NameCensus.

UK surname

Donlon

Derived from the Irish surname "Ó Donnghaile," meaning "descendant of Donnghal," a personal name composed of the elements "donn" (brown) and "gal" (valor).

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Donlon surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 520, ranked #9,720, up from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, Mottram-in-Longdendale and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Wigan and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donlon is 524 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 340.7%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

520

2016, ranked #9,720

Peak year

2012

524 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donlon had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016, ranked #9,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 164 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Donlon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donlon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donlon 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 93 #22,009
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 444 #10,172
1998 modern 469 #10,079
1999 modern 496 #9,713
2000 modern 483 #9,891
2001 modern 475 #9,827
2002 modern 485 #9,846
2003 modern 474 #9,865
2004 modern 476 #9,861
2005 modern 480 #9,718
2006 modern 473 #9,871
2007 modern 482 #9,831
2008 modern 482 #9,913
2009 modern 501 #9,843
2010 modern 521 #9,752
2011 modern 514 #9,754
2012 modern 524 #9,541
2013 modern 523 #9,697
2014 modern 522 #9,778
2015 modern 516 #9,789
2016 modern 520 #9,720

Geography

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Where Donlons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, Mottram-in-Longdendale, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Wigan, Hyndburn, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stockport. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 Mottram-in-Longdendale Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 042 Wakefield
2 Wigan 035 Wigan
3 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 010 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Stockport 007 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donlon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donlon

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Donlon 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

Donlon 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

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

Meaning and origin of Donlon

The surname Donlon has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Donnalláin, which means "descendant of Donnallán." The name Donnallán is a diminutive form of the name Domhnall, derived from the Old Irish words "domun" meaning "world" and "vall" meaning "rule."

In ancient Irish records, the name Donlon is associated with the territory of Connacht, particularly in the counties of Sligo and Mayo. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where it is mentioned in reference to events occurring in the 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Donlon surname can be found in various historical documents related to land ownership and legal proceedings in counties Sligo and Mayo. The name was sometimes spelled differently, such as Donellan, Donnellan, or Donnellon, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era.

One notable figure bearing the Donlon surname was Nehemiah Donellan (1655-1706), an Irish lawyer and politician who served as the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer during the reign of King William III. Another prominent individual was Andrew Donellan (1657-1735), an Irish Catholic clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Tuam from 1697 to 1735.

In the 18th century, Terence Donlon (1736-1799) was a distinguished Irish soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War on the side of the British forces. He later served as the Governor of St. John's, Newfoundland, from 1790 to 1792.

The 19th century saw the rise of Michael Donlon (1836-1912), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the mining industry. He was known for his generous contributions to various educational and charitable institutions in New York City.

Another notable figure was Patrick Donlon (1862-1939), an Irish-born American labor leader and politician who served as the President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and as a member of the Massachusetts State Senate.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donlon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donlon 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. Lancashire leads with 49 Donlons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 49 3.59x
Yorkshire 15 1.32x
Staffordshire 13 3.35x
Warwickshire 11 3.79x
Lincolnshire 9 4.89x
Derbyshire 6 3.33x
Surrey 5 0.89x
Cheshire 3 1.18x
Durham 3 0.88x
Middlesex 2 0.17x
Worcestershire 2 1.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barton Upon Irwell in Lancashire leads with 29 Donlons recorded in 1881 and an index of 282.10x.

Place Total Index
Barton Upon Irwell 29 282.10x
Birmingham 9 9.30x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 9 347.49x
Beswick 5 143.27x
Bradford 5 18.11x
Glossop Dale 5 59.24x
Pennington In Leigh 5 190.84x
Rotherhithe 5 35.16x
Trentham 4 121.21x
Wolverhampton 4 13.39x
Cheadle 3 61.86x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 20.23x
Huddersfield 3 18.05x
Linthorpe 3 44.05x
Sheffield 3 8.26x
Warrington 3 18.53x
Wolstanton 3 25.42x
Charlecote 2 2000.00x
Gorton 2 15.58x
Great Bolton 2 11.06x
St Pancras London 2 2.16x
Worsley 2 23.75x
Yardley 2 51.95x
Brewood 1 89.29x
Derby St Alkmund 1 18.52x
Great Little Preston 1 303.03x
Manchester 1 1.63x
Walsall Borough 1 33.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Margaret 7
Catherine 4
Ellen 4
Annie 3
Bridget 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margerite 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
James 10
Thomas 10
Michael 8
Patrick 8
Edward 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Thos. 2
William 2
Andrew 1
Bernard 1
Francis 1
Pall 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Donlon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donlon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Donlon surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donlon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016. That gives Donlon a modern rank of #9,720.

What does the Donlon surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname "Ó Donnghaile," meaning "descendant of Donnghal," a personal name composed of the elements "donn" (brown) and "gal" (valor).

What does the Donlon map show?

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