NameCensus.

UK surname

Devaney

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Duibheanaigh, meaning "descendant of Duibheanach," a personal name meaning "black bird."

In the 1881 census there were 373 people recorded with the Devaney surname, ranking it #8,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,717, ranked #3,635, up from #8,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Manchester and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devaney is 1,774 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 360.3%.

1881 census count

373

Ranked #8,380

Modern count

1,717

2016, ranked #3,635

Peak year

2010

1,774 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devaney had 373 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,717 in 2016, ranked #3,635.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 639 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Devaney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devaney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devaney 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 373 #8,380
1891 historical 439 #8,224
1901 historical 639 #6,730
1911 historical 553 #7,252
1997 modern 1,621 #3,655
1998 modern 1,728 #3,585
1999 modern 1,714 #3,638
2000 modern 1,678 #3,683
2001 modern 1,652 #3,660
2002 modern 1,702 #3,646
2003 modern 1,683 #3,609
2004 modern 1,682 #3,617
2005 modern 1,642 #3,653
2006 modern 1,652 #3,635
2007 modern 1,653 #3,662
2008 modern 1,667 #3,654
2009 modern 1,724 #3,622
2010 modern 1,774 #3,606
2011 modern 1,729 #3,641
2012 modern 1,687 #3,668
2013 modern 1,750 #3,609
2014 modern 1,765 #3,597
2015 modern 1,731 #3,628
2016 modern 1,717 #3,635

Geography

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Where Devaneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Manchester, Wirral and Summerston North. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 024 Cheshire East
2 Manchester 018 Manchester
3 Wirral 036 Wirral
4 Summerston North Glasgow City
5 Wirral 041 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devaney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devaney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Devaney, 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 Devaney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Devaney 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, Devaney 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

Devaney 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

Devaney 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 Devaney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Devaney

The surname Devaney is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is thought to be an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Daimhín, which means "descendant of Daimhín." Daimhín is a diminutive form of the personal name Damh, meaning "ox" or "stag."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Devaney can be traced back to the 16th century in County Offaly, located in the province of Leinster, Ireland. The name was particularly prevalent in the baronies of Ballybritt and Clonlisk within County Offaly.

In the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, there is a mention of a Terence Ó Daimhín who lived in the 14th century and was a member of the Gaelic nobility in County Offaly.

The Devaney surname has also been associated with certain place names in Ireland, such as Devany (or Devaney), a townland in County Fermanagh, and Devenish, an island in Lower Lough Erne, which was once home to an important monastic settlement.

One notable figure with the surname Devaney was Thomas Devaney (1790-1858), an Irish-born Catholic priest who immigrated to the United States and served as the first Bishop of Boston from 1854 until his death.

Another prominent Devaney was Michael Devaney (1857-1935), an Irish journalist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Belfast West from 1918 to 1922.

In the literary world, Patrick Devaney (1904-1992) was an Irish writer and poet known for his works exploring themes of rural life in County Sligo, where he was born and raised.

John Devaney (1884-1949) was an American labor leader who served as the president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1919 to 1925.

Mary Devaney (1856-1927) was an Irish-born American actress who performed in various theatrical productions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including several Broadway shows.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devaney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devaney 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 142 Devaneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 142 3.28x
Yorkshire 49 1.36x
Lanarkshire 33 2.80x
Cheshire 29 3.60x
Renfrewshire 27 9.55x
Warwickshire 14 1.52x
Angus 12 3.55x
Perthshire 10 6.11x
Surrey 7 0.39x
Worcestershire 7 1.47x
Cumberland 6 1.91x
Kent 6 0.48x
Cornwall 5 1.21x
Denbighshire 5 3.63x
Derbyshire 5 0.88x
Middlesex 4 0.11x
Staffordshire 4 0.32x
Durham 3 0.28x
Hampshire 2 0.27x
Northumberland 2 0.37x
Flintshire 1 1.02x
Royal Navy 1 2.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 41 Devaneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.06x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 41 21.06x
Liverpool 26 9.89x
Abbey 13 30.13x
Kirkdale 13 17.85x
Birmingham 12 3.91x
Dundee 12 9.51x
Great Neston 12 451.13x
Bradford 11 54.29x
Wardleworth 11 44.46x
Mirfield 9 45.34x
Govan 8 2.74x
Knaresborough 8 140.85x
Mearns 8 161.62x
Gorbals 7 100.00x
Redditch 7 72.46x
Widnes 7 22.42x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 6.34x
Barony 6 2.01x
Maryhill 6 25.97x
Penge 6 25.75x
Perth Middle Church 6 97.40x
Rickergate 6 90.23x
Sculcoates 6 10.47x
Willaston In Wirral 6 1034.48x
Halifax 5 9.42x
New Monkland 5 14.33x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 54.00x
Salford 5 3.93x
Toxteth Park 5 3.41x
Wakefield 5 18.02x
Wrexham Regis 5 48.88x
Camborne 4 23.50x
Otley 4 45.56x
Perth West Church 4 51.48x
St Luke London 4 6.84x
Bromley 3 15.81x
Cranage 3 545.45x
Darlington 3 7.16x
Everton 3 2.17x
Glossop Dale 3 11.22x
Port Glasgow 3 21.95x
Preston 3 2.59x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 3 223.88x
West Greenock 3 5.91x
Wolverhampton 3 3.17x
Aston 2 0.79x
Gorton 2 4.92x
Holy Trinity 2 2.30x
Killinghall 2 235.29x
Little Bolton 2 3.59x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 7.11x
West Derby 2 1.58x
Aldershot 1 3.99x
Alverstoke 1 3.69x
Armley 1 6.27x
Blackburn 1 0.87x
Bothwell 1 3.13x
Bowling 1 2.79x
Cheriton 1 19.72x
Cotton 1 2000.00x
Dartford 1 7.86x
Derby St Alkmund 1 5.84x
Derby St Michael 1 83.33x
Epsom 1 11.55x
Falmouth 1 6.84x
Garston 1 7.82x
Gate Fulford 1 11.85x
Gillingham 1 3.90x
Knutsford Nether 1 20.53x
Meltham 1 17.79x
Mold 1 11.24x
Pannal 1 28.82x
Royal Navy 1 2.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.77x
Tranmere 1 3.38x
Walton On Hill 1 4.26x
Wavertree 1 7.22x
Wigan 1 1.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Margaret 18
Catherine 12
Ann 9
Bridget 9
Elizabeth 7
Ellen 5
Kate 5
Jane 4
Anne 3
Annie 3
Emma 3
Sarah 3
Julia 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Caroline 1
Cath. 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Honoria 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margeret 1
Margrett 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Ruth 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
Thomas 25
Michael 18
Patrick 17
James 12
William 11
Edward 5
Peter 5
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Francis 3
Frank 3
Austin 2
Hugh 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Bartholmew 1
Corneilas 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Jack 1
Jerimiah 1
Lackey 1
Lawrence 1
Martin 1
Owen 1
Stephen 1
Terance 1
Thos.J. 1

FAQ

Devaney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devaney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 373 people were recorded with the Devaney surname. That placed it at #8,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devaney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,717 in 2016. That gives Devaney a modern rank of #3,635.

What does the Devaney surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Duibheanaigh, meaning "descendant of Duibheanach," a personal name meaning "black bird."

What does the Devaney map show?

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