 1928.

While the Davitt surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration, particularly to the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. However, the name remains strongly associated with its Irish heritage and the historical events and figures that have shaped its legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Davitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Davitt 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 73 Davitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.50x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 73 3.50x
Lanarkshire 24 4.23x
Yorkshire 16 0.92x
Warwickshire 13 2.94x
Northumberland 11 4.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 31.47x
Middlesex 8 0.46x
Northamptonshire 6 3.63x
Midlothian 5 2.13x
Durham 2 0.38x
Essex 2 0.58x
Hampshire 2 0.56x
Sussex 2 0.68x
Devon 1 0.27x
Dorset 1 0.87x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.83x
Kent 1 0.17x
Leicestershire 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 4.78x
Wiltshire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 27 Davitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.34x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 27 21.34x
Manchester 13 13.88x
Birmingham 11 7.45x
Farnworth 10 80.13x
Glasgow 10 9.92x
Barony 9 6.26x
Sheffield 7 12.64x
Brackley St Peter 6 530.97x
Leeds 6 6.11x
Minnigaff 6 631.58x
Byker 5 38.73x
Great Crosby 5 88.03x
Islington London 5 2.94x
Widnes 4 26.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 3.17x
Hulme 3 6.90x
Longbenton 3 27.12x
New Monkland 3 17.88x
Toxteth Park 3 4.25x
Tynemouth 3 21.44x
Cramond 2 112.36x
Kirkbean 2 408.16x
Alverstoke 1 7.67x
Bishop Stortford 1 24.75x
Blackburn 1 1.80x
Bonhill 1 13.21x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 6.05x
Bothwell 1 6.49x
Chatham 1 6.07x
Cheetham 1 6.44x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.02x
Clapham 1 714.29x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 7.56x
Coventry St Michael 1 7.03x
Devonport 1 23.81x
Eastbourne 1 7.34x
Everton 1 1.51x
Govan 1 0.71x
Halifax 1 3.92x
Hornsey 1 4.50x
Lancaster 1 8.06x
Magdalen Laver 1 1000.00x
Northowram 1 8.20x
Ovenden 1 12.92x
Paddington London 1 1.55x
Pendleton In Salford 1 4.03x
Portland 1 16.13x
Prittlewell 1 20.83x
South Shields 1 21.51x
St Katherine Coleman 1 588.24x
Stratfieldsaye 1 294.12x
Swindon 1 8.31x
Westoe 1 3.38x
Whalley 1 32.89x
Whitwick 1 40.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Catherine 7
Elizabeth 6
Margaret 6
Bridget 5
Ellen 5
Ann 4
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Sarah 2
Winifred 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bridgett 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Helen 1
Lucia 1
Lydia 1
Nancy 1
Naomi 1
Ralby 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
James 11
Michael 8
William 7
Patrick 4
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Anthony 2
George 2
Martin 2
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frick 1
Henry 1
Heugh 1
Michell 1
Pat 1
Peter 1
Tarrance 1
Terrance 1

FAQ

Davitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Davitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Davitt surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Davitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 508 in 2016. That gives Davitt a modern rank of #9,877.

What does the Davitt surname mean?

An ancient Irish surname derived from the Gaelic elements "dubh" meaning dark and "fhith" meaning meadow.

What does the Davitt map show?

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