NameCensus.

UK surname

Donn

A topographic surname derived from Old Irish and meaning "brown" or "brownish".

In the 1881 census there were 198 people recorded with the Donn surname, ranking it #12,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 427, ranked #11,260, up from #12,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wick, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oban South, Oban North and Caithness North West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donn is 454 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 115.7%.

1881 census count

198

Ranked #12,922

Modern count

427

2016, ranked #11,260

Peak year

2010

454 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donn had 198 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 427 in 2016, ranked #11,260.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 289 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Donn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donn 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 203 #10,291
1861 historical 235 #10,427
1881 historical 198 #12,922
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 289 #11,944
1911 historical 175 #16,246
1997 modern 403 #10,955
1998 modern 416 #11,037
1999 modern 423 #10,982
2000 modern 431 #10,785
2001 modern 410 #11,016
2002 modern 438 #10,675
2003 modern 419 #10,875
2004 modern 404 #11,199
2005 modern 394 #11,308
2006 modern 402 #11,213
2007 modern 413 #11,100
2008 modern 425 #10,934
2009 modern 432 #11,048
2010 modern 454 #10,833
2011 modern 434 #11,096
2012 modern 418 #11,318
2013 modern 422 #11,436
2014 modern 437 #11,176
2015 modern 434 #11,142
2016 modern 427 #11,260

Geography

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Where Donns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wick, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Cullen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oban South, Oban North, Caithness North West, Thurso West and Bury. 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 Wick Caithness
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Cullen Banff

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oban South Argyll and Bute
2 Oban North Argyll and Bute
3 Caithness North West Highland
4 Thurso West Highland
5 Bury 019 Bury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donn

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Donn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Donn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Donn is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Donn is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Donn

The surname "DONN" is believed to have originated in the British Isles, likely in Ireland or Scotland, during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Gaelic word "donn," meaning "brown" or "dark-haired." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a darker complexion or hair color.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "DONN" can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, dated around the 15th century, there are references to individuals with the surname "DONN" or variations such as "Ó Dónaill" (meaning "descendant of Dónall").

Another notable historical reference to the name "DONN" is found in the Book of Leinster, a 12th-century Irish manuscript that contains a collection of various historical and literary texts. Here, the name appears in its anglicized form, "DONN," suggesting that it had already become a established surname by that time.

In Scotland, the surname "DONN" is believed to have originated as a variant of the more common "DUNN" or "DUNNE," which also derives from the Gaelic word "donn." The earliest recorded example of this surname in Scottish records dates back to the 16th century.

Throughout history, there have been several noteworthy individuals who bore the surname "DONN." One notable figure was Sir Robert DONN (1564-1637), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. Another was James DONN (1758-1813), a Scottish botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of horticulture.

In Ireland, the DONN surname was particularly prominent in County Donegal, where it was associated with the powerful Ó Dónaill (O'Donnell) clan. One famous member of this clan was Red Hugh O'Donnell (c. 1572-1602), an Irish chieftain and military leader who played a significant role in the Nine Years' War against English rule.

Other notable individuals with the surname "DONN" include John DONN (1575-1628), an English clergyman and author of the first published dictionary of the English language, and James DONN (1844-1915), an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Iowa.

While the surname "DONN" may have evolved from different spellings and place names over time, its roots can be traced back to the British Isles, where it emerged as a descriptive nickname or clan name during the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donn 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. Caithness leads with 47 Donns recorded in 1881 and an index of 179.60x.

County Total Index
Caithness 47 179.60x
Lancashire 27 1.19x
Middlesex 19 0.99x
Angus 17 9.60x
Renfrewshire 16 10.80x
Banffshire 13 32.78x
Fife 11 9.72x
Perthshire 8 9.32x
Ayrshire 5 3.49x
Norfolk 5 1.70x
Yorkshire 5 0.26x
Lanarkshire 3 0.49x
Staffordshire 3 0.46x
Glamorgan 2 0.60x
Kent 2 0.31x
Northumberland 2 0.70x
Sutherland 2 13.61x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.56x
Channel Islands 1 1.77x
Devon 1 0.25x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.95x
Durham 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.47x
Midlothian 1 0.39x
Stirlingshire 1 1.42x
Surrey 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. Latheron in Caithness leads with 31 Donns recorded in 1881 and an index of 707.76x.

Place Total Index
Latheron 31 707.76x
West Greenock 15 56.41x
Cullen 13 884.35x
Dunfermline 10 57.47x
Dundee 9 13.61x
Wick 9 106.51x
Hulme 6 12.67x
Manchester 6 5.88x
St Pancras London 6 3.90x
Westminster St John 6 25.77x
Liff Benvie 5 18.59x
Salford 5 7.49x
St Quivox 5 103.31x
Cheetham 4 23.64x
Everton 4 5.53x
Holy Trinity 4 8.78x
Scone 4 263.16x
Coupar Angus 3 178.57x
Heigham 3 19.01x
Smallthorne 3 125.00x
Thurso 3 73.53x
Barony 2 1.28x
Canisbay 2 116.28x
Eddrachillis 2 200.00x
Great Yarmouth 2 8.21x
Lewisham 2 5.75x
Oystermouth 2 77.52x
Shoreditch London 2 2.41x
St George In East London 2 11.12x
Watten 2 217.39x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 3.02x
Ardoch 1 138.89x
Bradford 1 2.18x
Crieff 1 31.35x
East Greenock 1 7.15x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.97x
Ford 1 96.15x
Ford 1 58.82x
Glasgow 1 0.91x
Instow 1 232.56x
Islington London 1 0.54x
Kingsbarns 1 192.31x
Kinnoull 1 44.25x
Lambeth 1 0.60x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.93x
Liverpool 1 0.73x
Logie 1 32.47x
Pendleton In Salford 1 3.70x
Polmont 1 38.46x
Ratcliffe London 1 9.47x
Row 1 15.04x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.97x
St Helier 1 5.42x
Twizell In Castle Ward 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 4
Ann 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esabel 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Leah 1
Lousia 1
Margt. 1
Rachael 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
James 4
William 4
Edward 3
Donald 2
Frederick 2
Patrick 2
Abraham 1
Arthur 1
Barnett 1
Dennis 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Louis 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Donn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 198 people were recorded with the Donn surname. That placed it at #12,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 427 in 2016. That gives Donn a modern rank of #11,260.

What does the Donn surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from Old Irish and meaning "brown" or "brownish".

What does the Donn map show?

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