NameCensus.

UK surname

Dolan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dúbhshláine," meaning "descendant of Dúbhshláine" (the dark-haired man of the River Sláine).

In the 1881 census there were 2,611 people recorded with the Dolan surname, ranking it #1,708 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,371, ranked #908, up from #1,708 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Law, St. Helens and Harthill and Salsburgh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dolan is 7,427 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 182.3%.

1881 census count

2,611

Ranked #1,708

Modern count

7,371

2016, ranked #908

Peak year

2010

7,427 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dolan had 2,611 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,708 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,371 in 2016, ranked #908.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,295 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dolan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dolan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dolan 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 851 #3,195
1861 historical 1,199 #2,373
1881 historical 2,611 #1,708
1891 historical 2,751 #1,716
1901 historical 3,295 #1,693
1911 historical 2,740 #1,893
1997 modern 7,029 #926
1998 modern 7,270 #933
1999 modern 7,318 #932
2000 modern 7,187 #947
2001 modern 7,004 #947
2002 modern 7,232 #933
2003 modern 7,059 #930
2004 modern 7,001 #935
2005 modern 6,976 #930
2006 modern 6,907 #943
2007 modern 6,986 #939
2008 modern 7,004 #943
2009 modern 7,245 #931
2010 modern 7,427 #926
2011 modern 7,318 #926
2012 modern 7,140 #925
2013 modern 7,266 #928
2014 modern 7,376 #918
2015 modern 7,342 #914
2016 modern 7,371 #908

Geography

Back to top

Where Dolans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Law, St. Helens, Harthill and Salsburgh, Ardler and St Marys and Whitfield. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Law Dundee City
2 St. Helens 008 St. Helens
3 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
4 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City
5 Whitfield Dundee City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dolan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dolan

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

Dolan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dolan

The surname Dolan is of Irish origin, with its roots traced back to the ancient Gaelic name O'Dualain or O'Doolain. The name is derived from the Irish word "dualmhuigh," meaning "poet" or "rhymer." This suggests that the original bearers of this name were associated with the bardic tradition in Ireland.

The earliest recorded instances of the Dolan surname can be found in the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the earliest documented references is in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Dolan family from County Westmeath.

The surname Dolan has a strong connection to County Westmeath and County Longford in Ireland. It is believed that the name originated in these regions and later spread to other parts of Ireland and beyond.

Notable individuals with the surname Dolan include John Dolan (c. 1755-1827), an Irish-American merchant and patriot who played a significant role in the American Revolution. Another prominent figure is Brian Patrick Dolan (1830-1918), a Catholic priest and prominent educator who founded several schools and colleges in the United States.

Father Edward Dolan (1857-1932), a Catholic priest and historian, contributed significantly to the documentation of Irish history and culture. He was instrumental in preserving many ancient Irish manuscripts and records.

In the realm of sports, James Dolan (born 1955) is a notable figure as the executive chairman and CEO of The Madison Square Garden Company, which owns several professional sports teams, including the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers.

Another influential individual with the Dolan surname is writer and journalist Marti Dolan (born 1952), who has authored several books and has been a prominent figure in the field of journalism, particularly in Los Angeles.

While the Dolan surname has its origins in Ireland, it has since spread across the globe, with bearers of the name found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dolan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dolan 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 860 Dolans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.85x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 860 2.85x
Yorkshire 337 1.34x
Lanarkshire 270 3.29x
Durham 182 2.41x
Cheshire 127 2.26x
Staffordshire 127 1.48x
Middlesex 115 0.45x
Angus 102 4.33x
Midlothian 85 2.50x
Warwickshire 71 1.11x
Renfrewshire 32 1.62x
Surrey 31 0.25x
Kent 28 0.32x
Perthshire 23 2.02x
Hampshire 22 0.42x
Stirlingshire 19 2.03x
Cumberland 16 0.73x
Derbyshire 15 0.38x
East Lothian 12 3.57x
Dunbartonshire 11 1.61x
Shropshire 10 0.46x
West Lothian 10 2.61x
Fife 9 0.60x
Lincolnshire 8 0.20x
Northumberland 8 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.20x
Peeblesshire 7 5.86x
Channel Islands 6 0.80x
Norfolk 6 0.15x
Berkshire 5 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.33x
Essex 5 0.10x
Royal Navy 5 1.65x
Selkirkshire 5 2.17x
Ayrshire 4 0.21x
Gloucestershire 4 0.08x
Glamorgan 3 0.07x
Monmouthshire 3 0.16x
Dorset 2 0.12x
Somerset 2 0.05x
Worcestershire 2 0.06x
Berwickshire 1 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Devon 1 0.02x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 119 Dolans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.50x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 119 6.50x
Govan 94 4.62x
Manchester 90 6.64x
Dundee 69 7.85x
Warrington 62 17.34x
Barony 60 2.88x
Stockport 48 16.63x
Birmingham 44 2.06x
Old Monkland 38 11.65x
Leeds 35 2.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 33 6.89x
Wakefield 31 16.04x
Widnes 28 12.87x
Salford 27 3.04x
Walsall Foreign 26 5.87x
Stoke Upon Trent 25 2.75x
Liff Benvie 24 6.72x
Middlesbrough 24 7.32x
West Derby 23 2.61x
Batley 22 9.19x
Hartlepool 22 20.48x
Kirkdale 22 4.34x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 1.53x
Ashton Under Lyne 19 2.88x
Everton 19 1.98x
Glasgow 19 1.30x
Hunslet 19 4.84x
Wigan 19 4.51x
Windle 19 11.20x
Aston 18 1.02x
South Leith 18 4.70x
Parr 17 15.76x
Preston 17 2.11x
Tipton 17 6.47x
Farnworth 16 8.86x
Heaton Norris 16 9.32x
Hulme 16 2.54x
Blairgowrie 15 33.25x
Crook Billy Row 15 15.49x
Sutton 15 14.83x
Toxteth Park 15 1.47x
Bishopwearmouth 14 2.16x
Bothwell 14 6.28x
Sunderland 14 10.49x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 13 14.22x
Clerkenwell London 13 2.17x
Newchurch 13 5.27x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 7.93x
Handsworth 12 5.68x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 3.66x
Leftwich 12 48.17x
Openshaw 12 8.50x
St Luke London 12 2.94x
St Marylebone London 12 0.88x
Coundon 11 35.90x
Edinburgh New North 11 37.12x
Newton In Makerfield 11 11.91x
Oldham 11 1.13x
Runcorn 11 8.51x
Stoke Newington London 11 5.56x
Chester St John Baptist 10 9.92x
Conside Knitsley 10 17.01x
Croydon 10 1.45x
Ince In Makerfield 10 7.13x
Kippen 10 79.30x
St Pancras London 10 0.49x
Wolverhampton 10 1.52x
Bradford 9 1.48x
Burton Upon Trent 9 4.48x
Bury 9 2.61x
Gateshead 9 1.59x
Gorbals 9 18.45x
Holy Trinity 9 1.49x
Over Darwen 9 3.74x
Soothill 9 9.89x
Accrington 8 2.92x
Glossop Dale 8 4.29x
Newton 8 3.44x
Spotland 8 2.39x
Wellington 8 6.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 252
Catherine 70
Margaret 66
Ann 59
Bridget 50
Ellen 49
Elizabeth 43
Sarah 30
Kate 25
Jane 23
Alice 19
Rose 19
Annie 18
Agnes 12
Maria 11
Anne 10
Eliza 9
Hannah 8
Martha 8
Frances 7
Susan 7
Teresa 6
Cath. 5
Elizth. 5
Emily 5
Julia 5
Margret 5
Margt. 5
Winifred 5
Ada 4
Catharine 4
Katherine 4
Lizzie 4
Cathrine 3
Cecilia 3
Edith 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Henrietta 3
Maggie 3
Marie 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Theresa 3
Bridgett 2
Elenour 2
Johanna 2
Louisa 2
Marian 2
Winnifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 204
James 126
Thomas 116
Patrick 105
Michael 75
William 58
Peter 25
Edward 23
Francis 20
Martin 18
Charles 13
Joseph 13
Henry 12
Bernard 11
George 9
Hugh 8
Thos. 8
Edwd. 7
Robert 7
Andrew 6
Daniel 6
Mathew 6
Richard 6
Stephen 6
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Edmund 4
Michal 4
Philip 4
Phillip 4
Albert 3
Christopher 3
Denis 3
Dennis 3
Laurence 3
Lawrence 3
Luke 3
Matthew 3
Micheal 3
Owen 3
Paul 3
Timothy 3
Barney 2
Frank 2
Jhn. 2
Mark 2
Michl. 2
Miles 2
Terence 2
Terrance 2

FAQ

Dolan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dolan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,611 people were recorded with the Dolan surname. That placed it at #1,708 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dolan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,371 in 2016. That gives Dolan a modern rank of #908.

What does the Dolan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dúbhshláine," meaning "descendant of Dúbhshláine" (the dark-haired man of the River Sláine).

What does the Dolan map show?

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