NameCensus.

UK surname

Donne

An occupational surname derived from the Old French for "lady" or "mistress".

In the 1881 census there were 243 people recorded with the Donne surname, ranking it #11,294 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 390, ranked #12,089, down from #11,294 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Castle Cary, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donne is 406 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.5%.

1881 census count

243

Ranked #11,294

Modern count

390

2016, ranked #12,089

Peak year

2001

406 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donne had 243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,294 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016, ranked #12,089.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 382 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Donne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donne surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donne 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 220 #9,671
1861 historical 197 #12,166
1881 historical 243 #11,294
1891 historical 243 #13,011
1901 historical 343 #10,583
1911 historical 382 #9,615
1997 modern 378 #11,474
1998 modern 404 #11,261
1999 modern 403 #11,382
2000 modern 405 #11,290
2001 modern 406 #11,096
2002 modern 399 #11,460
2003 modern 371 #11,901
2004 modern 375 #11,820
2005 modern 380 #11,639
2006 modern 372 #11,878
2007 modern 365 #12,205
2008 modern 379 #11,960
2009 modern 385 #12,070
2010 modern 391 #12,207
2011 modern 383 #12,244
2012 modern 384 #12,088
2013 modern 400 #11,915
2014 modern 399 #12,030
2015 modern 398 #11,949
2016 modern 390 #12,089

Geography

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Where Donnes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Castle Cary, London parishes, St John Hackney and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Castle Cary Somerset
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
2 Swansea 002 Swansea
3 Swansea 014 Swansea
4 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
5 Swansea 008 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donne

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Donne, 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 Donne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Donne 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, Donne 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

Donne is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Donne falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Donne

The surname Donne is of English origin and is thought to have derived from a Middle English word "dun" meaning a dull greyish-brown color. This suggests that the name was originally a nickname given to someone with a darker complexion or perhaps someone dressed in dull-colored clothing.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Donne dates back to the 13th century in Suffolk, England. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include a reference to a Richard le Donne, indicating the name's presence in that region during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the surname Donne appeared in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a John Donne was listed in 1327. The Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379 also mentions a Johannes Donne, suggesting the name's spread across different regions of England.

One of the most notable figures in English literature who bore the surname Donne was John Donne (1572-1631), a renowned poet and cleric often regarded as the founder of the Metaphysical Poets movement. His works, such as "Holy Sonnets" and "Songs and Sonnets," have had a lasting impact on English poetry.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir John Donne (1572-1629), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. He served as the Secretary of the Admiralty and held other influential positions in the government.

In the 18th century, the Donne surname appeared in various parish records across England, indicating its continued presence. One such record is from the parish of Barwick-in-Elmet in Yorkshire, where a William Donne was recorded in 1721.

The surname Donne has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Dunnington in Yorkshire, which was formerly known as Dunnington or Dunningtone, possibly derived from the Old English word "duning" meaning a hill or a down.

Other notable individuals with the surname Donne include Mary Donne (1611-1656), an English writer and the daughter of the poet John Donne, and George Donne (1760-1822), an English mathematician and theologian who served as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donne 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. Glamorgan leads with 63 Donnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.65x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 63 15.65x
Middlesex 62 2.68x
Sussex 19 4.87x
Somerset 16 4.30x
Surrey 11 0.98x
Bedfordshire 10 8.35x
Cheshire 9 1.76x
Leicestershire 8 3.12x
Anglesey 6 14.64x
Devon 6 1.25x
Kent 5 0.63x
Dorset 4 2.64x
Hampshire 4 0.84x
Warwickshire 4 0.69x
Shropshire 2 1.00x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Cardiganshire 1 1.77x
Denbighshire 1 1.15x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.32x
Wiltshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llansamlet Higher in Glamorgan leads with 51 Donnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1700.00x.

Place Total Index
Llansamlet Higher 51 1700.00x
Hackney London 15 11.57x
Brighton 13 16.53x
Castle Cary 11 679.01x
Edmonton 8 42.94x
Hendon 8 96.15x
Leicester St Margaret 8 12.80x
Chester St John Baptist 6 65.43x
Dunstable 6 163.04x
Llanishen 6 1621.62x
St Budeaux 6 400.00x
Islington London 5 2.23x
Lambeth 5 2.48x
Llangefni 5 403.23x
St Marylebone London 5 4.05x
Battersea 4 4.70x
Clayton 4 272.11x
Leek Wootten 4 1250.00x
Tottenham 4 10.86x
Biggleswade 3 76.53x
Hammersmith London 3 5.27x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 66.37x
Poplar London 3 6.88x
Stoke Newington London 3 16.66x
Swansea Town 3 9.09x
Ashill 2 540.54x
Bromley London 2 3.93x
Chester Holy Trinity 2 83.68x
Newington 2 2.34x
Oswestry Town 2 31.25x
Paddington London 2 2.35x
Southampton St Mary 2 6.71x
Wimborne Minster 2 81.63x
Amlwch 1 25.91x
Ashmore 1 454.55x
Bedford St Paul 1 12.18x
Chard 1 22.17x
Chilthorne Domer 1 625.00x
Dartford 1 12.41x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.64x
Farlington 1 103.09x
Hoole 1 51.81x
Hove 1 5.85x
Huddersfield 1 3.00x
Kensington London 1 0.78x
Lewisham 1 2.38x
Liverpool 1 0.60x
Llandyssil 1 42.37x
Marchwiel 1 222.22x
Marlborough 1 294.12x
Melcombe Regis 1 15.90x
Meopham 1 102.04x
Newark Upon Trent 1 8.93x
Ramsgate 1 7.77x
Scarborough 1 4.80x
Shepton Beauchamp 1 196.08x
South Leith 1 2.87x
St George Bloomsbury 1 7.54x
St George Martyr London 1 21.37x
St Lawrence 1 500.00x
St Pancras London 1 0.54x
Washington 1 149.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 13
Jane 6
Ann 4
Harriet 4
Maria 4
Sarah 4
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Minnie 3
Amelia 2
Cathrine 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Margret 2
Alicia 1
Anne 1
Aran 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Cecilo 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Gwladys 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Isabelle 1
James 1
Josephine 1
Julianne 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Louise 1
Mahala 1
Margeret 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 11
Thomas 10
James 7
Joseph 7
Charles 4
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Lewis 2
Percy 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Cyril 1
Danniel 1
David 1
Duncan 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Griffith 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Morgan 1
Nathaniel 1
Oscar 1
R.M. 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Salisbury 1
Tom 1
Victor 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Donne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 243 people were recorded with the Donne surname. That placed it at #11,294 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016. That gives Donne a modern rank of #12,089.

What does the Donne surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French for "lady" or "mistress".

What does the Donne map show?

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