NameCensus.

UK surname

Dorning

From a place name derived from the Old English word "dyrning" meaning "a hidden or secret place".

In the 1881 census there were 229 people recorded with the Dorning surname, ranking it #11,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 151, ranked #23,615, down from #11,784 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Liverpool, Bolton-le-Moors and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Cardiff and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dorning is 243 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.1%.

1881 census count

229

Ranked #11,784

Modern count

151

2016, ranked #23,615

Peak year

1891

243 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dorning had 229 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,784 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016, ranked #23,615.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 243 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Dorning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dorning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dorning 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 197 #12,166
1881 historical 229 #11,784
1891 historical 243 #13,011
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 163 #20,038
1998 modern 161 #20,754
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 161 #20,822
2001 modern 165 #20,199
2002 modern 165 #20,619
2003 modern 166 #20,320
2004 modern 159 #21,007
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 153 #21,643
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 165 #21,056
2009 modern 164 #21,628
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 155 #23,333
2015 modern 156 #23,106
2016 modern 151 #23,615

Geography

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Where Dornings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Liverpool, Bolton-le-Moors, Manchester and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Cardiff, St. Helens and Amber Valley. 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 Liverpool Lancashire
2 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 013 Bolton
2 Cardiff 043 Cardiff
3 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
4 Cardiff 039 Cardiff
5 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dorning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dorning

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Dorning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dorning household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dorning is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dorning is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dorning 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 Dorning 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dorning

The surname Dorning is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "dorn" and "ing," meaning "thorny" and "meadow" or "enclosure," respectively. It likely referred to someone who lived near or owned a thorny meadow or enclosure.

Early spellings of the name included Dornynge, Dornyngge, and Dorninge, as evidenced by records from various counties in England, such as Essex, Kent, and Gloucestershire. The surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, where several families bearing the name were recorded in local parish records and tax rolls.

One of the earliest known references to the name Dorning can be found in the Huntingdonshire Feet of Fines, a collection of legal records from the county of Huntingdonshire, dated 1260. This document mentions a Robert de Dorninge, who was involved in a land transaction.

In the 14th century, the Dorning surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire, which recorded taxpayers in the region. Notable individuals listed include John Dornyng (1327) and Thomas Dornyng (1380).

During the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Dorning family held substantial land holdings in the village of Bray, Berkshire. The Visitation of Berkshire in 1566 documented the pedigree of the Dorning family, including Robert Dorning (born circa 1480) and his son, Edward Dorning (born circa 1520).

In the 17th century, Edward Dorning (1595-1665), a member of the Dorning family of Wiltshire, gained prominence as a politician and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Great Bedwyn.

Another notable individual with the surname Dorning was Sir John Dorning (1645-1705), a British naval officer and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Hastings from 1701 until his death.

During the 18th century, the Reverend Samuel Dorning (1725-1796), an English clergyman and author, published several works on theology and religious subjects.

In the 19th century, Sir Henry Dorning (1816-1892), a British diplomat and colonial administrator, held influential positions such as the Governor of Malta and the British Consul-General in Egypt.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dorning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dorning 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 177 Dornings recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 177 6.74x
Middlesex 14 0.63x
Cheshire 9 1.84x
Devon 7 1.52x
Dorset 4 2.75x
Somerset 4 1.12x
Hampshire 3 0.66x
Hertfordshire 2 1.31x
Surrey 2 0.19x
Essex 1 0.23x
Kent 1 0.13x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.27x
Yorkshire 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. Parr in Lancashire leads with 21 Dornings recorded in 1881 and an index of 223.40x.

Place Total Index
Parr 21 223.40x
Sutton 19 215.66x
Widnes 18 94.99x
Great Bolton 17 48.85x
Salford 13 16.82x
Toxteth Park 11 12.36x
Little Bolton 10 29.60x
Liverpool 8 5.01x
Mobberley 7 625.00x
Pendleton In Salford 7 22.36x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 45.49x
Worsley 6 37.06x
Bury 5 16.66x
St George In East London 5 24.00x
Cerne Abbas 4 571.43x
Didsbury 4 114.61x
Gittisham 4 1176.47x
Trull 4 547.95x
Uxbridge 4 158.10x
Everton 3 3.58x
Hulme 3 5.47x
Manchester 3 2.54x
Pendlebury 3 54.05x
Poplar London 3 7.18x
Wavertree 3 35.67x
Windle 3 20.30x
Cheetham 2 10.20x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 4.79x
Great Crosby 2 27.93x
Layton With Warbreck 2 20.75x
North Meols 2 7.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.63x
Tranmere 2 11.14x
Camberwell 1 0.71x
East Barnet 1 33.00x
East Grinstead 1 18.94x
Giggleswick 1 135.14x
Handsworth 1 5.43x
Islington London 1 0.47x
Lyminge 1 153.85x
Moss Side 1 7.24x
Newton Abbot St Mary 1 25.84x
Newton In Makerfield 1 12.42x
Portsea 1 1.12x
Rainhill 1 59.52x
Ringwood 1 34.48x
Sawbridgeworth 1 43.29x
South Stoneham 1 10.16x
South Weald 1 26.74x
St Giles In Fields London 1 9.21x
Streatham 1 6.09x
Withington 1 11.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Jane 9
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 8
Ellen 7
Annie 6
Margaret 6
Elizth. 4
Ann 3
Hannah 3
Margeret 3
Maria 3
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Eliza 2
Elizeabeth 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Lydia 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Catherine 1
Clarissa 1
Diana 1
Edith 1
Eling 1
Elizh.Alice 1
Florence 1
Janette 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Nancy 1
Nellie 1
Phebe 1
Stella 1
Talitha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 14
James 9
Thomas 8
Henry 7
Robert 6
Herbert 4
Frederick 3
Jonathan 2
Joseph 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Barnisce 1
Chas.H. 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Henary 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Mathew 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Radciffe 1
Raymond 1
Rd. 1
Saml. 1
Saml.C. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Vernon 1

FAQ

Dorning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dorning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 229 people were recorded with the Dorning surname. That placed it at #11,784 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dorning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016. That gives Dorning a modern rank of #23,615.

What does the Dorning surname mean?

From a place name derived from the Old English word "dyrning" meaning "a hidden or secret place".

What does the Dorning map show?

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