NameCensus.

UK surname

Denovan

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Denovan surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, St. Ninians and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Renfrew West and Possil Park.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denovan is 215 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.3%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

1999

215 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denovan had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Denovan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denovan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denovan 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 179 #11,346
1861 historical 183 #12,903
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 197 #15,101
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 215 #17,425
2000 modern 210 #17,670
2001 modern 199 #17,996
2002 modern 195 #18,590
2003 modern 190 #18,683
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 189 #19,146
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 189 #20,171
2011 modern 184 #20,363
2012 modern 175 #20,984
2013 modern 186 #20,502
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 188 #20,417
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

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Where Denovans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Renfrew West, Possil Park and Swindon. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 St. Ninians Stirling
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 008 Bassetlaw
2 Renfrew West Renfrewshire
3 Possil Park Glasgow City
4 Swindon 009 Swindon
5 Bassetlaw 005 Bassetlaw

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denovan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denovan

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Denovan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Denovan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Denovan 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

Denovan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Denovan 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 Denovan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Denovan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denovan 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. Stirlingshire leads with 65 Denovans recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.25x.

County Total Index
Stirlingshire 65 127.25x
Lanarkshire 28 6.25x
Midlothian 12 6.47x
Herefordshire 7 12.33x
Brecknockshire 6 21.66x
Lancashire 5 0.30x
Surrey 4 0.59x
Cheshire 3 0.98x
Buteshire 2 23.84x
Suffolk 2 1.19x
Worcestershire 2 1.11x
Argyllshire 1 2.59x
Ayrshire 1 0.96x
Clackmannanshire 1 8.74x
Essex 1 0.37x
Middlesex 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 1.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Ninians in Stirlingshire leads with 36 Denovans recorded in 1881 and an index of 711.46x.

Place Total Index
St Ninians 36 711.46x
Stirling 18 279.50x
Barony 12 10.59x
Govan 9 8.12x
Hereford St Owen 7 372.34x
Glasbury 6 1621.62x
Larbert 6 196.72x
Glasgow 5 6.29x
South Leith 5 23.95x
West Derby 5 10.40x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 5.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 14.35x
Denny 3 110.29x
Balfron 2 317.46x
Chilton 2 1538.46x
Claines 2 40.32x
Cumbrae 2 227.27x
Duddingston 2 53.76x
Stayley 2 57.31x
Alloa 1 18.02x
Auckinleck 1 31.15x
Biggar 1 99.01x
Dunoon 1 126.58x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 25.97x
Kilmadock 1 69.93x
Old Monkland 1 5.62x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.10x
Tranmere 1 8.90x
West Ham 1 1.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 2
Amelia 1
Claudine 1
Elisabeth 1
Emily 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Minnie 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
James 2
Jeremiah 2
John 2
Albert 1
Cornelious 1
Edward 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Reginald 1
Walter 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Denovan households.

FAQ

Denovan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denovan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Denovan surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denovan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Denovan a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Denovan map show?

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