NameCensus.

UK surname

Duan

A Chinese surname meaning "origin, beginning, starting point."

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Duan surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, St Leonard Shoreditch and Necton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bexley, Bromley and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duan is 109 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 537.5%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1861

109 bearers

Map years

2

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duan had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Duan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duan 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 36 #31,465
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 32 #34,633
1999 modern 35 #34,418
2000 modern 33 #34,607
2001 modern 33 #34,436
2002 modern 41 #34,032
2003 modern 49 #33,456
2004 modern 50 #33,566
2005 modern 55 #33,349
2006 modern 59 #33,330
2007 modern 69 #32,662
2008 modern 72 #32,656
2009 modern 73 #32,923
2010 modern 86 #32,081
2011 modern 85 #32,127
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 104 #30,269
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Duans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, St Leonard Shoreditch, Necton, Gateshead and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bexley, Bromley, Ealing, Southwark and Westminster. 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 Moulton Cambridgeshire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Necton Norfolk
4 Gateshead Durham
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bexley 001 Bexley
2 Bromley 020 Bromley
3 Ealing 027 Ealing
4 Southwark 010 Southwark
5 Westminster 020 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duan

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Duan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Duan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Duan 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

Duan 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

Duan falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Duan 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Duan

The surname DUAN originated in China and is believed to have emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "duan," which means "short" or "broken." The name was likely given as a descriptive surname to someone who was short in stature or had a disability that caused them to appear short or broken.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DUAN can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Historical records from this period mention individuals with this surname living in various regions of China, including Shandong, Henan, and Jiangsu provinces.

One notable individual bearing the surname DUAN was Duan Chengshi (1123-1185 AD), a prominent scholar and poet during the Southern Song Dynasty. He was known for his expertise in Confucian classics and his contributions to the development of Neo-Confucianism.

Another historical figure with the surname DUAN was Duan Qirui (1835-1908), a prominent military leader and statesman during the late Qing Dynasty. He played a crucial role in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion and later served as the Governor of Zhili Province.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname DUAN was also associated with several notable individuals. One example is Duan Tidu (1464-1546), a highly respected scholar and author who wrote extensively on Confucian philosophy and literature.

In the early 20th century, Duan Qirui (1865-1936), a politician and warlord, played a significant role in the Warlord Era of China. He served as the Premier of the Republic of China from 1918 to 1920 and was known for his attempts to unify the country during a period of political turmoil.

Throughout its history, the surname DUAN has been associated with various place names and locations in China. For instance, the town of Duanzhou in Guangdong Province is believed to have been named after individuals with the DUAN surname who settled in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duan 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. Essex leads with 5 Duans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.24x.

County Total Index
Essex 5 16.24x
Durham 4 8.62x
Middlesex 4 2.56x
Cumberland 3 22.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wanstead in Essex leads with 5 Duans recorded in 1881 and an index of 925.93x.

Place Total Index
Wanstead 5 925.93x
Hutton Henry 4 4000.00x
Egremont 3 937.50x
Hackney London 1 11.43x
Hammersmith London 1 26.04x
Kensington London 1 11.53x
St Pancras London 1 7.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 3
Rose 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Lizzie 1
Maggie 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Barkitt 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Duan households.

FAQ

Duan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Duan surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Duan a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Duan surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "origin, beginning, starting point."

What does the Duan map show?

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