NameCensus.

UK surname

Donohoe

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Donnchadha," meaning "brown-haired warrior" or "chief of the people."

In the 1881 census there were 414 people recorded with the Donohoe surname, ranking it #7,778 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,795, ranked #3,514, up from #7,778 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Woodhorn, London parishes and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Moodiesburn West, Northumberland and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donohoe is 1,853 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 333.6%.

1881 census count

414

Ranked #7,778

Modern count

1,795

2016, ranked #3,514

Peak year

2010

1,853 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donohoe had 414 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,778 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,795 in 2016, ranked #3,514.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 550 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Donohoe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Donohoe surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donohoe 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 266 #8,373
1861 historical 397 #6,460
1881 historical 414 #7,778
1891 historical 522 #7,170
1901 historical 550 #7,533
1911 historical 479 #8,088
1997 modern 1,664 #3,571
1998 modern 1,740 #3,567
1999 modern 1,751 #3,567
2000 modern 1,725 #3,596
2001 modern 1,704 #3,573
2002 modern 1,764 #3,532
2003 modern 1,728 #3,529
2004 modern 1,760 #3,464
2005 modern 1,728 #3,492
2006 modern 1,695 #3,554
2007 modern 1,728 #3,527
2008 modern 1,754 #3,509
2009 modern 1,784 #3,535
2010 modern 1,853 #3,493
2011 modern 1,832 #3,478
2012 modern 1,749 #3,551
2013 modern 1,788 #3,553
2014 modern 1,812 #3,536
2015 modern 1,804 #3,517
2016 modern 1,795 #3,514

Geography

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Where Donohoes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Woodhorn, London parishes, Wigan, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Moodiesburn West, Northumberland, Sheffield, Woodside and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South. 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 Woodhorn Northumberland
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Moodiesburn West North Lanarkshire
2 Northumberland 005 Northumberland
3 Sheffield 015 Sheffield
4 Woodside Glasgow City
5 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donohoe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donohoe

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Donohoe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Donohoe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Donohoe 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

Donohoe is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Donohoe 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 Donohoe 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Donohoe

The surname Donohoe has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Ó Donnchadha, which means "descendant of Donnchadh." Donnchadh was a personal name derived from the old Irish words "donn," meaning brown or dark, and "cath," meaning battle.

The name is believed to have originated in the province of Munster, particularly in the counties of Cork and Kerry. It is closely related to the similar Irish surnames Donoghue and Donohue, which share the same root.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Donnchadh Ó Donnchadha, who was a chief of the Uí Fhloinn territory in modern-day County Cork in the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Donohoe surname appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of records related to land grants and appointments in Ireland during the Tudor period. The records mention several individuals with the surname, such as Teige Donohoe and Donyll Donohoe, who were granted lands in County Cork.

Notable historical figures with the Donohoe surname include:

1. Pádraig Donohoe (1633-1718), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who wrote extensively on Irish history and literature. 2. Jeremiah Donohoe (1763-1849), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania. 3. John Donohoe (1786-1858), an Irish-born businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in New York City and established several charitable institutions. 4. Thomas Donohoe (1825-1892), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. 5. Michael Donohoe (1891-1918), an Irish Republican who participated in the Easter Rising of 1916 and was later executed for his role in the conflict.

The surname Donohoe has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Donohoe's Rock in County Tipperary and Donohoe's Bridge in County Wexford, reflecting the historical presence of the name in different regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donohoe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donohoe 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 162 Donohoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.37x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 162 3.37x
Northumberland 37 6.14x
Durham 34 2.82x
Yorkshire 31 0.77x
Middlesex 26 0.64x
Lanarkshire 25 1.91x
Cheshire 11 1.23x
Monmouthshire 11 3.76x
Berwickshire 9 18.36x
Hampshire 9 1.08x
Ayrshire 8 2.64x
Midlothian 8 1.48x
Perthshire 7 3.85x
Warwickshire 6 0.59x
Angus 5 1.33x
Derbyshire 5 0.79x
Kent 3 0.22x
Shropshire 3 0.86x
Staffordshire 3 0.22x
Denbighshire 2 1.31x
Glamorgan 2 0.28x
Lincolnshire 2 0.31x
Cumberland 1 0.29x
Devon 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 2.07x
Surrey 1 0.05x

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 64 Donohoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.94x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 64 21.94x
Alnwick 19 183.40x
Bury 16 29.16x
Everton 13 8.49x
Leeds 13 5.74x
Salford 13 9.20x
Bedwellty 11 21.29x
Birkenhead 9 12.64x
Manchester 9 4.17x
Pendleton In Salford 9 15.73x
Ayton 8 281.69x
Dunston 8 2105.26x
Sorn 8 134.45x
Witton Gilbert 8 168.42x
Bishop Auckland 7 43.32x
Coxlodge 7 152.84x
Glasgow 7 3.01x
Kirkdale 7 8.66x
Oldham 7 4.52x
South Leith 7 11.47x
Bradford 6 6.18x
Paddington London 6 4.03x
South Stoneham 6 33.33x
Barony 5 1.51x
Chelsea London 5 4.10x
Coundon 5 102.46x
Crieff 5 73.96x
Prescot 5 57.54x
Rutherglen 5 26.03x
Birmingham 4 1.18x
Dewsbury 4 9.72x
Dundee 4 2.86x
Maryhill 4 15.61x
St Marylebone London 4 1.85x
Sunderland 4 18.81x
Bowling 3 7.55x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.82x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 3.68x
Ilkeston 3 16.88x
Kensington London 3 1.33x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 21.74x
Westoe 3 4.39x
Aston 2 0.71x
Bersham 2 30.67x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.14x
Broughton In Preston 2 243.90x
Cardiff St John 2 8.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.62x
Cornsay 2 61.73x
East Hartburn 2 400.00x
Glossop Dale 2 6.74x
Govan 2 0.62x
North Meols 2 4.25x
Perth Middle Church 2 29.28x
Spittlegate 2 22.35x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 11.41x
Tettenhall 2 23.95x
Warrington 2 3.51x
Widnes 2 5.77x
Aldershot 1 3.60x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 7.84x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.97x
Carmunnock 1 100.00x
Crumpsall 1 8.83x
Distington 1 55.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.46x
Farnborough 1 11.48x
Fawdon Clinch Hartside 1 434.78x
Halsall 1 52.63x
Hamilton 1 2.74x
Heptonstall 1 17.76x
Kimberworth 1 4.49x
Middle Greenock 1 11.68x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.16x
Newchurch 1 2.54x
Plymouth Charles The 1 2.69x
Standish With Langtree 1 16.89x
Stockport 1 2.17x
Wavertree 1 6.50x
Wigan 1 1.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 12
Margaret 11
Bridget 10
Catherine 9
Ellen 8
Jane 6
Anne 5
Alice 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Cathrine 3
Eliza 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Margret 3
Sarah 3
Beatrice 2
Eleanor 2
Elizh. 2
Emma 2
Henrietta 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Amelia 1
Anas 1
Anastasia 1
Austie 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Bridgett 1
Christina 1
Corline 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jeannette 1
Johanna 1
John 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Susannah 1
Teresa 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
Thomas 26
James 24
Patrick 15
William 12
Michael 9
Edward 8
Philip 5
Joseph 4
Robert 3
Charles 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
George 2
Martin 2
Maurice 2
Miles 2
Peter 2
Phillip 2
Arthur 1
Bartholm. 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Gerald 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Jeremiah 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Morgan 1
Owen 1
Pearce 1
Richard 1
Saml 1
Terence 1
Wallie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Donohoe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donohoe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 414 people were recorded with the Donohoe surname. That placed it at #7,778 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donohoe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,795 in 2016. That gives Donohoe a modern rank of #3,514.

What does the Donohoe surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Donnchadha," meaning "brown-haired warrior" or "chief of the people."

What does the Donohoe map show?

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