NameCensus.

UK surname

Dorrans

In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Dorrans surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 147, ranked #24,071, up from #29,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Altonhill North and Onthank, New Farm Loch South and Altonhill South, Longpark and Hillhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dorrans is 153 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 444.4%.

1881 census count

27

Ranked #29,793

Modern count

147

2016, ranked #24,071

Peak year

2013

153 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dorrans had 27 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016, ranked #24,071.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dorrans surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dorrans surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dorrans 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1881 historical 27 #29,793
1891 historical 40 #31,174
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 147 #23,248
2010 modern 151 #23,377
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 147 #24,071

Geography

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Where Dorrans' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Altonhill North and Onthank, New Farm Loch South, Altonhill South, Longpark and Hillhead, Barlanark and Southcraig and Beansburn. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Altonhill North and Onthank East Ayrshire
2 New Farm Loch South East Ayrshire
3 Altonhill South, Longpark and Hillhead East Ayrshire
4 Barlanark Glasgow City
5 Southcraig and Beansburn East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dorrans

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dorrans

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dorrans 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

Dorrans is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dorrans 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 Dorrans 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 - British

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

1881 census detail

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Dorrans families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dorrans 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. Wigtownshire leads with 10 Dorrans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 285.71x.

County Total Index
Wigtownshire 10 285.71x
Stirlingshire 8 82.39x
Renfrewshire 4 19.61x
Ayrshire 3 15.23x
Lanarkshire 2 2.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stranraer in Wigtownshire leads with 9 Dorrans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2812.50x.

Place Total Index
Stranraer 9 2812.50x
St Ninians 8 833.33x
East Greenock 2 103.63x
Riccarton 2 666.67x
West Greenock 2 54.64x
Cambuslang 1 116.28x
Glasgow 1 6.61x
Kilmarnock 1 42.74x
Sorbie 1 666.67x

FAQ

Dorrans surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dorrans surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Dorrans surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dorrans surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016. That gives Dorrans a modern rank of #24,071.

What does the Dorrans map show?

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