UK surname
A surname derived from the Gaelic 'Dómhnall', meaning "world ruler" or "world mighty".
In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Donnel surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5, ranked #38,264, down from #28,011 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Whithorn, Darlington and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donnel is 119 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 87.5%.
1881 census count
40
Ranked #28,011
Modern count
5
2016, ranked #38,264
Peak year
1861
119 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Donnel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Donnel surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 91 | #18,187 |
| 1861 | historical | 119 | #18,393 |
| 1881 | historical | 40 | #28,011 |
| 1891 | historical | 69 | #28,188 |
| 1901 | historical | 26 | #31,152 |
| 1911 | historical | 10 | #32,609 |
| 1997 | modern | 10 | #37,060 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 6 | #37,696 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 5 | #37,652 |
| 2002 | modern | 6 | #37,532 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 7 | #37,816 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 5 | #38,264 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Whithorn, Darlington, Newcastle All Saints, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whithorn | Wigtown |
| 2 | Darlington | Durham |
| 3 | Newcastle All Saints | Northumberland |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Donnel surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Donnel, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Donnel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Donnel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Donnel is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Donnel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Donnel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname DONNEL originated in Ireland, where it is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Dónaill. The name means "descendant of Dónall," which is a personal name derived from the Old Irish words "donn" meaning brown or dark, and "val" meaning chief or ruler.
The DONNEL surname can be traced back to the 10th century in County Donegal, Ireland, where the Ó Dónaill family held the hereditary title of Kings of Tír Chonaill. The name is also found in early Irish records such as the Annals of the Four Masters, which mention notable figures like Niall Ó Dónaill, who was the King of Tír Chonaill in the late 12th century.
In the 16th century, the DONNEL surname appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were letters patent issued by the English Crown in Ireland. One notable DONNEL from this period was Sir James Donnel, who was granted lands in County Donegal in 1611.
The DONNEL surname has also been recorded with various spellings over the centuries, such as Donnell, O'Donnell, and McDonnell. Some notable people with the DONNEL surname include:
1. Rory O'Donnell (c.1575-1608), an Irish chieftain who led a rebellion against English rule in Ulster. 2. Patrick Donnel (1634-1705), an Irish Franciscan friar and author of several religious works. 3. Ephraim Donnell (1779-1858), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from South Carolina. 4. Ignatius Donnelly (1831-1901), an American author, politician, and amateur scientist best known for his theories about the lost civilization of Atlantis. 5. Maurice O'Donnell (1898-1976), an Irish politician who served as Minister for Education in the 1950s.
The DONNEL surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Donegal Town, which is derived from the Gaelic "Dún na nGall" meaning "fort of the foreigners."
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donnel surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 10 Donnels recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.40x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 10 | 8.40x |
| Selkirkshire | 7 | 193.37x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 1.26x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 1.26x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 3.97x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 2.22x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 2.27x |
| Channel Islands | 1 | 8.44x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 1.60x |
| Devon | 1 | 1.20x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 3.23x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stranton in Durham leads with 6 Donnels recorded in 1881 and an index of 149.63x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stranton | 6 | 149.63x |
| Linthorpe | 5 | 210.97x |
| Hulme | 4 | 40.36x |
| Selkirk | 4 | 392.16x |
| Galashiels | 3 | 223.88x |
| Tanfield | 3 | 212.77x |
| Birmingham | 2 | 5.95x |
| Stockport | 2 | 44.05x |
| Studley | 2 | 465.12x |
| Wolstanton | 2 | 48.78x |
| Durham St Nicholas | 1 | 344.83x |
| Hatherleigh | 1 | 476.19x |
| Kirkdale | 1 | 12.53x |
| Leek Lowe | 1 | 55.56x |
| Little Lever | 1 | 163.93x |
| Shottle Postern | 1 | 2500.00x |
| St Peter Port | 1 | 45.66x |
| West Greenock | 1 | 17.99x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Donnel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Donnel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Donnel households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Coke Drawer (Burner) | 2 |
| Agr Lab | 1 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Cartman | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Inn Keeper | 1 |
| Ironmonger | 1 |
| Lab Gen | 1 |
| Labourer At Docks | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Packer | 1 |
| Packers Wife | 1 |
| Potter Clay Carrier | 1 |
| Pudler | 1 |
| Riveter (Ship) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Donnel surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 5 in 2016. That gives Donnel a modern rank of #38,264.
A surname derived from the Gaelic 'Dómhnall', meaning "world ruler" or "world mighty".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Donnel bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.