NameCensus.

UK surname

Donavan

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Donovan, derived from the Gaelic Ó Domnáin meaning "descendant of Domhnán".

In the 1881 census there were 279 people recorded with the Donavan surname, ranking it #10,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 92, ranked #32,035, down from #10,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Western Edge and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donavan is 327 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 67.0%.

1881 census count

279

Ranked #10,230

Modern count

92

2016, ranked #32,035

Peak year

1851

327 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Donavan had 279 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016, ranked #32,035.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 327 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Donavan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donavan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donavan 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 327 #7,119
1861 historical 303 #8,365
1881 historical 279 #10,230
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 100 #27,619
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 89 #29,173
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 85 #30,132
2005 modern 75 #31,400
2006 modern 75 #31,733
2007 modern 83 #31,183
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 92 #30,820
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 87 #31,905
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 92 #32,035

Geography

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Where Donavans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil and St Giles-in-the-Fields. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, Western Edge, Hounslow, Southwark and Peterborough. 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 George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 St Giles-in-the-Fields London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 053 Birmingham
2 Western Edge Perth and Kinross
3 Hounslow 018 Hounslow
4 Southwark 016 Southwark
5 Peterborough 007 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donavan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donavan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Donavan, 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 Donavan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Donavan 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Donavan 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

Donavan 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

Donavan falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Donavan

The surname DONAVAN originated in Ireland, likely emerging in the early 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Donndubhan," which means "brown-haired man." This name was often anglicized to "Donovan" or "Donavan" as the English language gained prominence in Ireland.

The DONAVAN surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cork and Kerry, where many families bearing this name resided. Some early records mention Donavans in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the late 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname DONAVAN was Cormac Donavan, a notable Irish chieftain who lived in the late 14th century. He was a member of the powerful Donavan clan based in County Cork.

In the 16th century, the DONAVAN surname appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of legal documents from the reign of the Tudor monarchs in England and Ireland. Specifically, a Daniel Donavan was mentioned in these records in 1584.

During the 17th century, the DONAVAN surname was found in various Irish records, such as the 1659 Census of Ireland. One prominent individual from this era was Dermot Donavan, a scholar and historian born in County Cork in 1631.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the DONAVAN surname was Edmond Donavan, an Irish soldier and writer who served in the French army. He was born in County Cork in 1768 and wrote several military treatises.

Another figure of historical significance was Michael Donavan, an Irish-American author and journalist born in County Cork in 1829. He emigrated to the United States and became a prominent writer, publishing works on Irish history and culture.

The DONAVAN surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Donavan's Cove and Donavan's Rock, both located in County Cork. These place names likely derived from early Donavan families who settled in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donavan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donavan 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 73 Donavans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 73 2.73x
Lancashire 63 1.99x
Surrey 40 3.07x
Glamorgan 15 3.22x
Kent 12 1.32x
Derbyshire 10 2.39x
Monmouthshire 10 5.18x
Devon 9 1.62x
Warwickshire 8 1.19x
Yorkshire 7 0.26x
Leicestershire 6 2.02x
Northumberland 5 1.26x
Essex 3 0.57x
Sussex 3 0.67x
Channel Islands 2 2.53x
Berkshire 1 0.50x
Cumberland 1 0.43x
Dorset 1 0.57x
Durham 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Perthshire 1 0.83x
Renfrewshire 1 0.48x
Staffordshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 26 Donavans recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.23x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 26 18.23x
St George In East London 21 83.53x
Merthyr Tydfil 12 26.83x
Lambeth 11 4.72x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 27.79x
Dartmouth St Saviour 7 440.25x
Limehouse London 7 23.86x
Oldham 7 6.84x
Derby St Alkmund 6 47.85x
Fulham London 6 15.48x
Ratcliffe London 6 40.65x
Trevethin 6 32.88x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 20.94x
Battersea 5 5.08x
Bermondsey 5 6.28x
Camberwell 5 2.93x
Croydon 5 6.92x
Greenwich 5 11.75x
Holy Trinity St Mary 5 124.07x
Kensington London 5 3.36x
Wardleworth 5 27.59x
Banstead 4 113.31x
Brimington 4 125.79x
Coventry St Michael 4 18.48x
Gorton 4 13.42x
Hoby 4 1428.57x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 16.84x
St Sepulchre London 4 102.30x
Abergavenny 3 41.44x
Kirkdale 3 5.62x
St George Hanover Square 3 6.37x
Swansea Town 3 7.86x
Wanstead 3 32.47x
Barming 2 317.46x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.72x
Birmingham 2 0.89x
Buckland In Dover 2 66.23x
Chelsea London 2 2.48x
Kingston On Thames 2 6.39x
Liverpool 2 1.04x
Ovenden 2 16.96x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 4.67x
St Anne 2 141.84x
St Giles In Fields London 2 15.26x
St Pancras London 2 0.93x
Toxteth Park 2 1.86x
Whitwick 2 53.05x
Addington 1 163.93x
Budbrooke 1 144.93x
Cambuslang 1 11.48x
Carshalton 1 20.08x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.42x
Eastbourne 1 4.82x
Great Bolton 1 2.38x
Hampreston 1 78.74x
Handsworth 1 4.50x
Harefield 1 72.46x
Islington London 1 0.39x
Logierait 1 47.39x
Mayfield 1 37.45x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.76x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.85x
Northfleet 1 12.45x
Paddington London 1 1.02x
Poplar London 1 1.98x
Reading St Lawrence 1 23.31x
Rotherhithe 1 3.03x
Rye 1 23.36x
Shadwell London 1 13.37x
Spitalfields London 1 4.98x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 32.68x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 18.18x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.52x
St Mary Within 1 34.84x
St Marylebone London 1 0.70x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.61x
West Greenock 1 2.69x
Westminster St Margaret 1 7.76x
Whitechapel London 1 3.80x
Woolwich 1 2.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Ellen 16
Margaret 14
Sarah 6
Annie 5
Elizabeth 5
Kate 5
Ann 4
Emma 4
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Johanna 2
Katherine 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellener 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Honora 1
Janette 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Magt. 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Nancy 1
Nellie 1
Nora 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rosanna 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
James 14
Daniel 10
Patrick 7
William 6
George 4
Jeremiah 4
Thomas 4
Cornelius 3
Dennis 3
Joseph 3
Michael 3
Alfred 2
Jeremia 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Henery 1
Henry 1
Hubert 1
Jas. 1
Jerry 1
Micheal 1
Michel 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Rich.Barthol. 1
Richardson 1
Robt. 1
Timothy 1
Walie 1

FAQ

Donavan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donavan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 279 people were recorded with the Donavan surname. That placed it at #10,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donavan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016. That gives Donavan a modern rank of #32,035.

What does the Donavan surname mean?

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Donovan, derived from the Gaelic Ó Domnáin meaning "descendant of Domhnán".

What does the Donavan map show?

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