NameCensus.

UK surname

Devon

An English toponymic surname referring to someone from the county of Devon.

In the 1881 census there were 276 people recorded with the Devon surname, ranking it #10,305 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 364, ranked #12,748, down from #10,305 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Lambeth and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devon is 611 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.9%.

1881 census count

276

Ranked #10,305

Modern count

364

2016, ranked #12,748

Peak year

1861

611 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devon had 276 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,305 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016, ranked #12,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 611 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Devon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devon 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 178 #11,397
1861 historical 611 #4,349
1881 historical 276 #10,305
1891 historical 340 #10,062
1901 historical 244 #13,329
1911 historical 304 #11,342
1997 modern 318 #13,024
1998 modern 336 #12,889
1999 modern 335 #12,993
2000 modern 320 #13,360
2001 modern 314 #13,318
2002 modern 336 #12,992
2003 modern 307 #13,614
2004 modern 314 #13,473
2005 modern 300 #13,837
2006 modern 314 #13,474
2007 modern 327 #13,229
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 345 #13,107
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 341 #13,341
2012 modern 329 #13,593
2013 modern 337 #13,537
2014 modern 352 #13,206
2015 modern 358 #12,942
2016 modern 364 #12,748

Geography

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Where Devons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Lambeth, County Durham, Lower Whitecraigs and South Giffnock and East Hertfordshire. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Easington Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 008 Wirral
2 Lambeth 020 Lambeth
3 County Durham 050 County Durham
4 Lower Whitecraigs and South Giffnock East Renfrewshire
5 East Hertfordshire 017 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devon

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Devon 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

Devon 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

Devon 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 Devon 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Devon

The surname Devon originates from the county of Devon in southwestern England. It is derived from an Old English word "Defnas" or "Defenas," which referred to the inhabitants of the area. The county itself was named after the Celtic people known as the Damnonii, who inhabited the region during the Roman occupation of Britain.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Devon can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "de Devene," "de Devonia," and "de Devonis," indicating that the bearers were from the county of Devon.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Devon was Robert de Devon, who lived in the 12th century and held lands in Somerset and Devon. Another notable figure was John de Devon, a 13th-century English judge and landowner in Devon and Gloucestershire.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Devene," "Deveney," and "Devenny." One notable bearer from this period was Sir Thomas Devene, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and served as a member of Parliament for Devon in 1362.

During the Tudor period, the surname took on more standardized spellings, such as "Devon" and "Devonne." One prominent figure from this time was Edward Devonne (c. 1505-1578), an English merchant and Member of Parliament who represented the city of Exeter.

In the 17th century, the surname Devon was well-established in England, and several notable individuals bore the name. These included John Devon (1591-1659), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Taunton, and Thomas Devon (1630-1689), an English merchant and landowner in Devon.

Throughout its history, the surname Devon has been associated with various notable figures, including Sir John Devon (1636-1701), an English politician and landowner who served as Lord Lieutenant of Devon, and Edward Devon (1806-1881), an English artist and illustrator known for his landscapes and architectural drawings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devon 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. Lanarkshire leads with 53 Devons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.09x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 53 6.09x
Middlesex 42 1.56x
Lancashire 34 1.06x
Cumberland 13 5.61x
Hertfordshire 13 7.01x
Surrey 12 0.91x
Yorkshire 12 0.45x
Staffordshire 11 1.21x
Wigtownshire 10 27.97x
Durham 8 1.00x
Essex 8 1.51x
Dunbartonshire 7 9.68x
Glamorgan 7 1.49x
Midlothian 7 1.94x
Ayrshire 5 2.48x
Renfrewshire 5 2.40x
Banffshire 4 7.16x
Warwickshire 4 0.59x
Somerset 3 0.69x
Devon 2 0.36x
Dorset 2 1.13x
Hampshire 2 0.36x
Perthshire 2 1.66x
Berkshire 1 0.49x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.59x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Cornwall 1 0.33x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x
Monmouthshire 1 0.51x
Northumberland 1 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.28x
Sussex 1 0.22x
Wiltshire 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 18 Devons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.17x.

Place Total Index
Barony 18 8.17x
Glasgow 16 10.35x
Shenley 13 1065.57x
Islington London 12 4.60x
Chipping Barnet 11 1549.30x
Wolstanton 10 36.23x
Wavertree 9 87.98x
Shettleston 8 102.56x
Barrow In Furness 7 16.11x
Kirkintilloch 7 71.21x
Underskiddaw 7 1428.57x
Camberwell 6 3.49x
Dalziel 6 64.03x
Hackney London 6 3.97x
West Ham 6 5.11x
Leckwith 5 454.55x
Stranraer 5 152.91x
Thornaby 5 50.15x
Toxteth Park 5 4.62x
Wigtown 5 245.10x
Aston 4 2.14x
Banff 4 82.47x
Blackburn 4 4.71x
Cockermouth 4 81.97x
Kilmaurs 4 116.62x
Chelsea London 3 3.70x
Everton 3 2.95x
Govan 3 1.39x
Lambeth 3 1.28x
Mile End Old Town London 3 5.24x
Newbottle 3 68.65x
South Leith 3 7.39x
Westoe 3 6.61x
Barking 2 12.86x
Dorchester St Peter 2 156.25x
Edinburgh Greenside 2 41.93x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.38x
Kinnoull 2 62.89x
Liverpool 2 1.03x
Middlesbrough 2 5.76x
Newington 2 2.01x
Renfrew 2 29.03x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 2 57.31x
West Greenock 2 5.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.01x
Coylton 1 34.97x
Dawdon 1 10.15x
East Kilbride 1 26.81x
East Retford 1 31.75x
Edmonton 1 4.61x
Escomb 1 27.17x
Eston 1 17.21x
Gosforth 1 88.50x
Hampstead London 1 2.38x
Harborne 1 3.43x
Hove 1 5.02x
Huddersfield 1 2.57x
Linthorpe 1 6.28x
Liscard 1 9.34x
Llansamlet Lower 1 23.58x
Lunt 1 1000.00x
Maryhill 1 5.87x
Neilston 1 9.55x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.82x
Newton 1 4.06x
Newton Toney 1 322.58x
Paddington London 1 1.01x
Penge 1 5.81x
Portsea 1 0.92x
Portsmouth 1 7.87x
Rackenford 1 303.03x
Reading St Lawrence 1 23.15x
St Giles Cambridge 1 45.45x
St Marylebone London 1 0.70x
St Pancras London 1 0.46x
St Woollos 1 4.60x
Wetheral 1 32.57x
Whitechapel London 1 3.77x
Witton 1 24.88x
York Mint Yard St 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 7
Jane 6
Ann 5
Sarah 5
Emily 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Janet 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Elsie 1
Eve 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lydia 1
Margret 1
Prudence 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 13
Thomas 10
James 8
Henry 7
Charles 5
Patrick 5
Edward 4
George 4
Benjamin 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.C. 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Thos.Tyson 1
Walter 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Devon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 276 people were recorded with the Devon surname. That placed it at #10,305 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016. That gives Devon a modern rank of #12,748.

What does the Devon surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone from the county of Devon.

What does the Devon map show?

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