NameCensus.

UK surname

Donoghue

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Donnchadh," derived from the Gaelic elements "donn" (brown) and "cath" (battle).

In the 1881 census there were 993 people recorded with the Donoghue surname, ranking it #3,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,850, ranked #1,758, up from #3,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Bridgend and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donoghue is 3,987 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 287.7%.

1881 census count

993

Ranked #3,926

Modern count

3,850

2016, ranked #1,758

Peak year

2010

3,987 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donoghue had 993 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,850 in 2016, ranked #1,758.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,369 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Donoghue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donoghue surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donoghue 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 257 #8,596
1861 historical 329 #7,748
1881 historical 993 #3,926
1891 historical 1,179 #3,634
1901 historical 1,356 #3,698
1911 historical 1,369 #3,512
1997 modern 3,693 #1,755
1998 modern 3,806 #1,774
1999 modern 3,787 #1,796
2000 modern 3,734 #1,803
2001 modern 3,643 #1,808
2002 modern 3,793 #1,787
2003 modern 3,619 #1,828
2004 modern 3,676 #1,800
2005 modern 3,675 #1,780
2006 modern 3,674 #1,778
2007 modern 3,706 #1,781
2008 modern 3,719 #1,782
2009 modern 3,842 #1,765
2010 modern 3,987 #1,744
2011 modern 3,903 #1,756
2012 modern 3,749 #1,797
2013 modern 3,820 #1,795
2014 modern 3,891 #1,766
2015 modern 3,861 #1,759
2016 modern 3,850 #1,758

Geography

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Where Donoghues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Bridgend, Sefton and Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
2 Bridgend 002 Bridgend
3 Sefton 038 Sefton
4 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire
5 St. Helens 016 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donoghue

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donoghue

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Donoghue, 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 Donoghue surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Donoghue 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Donoghue is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Donoghue 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

Donoghue falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Donoghue is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Donoghue, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Donoghue

The surname DONOGHUE is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Gaelic name Ó Donnchadha, meaning "descendant of Donnchadh." Donnchadh was a personal name derived from the Old Irish elements "donn," meaning "brown" or "dark-featured," and "cath," meaning "battle."

This name was particularly prevalent in counties Cork and Kerry, where the Uí Donnchadha sept, or family group, was based. The name evolved over time, with various spellings such as O'Donoghue, O'Donohoe, and eventually DONOGHUE.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a medieval Irish chronicle, which mentions Donnchadh Ua Donnchadha in the year 1116. The Annals also record the death of Tadhg Ua Donnchadha, Lord of Ogueneill, in 1339.

The DONOGHUE name appears in various historical records throughout the centuries. In the 16th century, Donal O'Donoghue was the Chief of the Name and Lord of Glenflesk and Iveleary in County Kerry. Sir John O'Donoghue, born in 1805, was a prominent Irish lawyer and judge who served as Solicitor General for Ireland.

Another notable figure was John Francis O'Donohue, an Irish poet, author, and philosopher born in 1956. His works, including "Anam Cara" and "Benedictus," explored themes of spirituality, beauty, and the human experience.

In the realm of literature, Emma Donoghue, born in 1969, is a renowned Irish-Canadian author best known for her novels "Room" and "The Wonder." Her works have garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards.

Lastly, Kate O'Donoghue, born in 1966, is an Irish athlete who competed in the marathon at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games, representing Ireland.

Throughout its history, the DONOGHUE surname has been closely tied to Irish heritage and culture, with its origins rooted in the ancient Gaelic language and traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donoghue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donoghue 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 257 Donoghues recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 257 2.24x
Middlesex 211 2.18x
Surrey 80 1.70x
Yorkshire 73 0.76x
Midlothian 56 4.32x
Lanarkshire 37 1.18x
Staffordshire 34 1.04x
Monmouthshire 24 3.43x
Kent 23 0.70x
Cheshire 19 0.89x
Hampshire 18 0.91x
Essex 14 0.73x
Selkirkshire 14 15.98x
Durham 12 0.42x
Glamorgan 12 0.71x
Stirlingshire 11 3.08x
Warwickshire 10 0.41x
Renfrewshire 8 1.07x
Suffolk 8 0.68x
Sussex 8 0.49x
Cumberland 7 0.84x
Northumberland 7 0.49x
Gloucestershire 6 0.32x
Devon 5 0.25x
West Lothian 5 3.43x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.98x
Royal Navy 4 3.47x
Angus 3 0.33x
Ayrshire 3 0.41x
Somerset 3 0.19x
Channel Islands 2 0.70x
Dorset 2 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.77x
Hertfordshire 2 0.30x
Lincolnshire 2 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.14x
Brecknockshire 1 0.52x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
East Lothian 1 0.78x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 38 Donoghues recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.44x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 38 5.44x
Southwark St Saviour 28 56.25x
Oldham 25 6.74x
Salford 23 6.80x
Stoke Upon Trent 19 5.48x
Manchester 17 3.29x
Everton 16 4.37x
Sheffield 16 5.24x
Ratcliffe London 15 28.04x
Kimberworth 14 26.28x
Wardleworth 14 21.32x
Whitechapel London 14 14.66x
Bermondsey 13 4.51x
Bromley London 13 6.10x
St Pancras London 13 1.67x
Edinburgh Old 12 152.48x
Kirkham 12 78.95x
Poplar London 12 6.56x
St Botolph Aldgate London 12 60.15x
Bedwellty 11 8.90x
Govan 11 1.42x
Westminster St John 11 9.33x
Bradford 10 18.59x
Clerkenwell London 10 4.37x
Dalkeith 10 39.06x
Edinburgh New 10 99.21x
Rotherhithe 10 8.36x
Southwark St John 10 33.75x
St Marylebone London 10 1.93x
West Ham 10 2.37x
Deptford St Paul 9 3.53x
East Kilbride 9 67.06x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 1.72x
Galashiels 9 27.78x
Little Bolton 9 6.09x
St Woollos 9 11.52x
Warrington 9 6.61x
Widnes 9 10.86x
East Greenock 8 11.29x
Horton In Bradford 8 5.34x
Larbert 8 37.45x
Lowestoft 8 14.35x
Portsea 8 2.06x
Shettleston 8 28.52x
Chelsea London 7 2.40x
Greenwich 7 4.54x
Islington London 7 0.75x
Limehouse London 7 6.58x
Walsall Foreign 7 4.14x
Aston 6 0.89x
Bristol St James In 6 21.47x
Chester St John Baptist 6 15.61x
Edinburgh St Johns 6 73.26x
Heston 6 18.65x
Hulme 6 2.50x
Kensington London 6 1.11x
Kirkdale 6 3.10x
Maryhill 6 9.78x
Mile End Old Town London 6 2.91x
Prescot 6 28.86x
St George Hanover Square 6 3.52x
St George In East London 6 6.59x
St Giles In Fields London 6 12.63x
Stockport 6 5.45x
West Derby 6 1.78x
Aismunderby Cum 5 184.50x
Camberwell 5 0.81x
Carisbrooke 5 18.14x
Castleton 5 4.36x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 2.74x
Deptford St Nicholas 5 19.06x
Edinburgh St Andrews 5 46.64x
Gorton 5 4.63x
Great Crosby 5 15.95x
Halifax 5 3.55x
Linlithgow 5 26.72x
Millom 5 19.56x
Monkwearmouth 5 18.13x
Oswaldtwistle 5 12.31x
Spitalfields London 5 6.86x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Donoghue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donoghue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 993 people were recorded with the Donoghue surname. That placed it at #3,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donoghue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,850 in 2016. That gives Donoghue a modern rank of #1,758.

What does the Donoghue surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Donnchadh," derived from the Gaelic elements "donn" (brown) and "cath" (battle).

What does the Donoghue map show?

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