NameCensus.

UK surname

Done

A variant spelling of the surname Dunn, originally derived from the Scottish Gaelic word meaning "brown" or "dark brown."

In the 1881 census there were 1,030 people recorded with the Done surname, ranking it #3,815 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,519, ranked #4,073, down from #3,815 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Halton and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Done is 1,578 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.5%.

1881 census count

1,030

Ranked #3,815

Modern count

1,519

2016, ranked #4,073

Peak year

2010

1,578 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Done had 1,030 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,815 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,519 in 2016, ranked #4,073.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,401 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Done surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Done surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Done 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 723 #3,624
1861 historical 868 #3,195
1881 historical 1,030 #3,815
1891 historical 1,245 #3,469
1901 historical 1,371 #3,666
1911 historical 1,401 #3,448
1997 modern 1,504 #3,898
1998 modern 1,508 #4,024
1999 modern 1,511 #4,049
2000 modern 1,506 #4,052
2001 modern 1,478 #4,037
2002 modern 1,507 #4,058
2003 modern 1,495 #4,012
2004 modern 1,511 #3,970
2005 modern 1,495 #3,975
2006 modern 1,510 #3,946
2007 modern 1,522 #3,944
2008 modern 1,503 #4,022
2009 modern 1,548 #3,999
2010 modern 1,578 #4,006
2011 modern 1,555 #4,021
2012 modern 1,529 #4,008
2013 modern 1,534 #4,069
2014 modern 1,548 #4,057
2015 modern 1,532 #4,058
2016 modern 1,519 #4,073

Geography

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Where Dones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Eccles, Manchester, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) and Little Budworth, Over (Low Oulton). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Halton, Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East and Carmarthenshire. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
5 Little Budworth, Over (Low Oulton) Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 018 Wrexham
2 Halton 013 Halton
3 Cheshire West and Chester 047 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Cheshire East 051 Cheshire East
5 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Done

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Done

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Done surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Done household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Done is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Done is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Done falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Done

The surname DONE has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dun," meaning a hill or a down. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided in hilly or elevated areas.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DONE can be found in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William de la Dune. The Domesday Book of 1086 also contains references to places with similar spellings, like "Dune" and "Dona," indicating the presence of this name in different parts of England.

One notable figure bearing the surname DONE was John Done, a 16th-century English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1522 to 1523. Another prominent individual was Sir John Done, a 17th-century English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Cheshire in the early 1600s.

The surname DONE has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Done in Cheshire, which was recorded as "Duna" in the Domesday Book. Similarly, the village of Dunham in Nottinghamshire was once known as "Duneham," potentially sharing a connection with the surname's origins.

Among other historical figures with the surname DONE were Richard Done (1532-1609), an English merchant and landowner known for his involvement in the Virginia Company, and Sir Daniel Done (1615-1678), a British Army officer who served during the English Civil War and was knighted for his services.

While the surname DONE has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Donne, Dunne, and Dunn, its roots remain firmly grounded in the Old English word "dun," reflecting the geographical associations of its earliest bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Done families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Done 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. Cheshire leads with 287 Dones recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.91x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 287 12.91x
Lancashire 199 1.67x
Staffordshire 118 3.47x
Shropshire 99 11.38x
Worcestershire 60 4.56x
Warwickshire 39 1.54x
Yorkshire 31 0.31x
Middlesex 30 0.30x
Kent 28 0.82x
Derbyshire 19 1.21x
Flintshire 18 6.65x
Surrey 15 0.31x
Gloucestershire 14 0.71x
Essex 12 0.60x
Northumberland 9 0.60x
Denbighshire 8 2.10x
Norfolk 8 0.52x
Isle of Man 5 2.67x
Northamptonshire 5 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.37x
Hertfordshire 4 0.58x
Devon 2 0.10x
Glamorgan 2 0.11x
Hampshire 2 0.10x
Midlothian 2 0.15x
Bedfordshire 1 0.19x
Dorset 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.24x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.50x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Merionethshire 1 0.54x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.06x
Wiltshire 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. Salford in Lancashire leads with 40 Dones recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.39x.

Place Total Index
Salford 40 11.39x
Runcorn 31 60.50x
Manchester 27 5.03x
Birmingham 22 2.60x
Toxteth Park 20 4.94x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 19 96.06x
Little Budworth 18 967.74x
Wednesfield 16 31.99x
Hanmer Willington 15 1363.64x
Plumstead 15 13.10x
Glossop Dale 14 18.97x
Handsworth 14 16.71x
Pendleton In Salford 13 9.13x
Chester St Oswald 12 29.82x
Delamere 12 600.00x
Shrewsbury St Julian 12 55.76x
Shrewsbury St Mary 12 34.97x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 3.33x
Bilston 11 16.70x
Liverpool 11 1.52x
Claines 10 27.72x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.77x
Gorton 10 8.91x
Layton With Warbreck 10 22.81x
Newton In Ashton Under 10 45.60x
Over 10 44.27x
West Ham 10 2.28x
Ardwick 9 8.35x
Eaton In Nantwich 9 562.50x
Hatton In Runcorn 9 714.29x
Islington London 9 0.92x
Sandal Magna 9 61.02x
Wednesbury 9 10.60x
Worcester All Sts 9 118.11x
Beeston 8 695.65x
Darlaston 8 17.04x
Newington 8 2.15x
Thorpe Next Norwich 8 48.75x
Walsall Foreign 8 4.56x
Whitchurch Tilstock 8 372.09x
Worcester Blockhouse 8 110.80x
Agdn In Whtchrch Brdly 7 795.45x
Churton By Aldford 7 777.78x
Ellesmere 7 46.89x
Great Little Saughall 7 285.71x
Hulme 7 2.81x
Keckwick 7 2058.82x
Macclesfield 7 7.09x
Shrewsbury St Chad 7 22.94x
Westgate 7 7.55x
Broughton 6 857.14x
Chelsea London 6 1.98x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 7.91x
Everton 6 1.58x
Hadnall 6 327.87x
Hyde 6 9.15x
Kimberworth 6 10.84x
Tarporley 6 129.03x
Tottenham 6 3.74x
Whitchurch 6 35.55x
Wolstanton 6 5.81x
Adderley 5 333.33x
Aston Near Mondrum 5 793.65x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.56x
Clive 5 370.37x
Dutton Cacca 5 1724.14x
Great Budworth 5 126.90x
Hucknall Torkard 5 14.53x
Kingsley 5 120.77x
Leek Lowe 5 11.06x
Leftwich 5 50.66x
Manley 5 471.70x
Monks Coppenhall 5 5.96x
Moss Side 5 7.95x
Northowram 5 7.15x
Peterborough 5 7.29x
Rushton 5 431.03x
Widnes 5 5.80x
Winnington 5 203.25x
Worcester St Peter 5 20.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 83
Sarah 54
Elizabeth 48
Ann 25
Martha 21
Emma 19
Jane 17
Annie 15
Alice 14
Eliza 14
Ellen 13
Hannah 12
Margaret 11
Louisa 8
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Frances 6
Amelia 5
Fanny 5
Jessie 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Catherine 4
Lucy 4
Anna 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Eleanor 2
Flora 2
Isabella 2
Leah 2
Lilian 2
Lilly 2
Rosanna 2
Susannah 2
William 2
Catharine 1
Charlott 1
Elely 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.My. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 76
William 55
Thomas 52
James 41
George 26
Joseph 25
Richard 24
Robert 24
Henry 22
Samuel 14
Arthur 10
Edward 9
Alfred 8
Charles 8
Herbert 8
Albert 7
David 7
Frederick 7
Edwin 4
Harry 4
Ralph 4
Willm. 4
Wm. 4
Robt. 3
Walter 3
Arther 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Hugh 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Charley 1
Charls 1
Evan 1
Geo. 1
Geo.N. 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Geor. 1
Halfred 1
Hambleton 1
Jonah 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Lot 1
Louis 1
Mark 1

FAQ

Done surname: questions and answers

How common was the Done surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,030 people were recorded with the Done surname. That placed it at #3,815 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Done surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,519 in 2016. That gives Done a modern rank of #4,073.

What does the Done surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Dunn, originally derived from the Scottish Gaelic word meaning "brown" or "dark brown."

What does the Done map show?

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