NameCensus.

UK surname

Devenney

A surname of Irish origin referring to a person from the town of Derravane.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Devenney surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 366, ranked #12,690, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Upper East, Dartford and Ibrox East and Cessnock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devenney is 412 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36500.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

366

2016, ranked #12,690

Peak year

2010

412 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devenney had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016, ranked #12,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 34 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Devenney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devenney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devenney 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 29 #31,963
1901 historical 34 #30,281
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 386 #11,295
1998 modern 390 #11,563
1999 modern 390 #11,660
2000 modern 377 #11,903
2001 modern 357 #12,205
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 366 #12,010
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 374 #11,778
2006 modern 372 #11,878
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 387 #11,767
2009 modern 397 #11,793
2010 modern 412 #11,707
2011 modern 386 #12,170
2012 modern 360 #12,673
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 372 #12,669
2015 modern 369 #12,627
2016 modern 366 #12,690

Geography

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Where Devenneys 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 Port Glasgow Upper East, Dartford, Ibrox East and Cessnock, Greenock East and Drumoyne and Shieldhall. 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 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde
2 Dartford 004 Dartford
3 Ibrox East and Cessnock Glasgow City
4 Greenock East Inverclyde
5 Drumoyne and Shieldhall Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devenney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devenney

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Devenney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Devenney is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Devenney 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 Devenney 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 Devenney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Devenney

The surname Devenney is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic name "O'Duibhne." This name is believed to have originated in County Tipperary, Ireland, in the early medieval period. The prefix "O" in Irish surnames indicates a male descendant, while "Duibhne" is thought to be derived from the old Irish word "dubh," meaning dark or black.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Devenney surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a notable figure named Diarmaid O'Duibhne, who was the Chief of Hy Carbery in County Cork in the late 12th century.

As the Devenney family spread across Ireland, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Devenney, Devenny, and Davenny. These variations likely arose due to differences in pronunciation and regional dialects.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Devenney family settled in County Donegal, where they became prominent landowners. One notable member of this branch was Patrick Devenney, who was born in 1650 and served as a Colonel in the Jacobite Army during the Williamite War in Ireland.

Another notable figure with the Devenney surname was Cornelius Devenney, born in County Tyrone in 1782. He was a prominent Catholic priest and educator who played a significant role in establishing schools and promoting education in his local community.

In the 19th century, the Devenney family also had members who emigrated to other parts of the world, such as Australia and North America. One such individual was Michael Devenney, born in 1825 in County Donegal, who later settled in Ontario, Canada, and became a successful farmer and landowner.

Additionally, the Devenney name can be found in various place names across Ireland, such as Devenney's Bridge in County Fermanagh and Devenney's Island in County Donegal, further indicating the historical presence and influence of this family in different regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devenney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devenney 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 1 Devenneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1 8.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 1 Devenneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 625.00x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 1 625.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 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 Devenney households.

Occupation Count
Labourer 1

FAQ

Devenney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devenney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Devenney surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devenney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016. That gives Devenney a modern rank of #12,690.

What does the Devenney surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin referring to a person from the town of Derravane.

What does the Devenney map show?

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