NameCensus.

UK surname

Devanny

Irish surname transferred from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Daimhín meaning "descendant of Daimhín", a personal name meaning "little stag".

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Devanny surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Shepway and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devanny is 131 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.4%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

2009

131 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devanny had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 98 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Devanny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devanny surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devanny 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 80 #25,251
1911 historical 60 #26,808
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 123 #24,585
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Devannys 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 Bradford, Shepway, Leeds and Milnathort and Crook of Devon. 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 Bradford 027 Bradford
2 Shepway 009 Shepway
3 Bradford 022 Bradford
4 Leeds 076 Leeds
5 Milnathort and Crook of Devon Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devanny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devanny

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Devanny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Devanny 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Devanny is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Devanny 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

Devanny falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Devanny 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Devanny

The surname Devanny is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic words "dubh" meaning black, and "Amhnaigh" meaning from the river Avonmore. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century in County Wicklow, Ireland, where the Devanny family held lands along the banks of the Avonmore River.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Devanny can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a Donal Devanny is mentioned as a participant in the Battle of Croghan Hill in 1171. This suggests that the Devanny family had already established themselves as a prominent clan in the region by the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the Devanny name appears in the Pipe Rolls of County Wexford, which were records of taxes and land holdings. This indicates that the family had spread to neighboring counties and had acquired significant property and wealth.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Devanny name was Fergus Devanny, a renowned Irish poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century. His works, which included poems and translations of ancient Irish texts, are considered valuable sources for understanding the language and culture of medieval Ireland.

Another notable figure with the Devanny surname was Patrick Devanny, a 17th-century Irish soldier who fought in the Williamite War in Ireland. He served under the command of Patrick Sarsfield and was present at the Siege of Limerick in 1691, one of the major battles of the war.

In the 18th century, the Devanny name became associated with the Irish diaspora, as many members of the family emigrated to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia, seeking better opportunities and fleeing from the effects of the Great Famine.

One such individual was Michael Devanny, an Irish immigrant who settled in New York City in the mid-19th century and became a prominent businessman and philanthropist. He was instrumental in establishing several Irish-American organizations and institutions in the city.

The Devanny name also has connections to various place names in Ireland, such as Devanny Bridge in County Wexford and Devanny Hill in County Wicklow, both of which are believed to have derived their names from the Devanny family's historical presence in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devanny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devanny 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 50 Devannys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.41x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 50 4.41x
Durham 15 5.27x
Yorkshire 9 0.95x
Aberdeenshire 7 7.91x
Northumberland 7 4.92x
Staffordshire 4 1.24x
Middlesex 3 0.31x
Warwickshire 2 0.83x
Angus 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkham in Lancashire leads with 12 Devannys recorded in 1881 and an index of 800.00x.

Place Total Index
Kirkham 12 800.00x
Manchester 12 23.52x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 42.27x
Longbenton 7 116.28x
Thornley 6 582.52x
Droylsden 5 135.14x
Gateshead 5 23.49x
Darlington 4 36.43x
Oldham 4 10.93x
Royton 4 115.27x
Barnoldswick 3 227.27x
Liverpool 3 4.35x
North Bierley 3 58.71x
St Marylebone London 3 5.88x
Wednesbury 3 37.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 11.10x
Hulme 2 8.45x
Pendleton In Salford 2 14.80x
Todmorden Walsden 2 65.79x
Accrington 1 9.70x
Birmingham 1 1.24x
Dundee 1 3.02x
Northowram 1 15.06x
Osmotherley 1 333.33x
Preston 1 3.29x
Ripley 1 1000.00x
Southam 1 169.49x
Whittington 1 151.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Ann 3
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Margaret 3
Kate 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Elleanor 1
Eveleen 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Honoria 1
Maggy 1
Margt. 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Devanny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devanny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Devanny surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devanny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Devanny a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Devanny surname mean?

Irish surname transferred from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Daimhín meaning "descendant of Daimhín", a personal name meaning "little stag".

What does the Devanny map show?

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