NameCensus.

UK surname

Denvir

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac an Bhaird, meaning son of the bard or poet.

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Denvir surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 167, ranked #22,055, up from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Copeland and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denvir is 167 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 149.3%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

167

2016, ranked #22,055

Peak year

2016

167 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denvir had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016, ranked #22,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 69 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Denvir surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denvir surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denvir 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 54 #29,849
1901 historical 69 #26,499
1911 historical 67 #26,152
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 124 #24,750
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 162 #22,292
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 167 #22,055

Geography

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Where Denvirs 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 Allerdale, Copeland, Stockport, Breckland and Moodiesburn East. 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 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Copeland 002 Copeland
3 Stockport 018 Stockport
4 Breckland 009 Breckland
5 Moodiesburn East North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denvir

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denvir

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Denvir surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Denvir household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Denvir is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Denvir 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

Denvir falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Denvir 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Denvir

The surname Denvir has its origins in Ireland, specifically in the northern counties of Ulster. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, sometime between the 11th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "duine" meaning "man" and "fior" meaning "true" or "genuine." Thus, the name Denvir is thought to have originally referred to an honest or trustworthy person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a "Domnall Ua Denvir" is mentioned in an entry dated 1164. This suggests that the surname was already in use by that time.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records and documents related to the counties of Antrim and Derry, indicating that these were areas where the Denvirs were concentrated. For example, a "Donnell Denvir" is listed as a landholder in the 1609 Plantation of Ulster, a historical event that saw the settlement of English and Scottish Protestants in Ulster.

Notable individuals with the surname Denvir include Patrick Denvir (1701-1789), an Irish Catholic priest and philosopher who taught at the University of Paris. Another prominent figure was John Denvir (1834-1916), an Irish-American journalist and author who wrote extensively about Irish history and culture.

In the 19th century, the surname can be found in various records related to the County Antrim parish of Drummaul, which was home to a significant number of Denvir families. One individual of note from this area was Hugh Denvir (1803-1878), a prominent farmer and landowner.

Other notable individuals bearing the name include Martin Denvir (1925-2018), an Irish-American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the Northern Ireland conflict, and Brendan Denvir (1936-2018), an Irish playwright and screenwriter best known for his work on the long-running television series "Glenroe."

While the name Denvir is not among the most common Irish surnames, it has a rich history and can be traced back to medieval Ireland, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for a trustworthy or honest individual.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Denvir families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denvir 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. Cumberland leads with 31 Denvirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.61x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 31 58.61x
Lancashire 17 2.33x
Westmorland 5 37.04x
Peeblesshire 4 138.41x
Lanarkshire 3 1.51x
Ayrshire 2 4.35x
Yorkshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cleator in Cumberland leads with 17 Denvirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 772.73x.

Place Total Index
Cleator 17 772.73x
Whitehaven 13 460.99x
Liverpool 8 18.07x
Kendal 5 202.43x
Innerleithen 4 519.48x
Salford 4 18.66x
Everton 3 12.91x
Glasgow 2 5.67x
Toxteth Park 2 8.10x
Ayr 1 46.08x
Barony 1 1.99x
Craigie 1 769.23x
Huddersfield 1 11.27x
Millom 1 61.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Rose 3
Catherine 2
Isabella 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Babella 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Maria 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

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 Denvir households.

FAQ

Denvir surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denvir surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Denvir surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denvir surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016. That gives Denvir a modern rank of #22,055.

What does the Denvir surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac an Bhaird, meaning son of the bard or poet.

What does the Denvir map show?

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