UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Donning surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 26, ranked #36,254, down from #30,339 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donning is 184 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.0%.
1881 census count
23
Ranked #30,339
Modern count
26
2016, ranked #36,254
Peak year
1861
184 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Donning surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Donning surname density by area, 1891 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 | 33 | #27,390 |
| 1861 | historical | 184 | #12,856 |
| 1881 | historical | 23 | #30,339 |
| 1891 | historical | 125 | #20,713 |
| 1901 | historical | 29 | #30,848 |
| 1911 | historical | 47 | #28,110 |
| 1997 | modern | 15 | #36,409 |
| 1998 | modern | 16 | #36,361 |
| 1999 | modern | 18 | #36,151 |
| 2000 | modern | 24 | #35,498 |
| 2001 | modern | 22 | #35,531 |
| 2002 | modern | 28 | #35,139 |
| 2003 | modern | 26 | #35,371 |
| 2004 | modern | 26 | #35,519 |
| 2005 | modern | 27 | #35,588 |
| 2006 | modern | 22 | #36,105 |
| 2007 | modern | 25 | #36,006 |
| 2008 | modern | 23 | #36,211 |
| 2009 | modern | 26 | #36,111 |
| 2010 | modern | 26 | #36,220 |
| 2011 | modern | 28 | #36,071 |
| 2012 | modern | 27 | #36,102 |
| 2013 | modern | 28 | #36,096 |
| 2014 | modern | 28 | #36,107 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 26 | #36,254 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire), Falmouth and Manchester. 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 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) | Staffordshire |
| 4 | Falmouth | Cornwall |
| 5 | Manchester | Cheshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Donning 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 Donning, 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 Donning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Donning 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, Donning 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 Donning is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Donning, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donning 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. Derbyshire leads with 7 Donnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.11x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 7 | 19.11x |
| Somerset | 7 | 18.58x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 1.71x |
| Devon | 1 | 2.05x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.36x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 2.87x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 35.84x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 1.27x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 3.27x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Claylane in Derbyshire leads with 7 Donnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1372.55x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Claylane | 7 | 1372.55x |
| Chard | 4 | 869.57x |
| Walcot | 3 | 149.25x |
| Bethnal Green London | 2 | 19.67x |
| St Luke London | 2 | 53.33x |
| Alnwick | 1 | 166.67x |
| Great Malvern | 1 | 156.25x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 1 | 26.67x |
| Poulton With Fearnhead | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 42.02x |
| Walsall Borough | 1 | 163.93x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Donning 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 Donning 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 Donning households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| Assist In Domestic Work | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engineer | 1 |
| Gentleman | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Monthly Nurse | 1 |
| Police Constable | 1 |
| Publican & Coal Miner | 1 |
| Scale Maker | 1 |
| Silver Chaser | 1 |
| Station Master | 1 |
| Station Master Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Donning surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 26 in 2016. That gives Donning a modern rank of #36,254.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Donning 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.