NameCensus.

UK surname

Devonshire

A surname derived from the English county of Devon.

In the 1881 census there were 530 people recorded with the Devonshire surname, ranking it #6,481 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 761, ranked #7,203, down from #6,481 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, Edmonton and Upton with Chalvey. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Wakefield and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devonshire is 884 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.6%.

1881 census count

530

Ranked #6,481

Modern count

761

2016, ranked #7,203

Peak year

1999

884 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devonshire had 530 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,481 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 761 in 2016, ranked #7,203.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 789 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Devonshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devonshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devonshire 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 359 #6,583
1861 historical 381 #6,712
1881 historical 530 #6,481
1891 historical 609 #6,307
1901 historical 683 #6,403
1911 historical 789 #5,526
1997 modern 838 #6,306
1998 modern 876 #6,292
1999 modern 884 #6,297
2000 modern 846 #6,486
2001 modern 841 #6,395
2002 modern 836 #6,543
2003 modern 808 #6,599
2004 modern 812 #6,589
2005 modern 787 #6,689
2006 modern 780 #6,764
2007 modern 788 #6,771
2008 modern 802 #6,733
2009 modern 804 #6,858
2010 modern 834 #6,795
2011 modern 814 #6,837
2012 modern 812 #6,758
2013 modern 815 #6,832
2014 modern 805 #6,965
2015 modern 778 #7,096
2016 modern 761 #7,203

Geography

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Where Devonshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, Edmonton, Upton with Chalvey, London parishes and Falmouth Town. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Wakefield and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Upton with Chalvey Buckinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Falmouth Town Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 008 Ashfield
2 Wakefield 005 Wakefield
3 Ashfield 016 Ashfield
4 Ashfield 015 Ashfield
5 Newark and Sherwood 006 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devonshire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devonshire

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Devonshire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Devonshire 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Devonshire 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

Devonshire is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Devonshire

The surname Devonshire is a locational name that originated in England, specifically in the county of Devon. It first emerged in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name is derived from the Old English words "Defe-na-scir," which translates to "the people living in the region of the Defena or River Dane."

The earliest recorded use of the name Devonshire is found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their estates commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Deuenescire" in this historic document, referring to the county of Devon.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as Devonshyre, Devonshyre, and Devonshaire appearing in various historical records. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling "Devonshire" dates back to the late 13th century, found in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like survey of landholdings in England conducted between 1274 and 1279.

Noteworthy individuals bearing the surname Devonshire throughout history include Sir William Devonshire (c. 1495-1549), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another notable figure was Sir Christopher Devonshire (1560-1629), a prominent merchant and philanthropist who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1621.

In the 18th century, William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720-1764), was a prominent statesman and politician who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain for a brief period in 1756-1757. His wife, Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), was a renowned socialite and political activist.

In the literary world, the name Devonshire is associated with Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), who was immortalized in the novel "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire" by Amanda Foreman, published in 1998.

The surname Devonshire has also been carried by notable individuals in more recent times, such as Sir Andrew Devonshire (1879-1958), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as Governor of Kenya Colony from 1923 to 1928, and Sir Eric Devonshire (1891-1975), a British lawyer and judge who served as Lord Justice of Appeal from 1951 to 1958.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devonshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devonshire 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. Middlesex leads with 121 Devonshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 121 2.33x
Buckinghamshire 101 32.13x
Cornwall 42 7.14x
Yorkshire 35 0.68x
Kent 31 1.75x
Bedfordshire 23 8.54x
Sussex 21 2.40x
Surrey 20 0.79x
Devon 18 1.66x
Lancashire 17 0.28x
Northamptonshire 17 3.48x
Hertfordshire 15 4.19x
Hampshire 12 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.71x
Glamorgan 10 1.10x
Norfolk 8 1.00x
Essex 7 0.68x
Warwickshire 5 0.38x
Renfrewshire 4 0.99x
Lincolnshire 3 0.36x
Berkshire 2 0.51x
Gloucestershire 2 0.20x
Royal Navy 2 3.23x
Worcestershire 2 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.30x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hillingdon in Middlesex leads with 25 Devonshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 150.78x.

Place Total Index
Hillingdon 25 150.78x
Beaconsfield 23 790.38x
Burnham 19 473.82x
Farnham Royal 16 860.22x
Scarborough 16 34.17x
Falmouth 15 72.01x
Shoreditch London 15 6.66x
Creed Grampound 13 1830.99x
Stoke Poges 13 339.43x
Hucknall Torkard 11 61.90x
Minster In Sheppey 11 37.43x
Eastbourne 10 24.79x
Finchley 10 50.18x
Greenwich 10 12.08x
Llantrisant 10 43.82x
Northampton Priory St 10 34.08x
Sculcoates 10 12.24x
Ware 10 97.37x
East Stonehouse 9 42.21x
Hedgerley Dean 9 2500.00x
Bethnal Green London 8 3.54x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 8 33.33x
Lambeth 8 1.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 7.65x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 63.85x
Willesden 8 16.32x
Hastings St Leonards 7 54.31x
Meppershall 7 507.25x
Chalfont St Peter 6 231.66x
Edmonton 6 14.32x
Islington London 6 1.19x
Portsea 6 2.87x
Southill 6 275.23x
Aston 5 1.38x
Byfield 5 354.61x
Castleford 5 26.65x
Cople 5 609.76x
Creed 5 1162.79x
Everton 5 2.54x
Heap 5 15.28x
Poplar London 5 5.10x
Rochester St Margaret 5 26.72x
St Dennis 5 227.27x
St Pancras London 5 1.19x
Abbey 4 6.51x
Clerkenwell London 4 3.26x
Manchester 4 1.44x
St Marylebone London 4 1.44x
Tottenham 4 4.83x
Farlington 3 137.61x
Hedgerley 3 1304.35x
Kensington London 3 1.04x
Portsmouth 3 12.22x
Shadwell London 3 20.62x
Stoke Damerel 3 3.96x
Stoke Newington London 3 7.41x
West Ham 3 1.32x
Ampthill 2 49.75x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.38x
Beckingham 2 322.58x
Bengeo 2 48.08x
East Blatchington 2 526.32x
Gloucester St Owen 2 178.57x
Heptonstall 2 27.66x
Leyton 2 11.31x
Mathon 2 100.50x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 2 90.09x
Northampton All Sts 2 12.06x
Royal Navy 2 3.78x
Shefford Hardwick 2 2222.22x
Streatham 2 5.19x
Wolborough 2 14.62x
Colwick 1 500.00x
Cookham 1 8.22x
Hammersmith London 1 0.78x
Hornsey 1 1.52x
Lewes St John 1 103.09x
Pembroke St Mary 1 4.70x
St Michael Cambridge 1 104.17x
Taplow 1 52.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Sarah 28
Elizabeth 20
Emma 17
Annie 14
Alice 12
Jane 11
Eliza 10
Ann 9
Ellen 8
Sophia 8
Emily 7
Martha 7
Fanny 6
Clara 5
Hannah 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Phoebe 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Ruth 2
Carry 1
Catherine 1
Christine 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Gwendolin 1
Kezia 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lousia 1
M. 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
George 31
John 25
James 23
Joseph 18
Thomas 14
Arthur 9
Henry 8
Alfred 7
Charles 6
Thos. 6
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Geoe. 2
Peter 2
Abraham 1
Absalon 1
Adam 1
Antinia 1
Archibald 1
Augustus 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Eziekel 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Harwood 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Jack 1
Jas. 1
Jim 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Thoms 1
Thos.Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Devonshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devonshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 530 people were recorded with the Devonshire surname. That placed it at #6,481 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devonshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 761 in 2016. That gives Devonshire a modern rank of #7,203.

What does the Devonshire surname mean?

A surname derived from the English county of Devon.

What does the Devonshire map show?

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