NameCensus.

UK surname

Doolan

An Irish Gaelic surname possibly derived from the word "dubhlann," meaning dark and defiant.

In the 1881 census there were 576 people recorded with the Doolan surname, ranking it #6,047 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,873, ranked #3,399, up from #6,047 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Islington and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doolan is 1,933 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 225.2%.

1881 census count

576

Ranked #6,047

Modern count

1,873

2016, ranked #3,399

Peak year

2010

1,933 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doolan had 576 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,047 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,873 in 2016, ranked #3,399.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 796 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Doolan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doolan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doolan 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 171 #11,730
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 576 #6,047
1891 historical 705 #5,565
1901 historical 796 #5,676
1911 historical 673 #6,272
1997 modern 1,697 #3,518
1998 modern 1,745 #3,557
1999 modern 1,760 #3,547
2000 modern 1,742 #3,566
2001 modern 1,721 #3,534
2002 modern 1,802 #3,448
2003 modern 1,791 #3,405
2004 modern 1,775 #3,439
2005 modern 1,751 #3,450
2006 modern 1,768 #3,427
2007 modern 1,784 #3,436
2008 modern 1,816 #3,408
2009 modern 1,897 #3,347
2010 modern 1,933 #3,368
2011 modern 1,893 #3,394
2012 modern 1,836 #3,427
2013 modern 1,896 #3,388
2014 modern 1,892 #3,407
2015 modern 1,864 #3,422
2016 modern 1,873 #3,399

Geography

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Where Doolans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Liverpool, Glasgow and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Islington, County Durham, Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South and Craigie. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
2 Islington 015 Islington
3 County Durham 006 County Durham
4 Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South South Ayrshire
5 Craigie South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doolan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doolan

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

Doolan 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

Doolan 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 Doolan 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 Doolan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Doolan

The surname Doolan is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name O'Dubhlain, which means "descendant of Dubhlan." Dubhlan is a diminutive form of the name Dubh, meaning "dark" or "black." The name was originally found in County Mayo, Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Doolan surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In 1587, the annals mention a Donnchadh O'Dubhlain, who was a member of the O'Doolan family from County Mayo.

The surname also appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the Tudor period. In 1602, a pardon was granted to Thomas O'Dolan of County Mayo.

In the 17th century, the surname was sometimes anglicized to Dolan or Dullahan. One notable individual from this time period was Edmond Dullahan, a Franciscan friar and historian who lived from 1630 to 1668.

During the 18th century, some members of the Doolan family emigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States and Australia. One early emigrant was John Doolan, who was born in Ireland in 1745 and later settled in Pennsylvania.

In the 19th century, the surname Doolan was still predominantly found in Ireland, particularly in County Mayo. However, there were also Doolans living in other parts of the world, such as James Doolan, a convict who was transported to Australia in 1832.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Doolan. These include:

1. Patrick Doolan (1778-1857), an Irish revolutionary and member of the Society of United Irishmen. 2. Joseph Doolan (1857-1936), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Sioux City, Iowa. 3. Michael Doolan (1860-1933), an Irish-born Australian politician who served in the Parliament of Western Australia. 4. Francis Doolan (1898-1976), an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox. 5. Sean Doolan (1958-present), an Irish actor known for his roles in films such as Braveheart and Titanic.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doolan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doolan 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 189 Doolans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 189 2.78x
Yorkshire 66 1.16x
Middlesex 40 0.70x
Glamorgan 31 3.11x
Staffordshire 31 1.60x
Lanarkshire 29 1.57x
Lincolnshire 20 2.18x
Durham 18 1.06x
Ayrshire 17 3.97x
Surrey 17 0.61x
Warwickshire 15 1.04x
Gloucestershire 14 1.25x
Cheshire 13 1.03x
Channel Islands 12 7.07x
Norfolk 10 1.14x
Northumberland 10 1.17x
Derbyshire 7 0.78x
Hampshire 6 0.51x
Monmouthshire 6 1.45x
Kent 5 0.26x
Perthshire 5 1.95x
Cornwall 4 0.62x
Stirlingshire 3 1.42x
West Lothian 3 3.48x
Angus 2 0.38x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.83x
Essex 2 0.18x
Midlothian 2 0.26x
Renfrewshire 2 0.45x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.29x
Hertfordshire 1 0.25x
Kincardineshire 1 1.43x
Somerset 1 0.11x
Suffolk 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.10x

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 48 Doolans recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.63x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 48 11.63x
Kirkdale 29 25.37x
Preston 21 11.55x
Stoke Upon Trent 17 8.29x
Frodingham 16 490.80x
Birmingham 15 3.12x
Leeds 15 4.68x
Bradford 14 10.19x
Oldham 12 5.47x
St Helier 12 21.72x
Birkenhead 11 10.92x
Battersea 10 4.75x
Oystermouth 10 129.70x
Cardiff St Mary 9 16.39x
Manchester 9 2.95x
Sheffield 9 4.98x
Tarbolton 9 127.66x
East Denton 8 412.37x
Glasgow 8 2.43x
Iveston 8 101.91x
Chelsea London 7 4.06x
Darlington 7 10.64x
Derby St Alkmund 7 26.05x
Little Bolton 7 8.01x
Whitchurch 7 129.87x
Barony 6 1.28x
Blackburn 6 3.32x
Bristol St Augustine 6 33.11x
Bristol St James In 6 36.34x
Cannock 6 17.79x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 17.59x
Govan 6 1.31x
Old Buckenham 6 265.49x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.70x
Linthorpe 5 14.77x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 63.37x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 5.22x
Salford 5 2.50x
Shotts 5 22.56x
Wolverhampton 5 3.36x
Brearton 4 1333.33x
Great Yarmouth 4 5.48x
Horton In Bradford 4 4.51x
Islington London 4 0.72x
Kensington London 4 1.26x
Kilmarnock 4 7.84x
Lancaster 4 9.89x
Lanteglos By Fowey 4 151.52x
Middlesbrough 4 5.41x
Spittlegate 4 31.60x
St Marylebone London 4 1.31x
Tulliallan 4 91.74x
West Derby 4 2.01x
Westminster St James 4 6.80x
Wigan 4 4.21x
Acton 3 8.94x
Boness 3 25.23x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 5.56x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.70x
Chorley 3 7.87x
Everton 3 1.39x
Farnborough 3 24.33x
Gorton 3 4.70x
Newton 3 5.73x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 12.10x
Wavertree 3 13.79x
Aldershot 2 5.09x
Blantyre 2 10.37x
Bristol St Stephen 2 68.49x
Camberwell 2 0.55x
Dalry 2 9.92x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.33x
Ealing 2 3.91x
Edinburgh St Andrews 2 31.60x
Halifax 2 2.40x
Kilbarchan 2 14.84x
Llangennech 2 51.68x
Slamannan 2 17.30x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.74x
Toxteth Park 2 0.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Margaret 24
Elizabeth 19
Catherine 15
Ann 14
Bridget 14
Ellen 14
Annie 10
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Anne 4
Eliza 4
Kate 4
Emily 3
Emma 3
Clara 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Johanah 2
Julia 2
Margt. 2
Rose 2
Arsarah 1
Bodelia 1
Caroline 1
Catern 1
Catharine 1
Cathe. 1
Christine 1
Cordelina 1
Elizh. 1
Euphemia 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Honorah 1
Johanna 1
Johannah 1
Julianna 1
Katherine 1
Katie 1
Lucy 1
Margarett 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Meleta 1
Minnie 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 29
James 28
Patrick 22
Michael 18
Thomas 17
Edward 12
Joseph 11
Peter 7
Charles 5
Martin 5
Richard 5
Thos. 5
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Anthony 2
Christopher 2
George 2
Henry 2
Jno. 2
Laurence 2
Willm. 2
Alfred 1
Bernard 1
Bridget 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Kyland 1
Hugh 1
Jeremiah 1
K.James 1
Kearney 1
Lawrence 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Michal 1
Michall 1
Michals 1
Owen 1
Pat 1
Robert 1
Robt.Reid 1
Titus 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Doolan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doolan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 576 people were recorded with the Doolan surname. That placed it at #6,047 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doolan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,873 in 2016. That gives Doolan a modern rank of #3,399.

What does the Doolan surname mean?

An Irish Gaelic surname possibly derived from the word "dubhlann," meaning dark and defiant.

What does the Doolan map show?

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