NameCensus.

UK surname

Doheny

Irish surname derived from Ó Duibhne meaning descendant of Duibhne.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Doheny surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Charnwood and Monmouthshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doheny is 159 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6750.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

2010

159 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doheny had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Doheny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doheny surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doheny 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 12 #32,772
1911 historical 16 #31,804
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 154 #21,316
1999 modern 152 #21,636
2000 modern 156 #21,235
2001 modern 149 #21,568
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 159 #22,577
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 145 #23,780
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Dohenys 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 Tameside, Charnwood, Monmouthshire, Hertsmere and Three Rivers. 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 Tameside 001 Tameside
2 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
3 Monmouthshire 001 Monmouthshire
4 Hertsmere 002 Hertsmere
5 Three Rivers 012 Three Rivers

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doheny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doheny

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Doheny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Doheny household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Doheny is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Doheny 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

Doheny 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 Doheny 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Doheny

The surname Doheny is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Dochartaigh, which translates to "descendant of Dochartach." Dochartach was a personal name that meant "obstructive" or "difficult." The name originated in County Donegal, Ireland, during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention several members of the Ó Dochartaigh family, including Niall Ó Dochartaigh, who was killed in 1395.

As the Ó Dochartaigh family spread throughout Ireland, the name underwent various spelling changes, including Doherty, Daugherty, and eventually Doheny. The variation Doheny became more prevalent among Irish immigrants to the United States in the 19th century.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Doheny was Edward L. Doheny (1856-1935), an American oil tycoon and businessman. He founded the Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company and played a significant role in the development of the oil industry in California.

Another prominent individual was William Doheny (1857-1919), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and the Senate of Canada.

In the literary world, Michael Doheny (1805-1863) was an Irish poet, journalist, and revolutionary who participated in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848.

Father Peter Doheny (1862-1934) was an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded Doheny Memorial Library at the University of Southern California.

Lastly, John Doheny (1904-1967) was an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder for the New York Giants and the Boston Braves in the 1920s and 1930s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doheny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doheny 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. Dorset leads with 1 Dohenys recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.74x.

County Total Index
Dorset 1 78.74x
Lancashire 1 4.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 1 Dohenys recorded in 1881 and an index of 555.56x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 555.56x
Hampreston 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 1
Margaret 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 Doheny households.

FAQ

Doheny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doheny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Doheny surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doheny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Doheny a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Doheny surname mean?

Irish surname derived from Ó Duibhne meaning descendant of Duibhne.

What does the Doheny map show?

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