NameCensus.

UK surname

Doney

Originated from the medieval personal name Done, a pet form of the Latin name Donatus, meaning "given."

In the 1881 census there were 585 people recorded with the Doney surname, ranking it #5,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 557, ranked #9,196, down from #5,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northill, Linkinhorne and Liskeard, St Cleer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doney is 737 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.8%.

1881 census count

585

Ranked #5,965

Modern count

557

2016, ranked #9,196

Peak year

1911

737 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doney had 585 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 557 in 2016, ranked #9,196.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 737 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Doney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doney 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 425 #5,746
1861 historical 524 #5,005
1881 historical 585 #5,965
1891 historical 649 #5,976
1901 historical 732 #6,045
1911 historical 737 #5,816
1997 modern 576 #8,378
1998 modern 586 #8,527
1999 modern 588 #8,561
2000 modern 580 #8,597
2001 modern 565 #8,627
2002 modern 585 #8,589
2003 modern 579 #8,530
2004 modern 568 #8,661
2005 modern 551 #8,767
2006 modern 544 #8,890
2007 modern 547 #8,941
2008 modern 555 #8,904
2009 modern 576 #8,851
2010 modern 589 #8,912
2011 modern 576 #8,955
2012 modern 563 #9,023
2013 modern 566 #9,109
2014 modern 583 #8,986
2015 modern 565 #9,108
2016 modern 557 #9,196

Geography

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Where Doneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northill, Linkinhorne, Liskeard, St Cleer, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and St Germans. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Northill Cornwall
2 Linkinhorne Cornwall
3 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall
4 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
5 St Germans Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 012 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 026 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Doney, 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 Doney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Doney 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, Doney 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

Doney is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Doney falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Doney

The surname Doney has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dun," meaning a hill or a down, and the suffix "-ey," which signifies an island or a place surrounded by water.

The name was initially associated with people who resided near a hill or a down, particularly those located near bodies of water such as rivers or streams. It is thought that the earliest bearers of the name were inhabitants of areas with such geographical features.

Historical records show that the name Doney appeared in various forms and spellings throughout the centuries. Some of the earliest recorded instances include Richard de Doney, who lived in Lincolnshire in 1273, and John Dony, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The Doney surname can also be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already established itself in England by the 11th century.

Notably, the name Doney has been associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. One such figure was John Doney, a 16th-century English clergyman and academic who served as the President of St John's College, Cambridge, from 1535 to 1549.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Doney, a 17th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire between 1640 and 1653. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a prominent supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.

In the 18th century, James Doney (1720-1789) was a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. George's Bloomsbury and the former Middlesex Hospital.

Moving into the 19th century, William Doney (1809-1889) was a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions, contributing significantly to the mapping and exploration of those areas.

Lastly, in the 20th century, John Doney (1915-1995) was a renowned British playwright and screenwriter, best known for his works such as "The Judas Tree" and "The Naked Runner," which were adapted into successful films.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doney 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. Cornwall leads with 354 Doneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.42x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 354 54.42x
Devon 95 7.94x
Middlesex 33 0.57x
Lancashire 32 0.47x
Durham 21 1.23x
Northumberland 13 1.52x
Derbyshire 6 0.67x
Surrey 6 0.21x
Yorkshire 6 0.11x
Kent 5 0.26x
Hampshire 4 0.34x
Monmouthshire 4 0.96x
Channel Islands 2 1.17x
Glamorgan 2 0.20x
Royal Navy 2 2.92x
Essex 1 0.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Somerset 1 0.11x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Hill in Cornwall leads with 46 Doneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2211.54x.

Place Total Index
North Hill 46 2211.54x
St Cleer 38 673.76x
Liskeard 37 340.07x
Linkinhorne 33 728.48x
Plymouth St Andrew 28 30.39x
Altarnun 19 840.71x
St Germans 18 396.48x
Menheniot 17 629.63x
St Veep 15 1428.57x
Cramlington 13 115.04x
Habergham Eaves 13 20.86x
St Austell 12 53.98x
Southill 10 1000.00x
St Neot 10 390.63x
Stoke Damerel 10 11.95x
Paddington London 9 4.26x
Plympton St Mary 9 130.25x
St Ive 9 215.83x
Whalley 9 90.54x
Whitchurch 9 428.57x
Hillingdon 8 43.67x
Kyo 8 99.38x
St Dominick 8 490.80x
Tudhoe 8 53.51x
Compton Gifford 7 186.67x
Lewannick 7 551.18x
St Breward 7 489.51x
St Stephens By Saltash 7 250.00x
Eggington 6 750.00x
Holbeton 6 273.97x
Lanteglos 6 199.34x
Liverpool 6 1.45x
Rame 6 357.14x
Cockington 5 704.23x
Landrake 5 344.83x
Lydd 5 119.05x
Maker 5 83.19x
Newington 5 2.36x
Falmouth 4 17.38x
Portsea 4 1.73x
Salford 4 1.99x
Settle 4 91.74x
St Stephen In Brannel 4 67.45x
Tanfield 4 19.68x
Uxbridge 4 60.98x
Cardinham 3 508.47x
Chelsea London 3 1.73x
Christchurch 3 23.35x
Islington London 3 0.54x
Kilkhampton 3 156.25x
Plymouth Charles The 3 5.69x
St Pinnock 3 303.03x
Stoke 3 61.98x
Stoke Climsland 3 72.29x
Antony 2 31.85x
Bodmin 2 18.59x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.47x
Devonport 2 14.56x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 5.46x
Lawhitton 2 235.29x
Madron 2 38.02x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.64x
Royal Navy 2 3.42x
Sithney 2 30.44x
St Helier 2 3.61x
Ystradyfodwg 2 2.28x
Bratton Clovelly 1 84.75x
Brixham 1 7.22x
Brixton 1 74.07x
Colchester St Botolph 1 10.36x
Egloskerry 1 116.28x
Fletching 1 23.09x
Lanhydrock 1 270.27x
Lanteglos By Fowey 1 37.74x
Lostwithel 1 54.35x
Pinner 1 19.88x
St Breock 1 28.49x
Walkhampton 1 87.72x
Wendron 1 11.07x
West Looe 1 58.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Elizabeth 32
Jane 16
Ellen 13
Sarah 13
Eliza 10
Emma 10
Ann 9
Annie 7
Martha 7
Clara 6
Edith 6
Bessie 5
Catherine 5
Kate 5
Caroline 4
Fanny 4
Jessie 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Hannah 3
Laura 3
Maud 3
Susan 3
Susanna 3
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Dinah 2
Ethel 2
Grace 2
Katie 2
Louisa 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Selina 2
Amy 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.J. 1
Emily 1
Henreetta 1
Hilda 1
Jenny 1
Jessy 1
Johana 1
Johanna 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 46
James 19
Samuel 14
Thomas 12
George 11
Joseph 11
Charles 9
Henry 8
Richard 7
Elias 6
Albert 5
Peter 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Matthew 4
Edward 3
Francis 3
Isaac 3
Joshua 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Jabez 2
Mark 2
Nathan 2
Sampson 2
Sydney 2
Arthur 1
Charley 1
Clude 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Festus 1
Freddy 1
Harold 1
Ivan 1
Johns 1
Josiah 1
Laban 1
Mary 1
Nicholas 1
Silas 1
Woodman 1

FAQ

Doney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 585 people were recorded with the Doney surname. That placed it at #5,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 557 in 2016. That gives Doney a modern rank of #9,196.

What does the Doney surname mean?

Originated from the medieval personal name Done, a pet form of the Latin name Donatus, meaning "given."

What does the Doney map show?

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