NameCensus.

UK surname

Disney

An English surname derived from the French place name "Isigny," meaning "from Isigny."

In the 1881 census there were 473 people recorded with the Disney surname, ranking it #7,057 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 748, ranked #7,310, down from #7,057 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barrow-on-Soar, St Werburgh and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Derby and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Disney is 788 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.1%.

1881 census count

473

Ranked #7,057

Modern count

748

2016, ranked #7,310

Peak year

2010

788 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Disney had 473 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,057 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 748 in 2016, ranked #7,310.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 760 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Disney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Disney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Disney 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 265 #8,395
1861 historical 334 #7,631
1881 historical 473 #7,057
1891 historical 557 #6,807
1901 historical 660 #6,565
1911 historical 760 #5,687
1997 modern 724 #7,055
1998 modern 744 #7,150
1999 modern 750 #7,144
2000 modern 762 #7,023
2001 modern 726 #7,157
2002 modern 740 #7,180
2003 modern 725 #7,183
2004 modern 732 #7,150
2005 modern 737 #7,055
2006 modern 718 #7,220
2007 modern 731 #7,207
2008 modern 729 #7,260
2009 modern 749 #7,263
2010 modern 788 #7,120
2011 modern 770 #7,167
2012 modern 744 #7,275
2013 modern 745 #7,388
2014 modern 750 #7,378
2015 modern 743 #7,354
2016 modern 748 #7,310

Geography

Back to top

Where Disneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barrow-on-Soar, St Werburgh, Nottingham St Mary, London parishes and Keyworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Derby, Mid Devon and Rushcliffe. 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 Barrow-on-Soar Leicestershire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Keyworth Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 017 North Somerset
2 Derby 003 Derby
3 North Somerset 021 North Somerset
4 Mid Devon 006 Mid Devon
5 Rushcliffe 013 Rushcliffe

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Disney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Disney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Disney, 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 Disney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Disney 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Disney 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

Disney is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Disney falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Disney 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 Disney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Disney

The surname Disney originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French surname "d'Isigny", which referred to someone who came from the town of Isigny in Normandy, France. Over time, the spelling evolved to become Disney.

The earliest known record of the Disney name dates back to the 13th century in Oxfordshire, England. A record from 1292 mentions a William de Isney who held lands in that county. The name also appears in Lancashire, where a Roger de Isney is mentioned in documents from 1324.

In the 14th century, there are references to the Disney family owning lands and properties in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. A John Disney was listed as a landowner in Inglesham, Berkshire, in 1327. Around the same time, a Robert Disney is recorded as holding property in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire.

The Disney surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a Norman landowner named Isney or Isigny who held estates in Essex and Suffolk after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Disney surname was Sir William Disney (c.1400-1460), a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire and a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses.

Another notable early Disney was Sir Edward Disney (1519-1608), who served as Groom of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I. He was also a Member of Parliament for Berkshire and held lands in Lincolnshire.

In the 17th century, Reverend John Disney (1677-1729) was an Anglican clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham. He was also a chaplain to King George I.

During the American Revolutionary War, Reverend John Disney (1746-1816), the great-grandson of Reverend John Disney, served as a chaplain in the Continental Army and was present at the Battle of Yorktown.

In the 19th century, David Theophilus Disney (1803-1857) was a British artist and painter who exhibited works at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Disney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Disney 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 68 Disneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.47x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 68 1.47x
Leicestershire 67 13.10x
Derbyshire 52 7.20x
Nottinghamshire 50 8.04x
Devon 35 3.64x
Essex 29 3.18x
Somerset 29 3.90x
Suffolk 26 4.63x
Norfolk 21 2.96x
Yorkshire 15 0.33x
Surrey 14 0.62x
Kent 13 0.83x
Lancashire 13 0.24x
Warwickshire 11 0.95x
Hampshire 9 0.95x
Gloucestershire 6 0.66x
Cumberland 4 1.01x
Pembrokeshire 4 2.73x
Staffordshire 2 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.33x
Durham 1 0.07x
Flintshire 1 0.81x
Herefordshire 1 0.53x
Wiltshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Quorndon in Leicestershire leads with 41 Disneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1428.57x.

Place Total Index
Quorndon 41 1428.57x
Keyworth 35 2482.27x
Leicester St Margaret 11 8.82x
Stanley 11 820.90x
Hampstead London 10 13.92x
Kirkley 10 212.77x
Nottingham St Mary 10 6.22x
West Hallam 10 1063.83x
Aston 9 2.81x
Bleadon 9 918.37x
Derby St Peter 9 39.11x
Great Yarmouth 9 15.31x
Manningham 9 15.98x
Uffculme 9 314.69x
Wellington 9 89.37x
Greenwich 8 10.89x
Hinckley 8 65.95x
Islington London 8 1.79x
Manningtree 8 540.54x
Bethnal Green London 7 3.49x
Binsted 7 193.91x
Hackney London 7 2.71x
Hulme 7 6.12x
Colchester St Mary At 6 185.76x
Mile End Old Town London 6 6.11x
Ripley 6 67.19x
St Pancras London 6 1.62x
Walcot 6 15.17x
Cheltenham 5 7.16x
Duffield 5 87.87x
Frensham 5 151.52x
Loughborough 5 21.54x
Romford 5 34.72x
Thorpe Next Haddiscoe 5 3333.33x
Tiverton 5 30.23x
Willesden 5 11.50x
Brentwood 4 72.07x
Broadhembury 4 373.83x
Burlescombe 4 307.69x
Combs 4 212.77x
Kensington London 4 1.56x
Leeds 4 1.55x
Norton Subcourse 4 701.75x
Parton 4 170.94x
Pembroke St Mary 4 21.19x
Belper 3 21.43x
Bermondsey 3 2.18x
Bradfield St George 3 428.57x
Bradwell 3 340.91x
Brixham 3 26.95x
Hammersmith London 3 2.64x
Kentisbeare 3 227.27x
Lea Ashton Ingol 3 82.64x
Pakefield 3 214.29x
Shoreditch London 3 1.50x
South Mimms 3 47.39x
Basford 2 6.98x
Bath St James 2 25.81x
Chelsea London 2 1.44x
Dale Abbey 2 312.50x
Halstead 2 18.83x
Harborne 2 4.01x
Honiton 2 37.66x
Ingatestone 2 136.99x
Litchurch 2 6.88x
Lowestoft 2 7.53x
Margate St John Baptist 2 6.94x
Newington 2 1.17x
Snenton 2 8.19x
St Marylebone London 2 0.81x
Thurlton 2 303.03x
Wilne 2 121.21x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 6.39x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 3.31x
Clapham 1 1.73x
Huddersfield 1 1.50x
Limehouse London 1 1.97x
Semer 1 192.31x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.23x
Weston Super Mare 1 5.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 17
Emily 13
Annie 10
Ann 9
Alice 8
Eliza 8
Ellen 8
Caroline 6
Louisa 6
Charlotte 5
Emma 5
Catherine 4
Florence 4
Harriett 4
Jane 4
Matilda 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Maud 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Susannah 2
Adelaid 1
Amelia 1
Bella 1
Bertha 1
Bessy 1
Daisy 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Georgina 1
Gorgina 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Jemima 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 23
James 16
George 15
Thomas 12
Charles 10
Frederick 9
Henry 9
Robert 9
Samuel 9
Alfred 7
Frank 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Edgar 4
Ernest 3
Allen 2
Arther 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Amos 1
B...sley 1
Brutayom 1
Dooer 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Ezra 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Jonah 1
Lewis 1
Oliver 1
Rowland 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Disney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Disney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 473 people were recorded with the Disney surname. That placed it at #7,057 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Disney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 748 in 2016. That gives Disney a modern rank of #7,310.

What does the Disney surname mean?

An English surname derived from the French place name "Isigny," meaning "from Isigny."

What does the Disney map show?

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