NameCensus.

UK surname

Donaghue

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Donnchadh".

In the 1881 census there were 342 people recorded with the Donaghue surname, ranking it #8,902 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 325, ranked #13,930, down from #8,902 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Saviour Southwark, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Teignbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donaghue is 342 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 5.0%.

1881 census count

342

Ranked #8,902

Modern count

325

2016, ranked #13,930

Peak year

1881

342 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donaghue had 342 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,902 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016, ranked #13,930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 342 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Donaghue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donaghue surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donaghue 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 342 #8,902
1891 historical 166 #17,077
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1911 historical 115 #20,951
1997 modern 296 #13,646
1998 modern 320 #13,299
1999 modern 327 #13,209
2000 modern 320 #13,360
2001 modern 314 #13,318
2002 modern 330 #13,140
2003 modern 299 #13,850
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 309 #13,552
2006 modern 290 #14,202
2007 modern 300 #14,048
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 336 #13,613
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 333 #13,682
2014 modern 331 #13,851
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 325 #13,930

Geography

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Where Donaghues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Saviour Southwark, Govan Combination, London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Teignbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Milton East and Middlesbrough. 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 St Saviour Southwark London (South Districts)
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 045 County Durham
2 Teignbridge 005 Teignbridge
3 Tunbridge Wells 011 Tunbridge Wells
4 Milton East Glasgow City
5 Middlesbrough 004 Middlesbrough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donaghue

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donaghue

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Donaghue surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Donaghue household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Donaghue 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

Donaghue is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Donaghue 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 Donaghue is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Donaghue

The surname Donaghue originated in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha, meaning "descendant of Donnchadh." Donnchadh was a personal name that translates to "brown warrior" or "brave bear." The name was prominent in counties Cork, Kerry, and Limerick during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Donaghue can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. This text mentions a Donnchadh Ó Donnchadha who was a notable chieftain in County Cork in the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the surname was anglicized to various spellings such as Donoghoe, Donohoe, and Donaghue, reflecting the phonetic pronunciation of the Gaelic original. The Petty's Census of 1659, one of the earliest comprehensive surveys of Ireland, lists several Donaghue families in County Cork.

Notable historical figures with the surname Donaghue include Patrick Donaghue (1700-1779), an Irish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Dublin, and John Donaghue (1853-1935), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons.

Other prominent individuals bearing this surname were Jeremiah Donaghue (1820-1891), an Irish-American businessman and politician in New York, and Michael Donaghue (1866-1931), an Irish Fenian revolutionary and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

The Donaghue surname has also been linked to several place names in Ireland, such as Ballydonoghue (Baile Uí Dhonnchadha) in County Kerry and Donoughmore (Domhnach Mór), a parish in County Cork, which translates to "great church of Donnchadh."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donaghue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donaghue 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 89 Donaghues recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 89 2.66x
Lancashire 51 1.28x
Lanarkshire 31 2.86x
Surrey 23 1.41x
Devon 19 2.73x
Yorkshire 18 0.54x
Durham 13 1.31x
Midlothian 9 2.01x
Essex 8 1.21x
Warwickshire 8 0.95x
Dorset 7 3.19x
Glamorgan 7 1.20x
Northumberland 7 1.41x
Renfrewshire 7 2.70x
Cheshire 6 0.81x
Hampshire 6 0.87x
Kent 6 0.53x
Monmouthshire 5 2.07x
Norfolk 5 0.97x
Angus 3 0.97x
Staffordshire 3 0.27x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Selkirkshire 2 6.61x
Cumberland 1 0.35x
Fife 1 0.50x
Lincolnshire 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 2.51x
Stirlingshire 1 0.81x
Sussex 1 0.18x
West Lothian 1 1.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 21 Donaghues recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.76x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 21 11.76x
Govan 19 7.10x
Liverpool 10 4.15x
Salford 10 8.56x
Exeter St Stephen 9 2500.00x
Tottenham 9 16.89x
Aston 8 3.44x
Glasgow 8 4.16x
Bow London 7 16.44x
Bridport 7 154.87x
Escomb 7 153.17x
Hoyland Nether 7 86.10x
Manchester 7 3.92x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 23.55x
St George In East London 7 22.24x
St Pancras London 7 2.60x
Bethnal Green London 6 4.13x
Bradford 6 7.48x
Dukinfield 6 17.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 3.33x
Clapham 5 11.95x
East Stonehouse 5 36.44x
Lakenham 5 68.40x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 8.93x
Newington 5 4.05x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 7.43x
Tormoham 5 16.97x
Trevethin 5 21.89x
Wigan 5 9.01x
Gateshead 4 5.37x
Kensington London 4 2.15x
Mearns 4 88.11x
Walthamstow 4 16.83x
Wapping London 4 156.25x
Cambuslang 3 27.50x
Deptford St Nicholas 3 33.11x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.41x
Dundee 3 2.59x
Paddington London 3 2.44x
Port Glasgow 3 23.92x
St Helens 3 60.12x
Westminster St James 3 8.72x
Acton 2 10.20x
Aldershot 2 8.71x
Barnsley 2 5.85x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 6.34x
Castleton 2 5.04x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.17x
Clifton 2 6.03x
Colchester St Botolph 2 35.59x
Edinburgh New North 2 51.28x
Galashiels 2 17.87x
Habergham Eaves 2 5.51x
Hackney London 2 1.07x
Harborne 2 5.52x
Kirkdale 2 2.99x
Lambeth 2 0.69x
Oldham 2 1.56x
Oswaldtwistle 2 14.26x
Shoreditch London 2 1.38x
Southwark St John 2 19.55x
Southwark St Saviour 2 11.63x
Southwick 2 21.21x
St Anne Soho London 2 10.47x
St George Hanover Square 2 3.39x
Stoke Newington London 2 7.67x
West Derby 2 1.72x
Cardiff St Mary 1 3.12x
Cheetham 1 3.38x
Crosscanonby 1 10.49x
Croxby 1 666.67x
Edinburgh Greenside S 1 61.35x
Kimberworth 1 5.43x
Kirkham 1 19.05x
Maryhill 1 4.72x
Royal Navy 1 2.93x
Shadwell London 1 10.68x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 35.34x
Stone 1 6.92x
West Ham 1 0.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Ellen 14
Catherine 8
Margaret 8
Annie 7
Emma 7
Ann 6
Julia 6
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 5
Bridget 3
Helen 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Cordelia 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Anastasia 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
C. 1
Caroline 1
Cath. 1
Catherina 1
Celia 1
Clarissa 1
Constance 1
Deborah 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Honora 1
Honord 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Joasiah 1
Johanna 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Mired 1
Pheobe 1
Suzanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
James 12
William 9
Michael 8
Thomas 8
Patrick 7
Charles 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 3
Daniel 3
Dennis 3
Edward 3
Bernard 2
David 2
Denis 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Humphrey 2
Martin 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Timothy 2
Agnes 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Benjaman 1
Dan 1
Edmund 1
F.H.A. 1
Hugh 1
Humprey 1
Jas. 1
Jerry 1
Jospeh 1
Maurice 1
Micheal 1
Moris 1
Phillip 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Donaghue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donaghue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 342 people were recorded with the Donaghue surname. That placed it at #8,902 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donaghue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016. That gives Donaghue a modern rank of #13,930.

What does the Donaghue surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Donnchadh".

What does the Donaghue map show?

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