NameCensus.

UK surname

Doncaster

From the town of Doncaster in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 483 people recorded with the Doncaster surname, ranking it #6,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 544, ranked #9,364, down from #6,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Fenland and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doncaster is 677 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.6%.

1881 census count

483

Ranked #6,948

Modern count

544

2016, ranked #9,364

Peak year

1911

677 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doncaster had 483 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 544 in 2016, ranked #9,364.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 677 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Doncaster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doncaster surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doncaster 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 307 #7,502
1861 historical 335 #7,610
1881 historical 483 #6,948
1891 historical 556 #6,822
1901 historical 594 #7,127
1911 historical 677 #6,239
1997 modern 591 #8,235
1998 modern 617 #8,228
1999 modern 650 #7,942
2000 modern 616 #8,276
2001 modern 610 #8,193
2002 modern 604 #8,428
2003 modern 589 #8,444
2004 modern 573 #8,608
2005 modern 555 #8,735
2006 modern 544 #8,890
2007 modern 561 #8,766
2008 modern 554 #8,911
2009 modern 569 #8,929
2010 modern 588 #8,923
2011 modern 571 #9,002
2012 modern 567 #8,971
2013 modern 568 #9,080
2014 modern 572 #9,102
2015 modern 563 #9,130
2016 modern 544 #9,364

Geography

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Where Doncasters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, St James Clerkenwell and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Fenland, North Lincolnshire and Dover. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
4 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
5 Doddington Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 004 Pembrokeshire
2 Fenland 007 Fenland
3 Fenland 005 Fenland
4 North Lincolnshire 016 North Lincolnshire
5 Dover 006 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doncaster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doncaster

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Doncaster surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Doncaster household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Doncaster is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Doncaster 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

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

Meaning and origin of Doncaster

The surname Doncaster is of English origin, derived from the town of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. The name can be traced back to the early Medieval period, with the town's name originating from the Old English words "Donne" and "ceaster," meaning "the camp or town of a man called Donne."

Doncaster was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Donecastre," reflecting the town's importance during the Norman Conquest. The town's strategic location on the Great North Road contributed to its significance and likely led to the surname's widespread adoption.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Doncaster was William de Doncaster, a 13th-century English clergyman who served as the Dean of York from 1228 to 1249. Another notable figure was Robert Doncaster, a 15th-century English scholar and theologian who was a fellow of Merton College, Oxford.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various records, including the marriage of Richard Doncaster and Anne Welles in 1578 in St. Giles Cripplegate, London. During this period, alternative spellings like "Donecaster" and "Doncestour" were also used.

Sir James Doncaster (1677-1735) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as the Solicitor-General for England and Wales from 1724 to 1726. He was knighted in 1726 for his service.

Edward Doncaster (1738-1818) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Luke's in Chelsea.

Samuel Doncaster (1789-1858) was an English clergyman and writer who served as the Archdeacon of Nottingham and authored several theological works.

The surname Doncaster continued to be used throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, with various individuals bearing the name achieving recognition in fields such as literature, politics, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doncaster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doncaster 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 96 Doncasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 96 2.05x
Nottinghamshire 86 13.60x
Yorkshire 72 1.55x
Lancashire 48 0.86x
Cambridgeshire 36 12.11x
Lincolnshire 32 4.27x
Derbyshire 30 4.08x
Surrey 19 0.83x
Staffordshire 18 1.14x
Hampshire 11 1.14x
Kent 5 0.31x
Channel Islands 4 2.88x
Devon 3 0.31x
Oxfordshire 3 1.04x
Caernarfonshire 2 1.05x
Cornwall 2 0.38x
Durham 2 0.14x
Norfolk 2 0.28x
Northamptonshire 2 0.45x
Warwickshire 2 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.35x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Essex 1 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tyldesley Cum Shakerley in Lancashire leads with 23 Doncasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 143.48x.

Place Total Index
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 23 143.48x
Kensington London 22 8.43x
March 17 170.85x
Bingham 16 594.80x
Clerkenwell London 15 13.54x
Battersea 14 8.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 14 14.80x
Burslem 13 28.65x
Newark Upon Trent 13 57.19x
Castleford 9 53.16x
Chelsea London 9 6.37x
Elksley 9 1698.11x
Glossop Dale 9 26.16x
St Andrewthe Less 9 26.51x
St Marylebone London 9 3.59x
Whittlesey St Mary St 9 86.71x
Fulham London 8 11.76x
Holme 7 3500.00x
Islington London 7 1.54x
Sandiacre 7 267.18x
Spittlegate 7 67.44x
Warrington 7 10.61x
Wickersley 7 542.64x
Ecclesfield 6 17.60x
Hackney London 6 2.28x
Maplebeck 6 5000.00x
Milford 6 213.52x
Shirland 6 109.29x
Stoke Newington London 6 16.42x
Thornaby 6 34.54x
Drighlington 5 73.86x
Holy Trinity 5 4.47x
North South Anston 5 246.31x
St Swithin Lincoln 5 42.37x
West Burton 5 5555.56x
Weston 5 892.86x
Astley 4 93.24x
Fiskerton 4 888.89x
Manchester 4 1.60x
St Helier 4 8.84x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 37.91x
Surfleet 4 256.41x
Whitwell 4 136.99x
Woolwich 4 6.76x
Haxey 3 94.34x
Mile End Old Town London 3 3.00x
North Leverton 3 625.00x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.83x
Radford 3 9.34x
Sheffield 3 2.03x
Shoreditch London 3 1.47x
Basford 2 6.86x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.67x
Camberwell 2 0.67x
Cheetham 2 4.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.26x
Derby All Sts 2 32.57x
Doncaster 2 5.89x
Donington 2 74.35x
Eglwys Rhos 2 84.03x
Linthorpe 2 7.21x
Little Hulton 2 21.69x
Liverpool 2 0.59x
Mansfield 2 9.14x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 2 58.14x
Peterborough 2 6.26x
Salford 2 1.22x
Southampton St Mary 2 3.31x
St Mark Lincoln 2 125.00x
St Martin Lincoln 2 28.74x
Tipton 2 4.12x
Upwell 2 59.52x
Walsall Foreign 2 2.44x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.10x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 4.47x
Hammersmith London 1 0.87x
Harworth 1 113.64x
Radford Lenton 1 63.69x
South Hayling 1 58.48x
York St Martin Mklgt W 1 95.24x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
John 33
George 16
Thomas 15
Charles 12
James 12
Henry 10
Samuel 9
Joseph 8
Harry 6
Alfred 5
Fred 5
Frederick 5
Arthur 4
Ernest 4
Tom 4
Edwin 3
Matthew 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Isaac 2
Luke 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Abram 1
Benjan 1
Daniel 1
Danl. 1
David 1
Douglas 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Jesse 1
Joe 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Lewis 1
Linsey 1
Malcolm 1
Nolman 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Simon 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Doncaster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doncaster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 483 people were recorded with the Doncaster surname. That placed it at #6,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doncaster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 544 in 2016. That gives Doncaster a modern rank of #9,364.

What does the Doncaster surname mean?

From the town of Doncaster in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Doncaster map show?

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