NameCensus.

UK surname

Duerden

An English surname derived from the Old English word "deorădūn" meaning "deer hill" or "valley of the deer".

In the 1881 census there were 1,123 people recorded with the Duerden surname, ranking it #3,553 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 874, ranked #6,431, down from #3,553 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whalley and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pendle and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duerden is 1,508 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.2%.

1881 census count

1,123

Ranked #3,553

Modern count

874

2016, ranked #6,431

Peak year

1911

1,508 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duerden had 1,123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,553 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 874 in 2016, ranked #6,431.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,508 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Duerden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duerden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Duerden 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 365 #6,492
1861 historical 486 #5,372
1881 historical 1,123 #3,553
1891 historical 1,126 #3,770
1901 historical 1,480 #3,456
1911 historical 1,508 #3,201
1997 modern 965 #5,649
1998 modern 983 #5,753
1999 modern 986 #5,777
2000 modern 966 #5,854
2001 modern 941 #5,865
2002 modern 953 #5,913
2003 modern 941 #5,877
2004 modern 966 #5,758
2005 modern 927 #5,894
2006 modern 913 #5,967
2007 modern 929 #5,943
2008 modern 942 #5,920
2009 modern 967 #5,921
2010 modern 982 #5,967
2011 modern 941 #6,108
2012 modern 918 #6,151
2013 modern 926 #6,216
2014 modern 922 #6,268
2015 modern 898 #6,336
2016 modern 874 #6,431

Geography

Back to top

Where Duerdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pendle and Burnley. 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 Whalley Lancashire
2 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pendle 008 Pendle
2 Pendle 013 Pendle
3 Burnley 001 Burnley
4 Pendle 010 Pendle
5 Pendle 005 Pendle

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Duerden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Duerden

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Duerden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Duerden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Duerden 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

Duerden is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Duerden falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Duerden 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 Duerden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Duerden

The surname Duerden is of English origin, originating from the region of Lancashire in the north of England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the former village of Duerden near Bolton, which itself is derived from the Old English words "deor" meaning deer and "dene" meaning valley, essentially translating to "the deer's valley".

The earliest known record of the surname Duerden dates back to the 13th century, with a documented reference to a Richard de Duredene in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1246. This spelling variation highlights the locational roots of the name. Other early spellings include Dwereden, Dwerden, and Dwerdeyn, reflecting the regional accent and dialect of the time.

In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Duerden. However, the village of Duerden itself is likely to have been in existence at that time, as the surrounding areas of Bolton and Chorley are mentioned.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Duerden surname was John Duerden, who was born in 1583 in Bolton, Lancashire. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a church warden at the parish church of St. Peter's in Bolton.

In the 17th century, the Duerden family played a significant role in the English Civil War, with several members fighting for the Parliamentarian cause against King Charles I. A notable figure was Captain Robert Duerden, born in 1610, who commanded a company of foot soldiers and was involved in several key battles.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Duerden family continued to have a strong presence in Lancashire, with many members working in the region's thriving textile industry. One notable individual was James Duerden (1765-1842), a successful cotton manufacturer and philanthropist who donated funds for the construction of a school in Bolton.

In the late 19th century, the Duerden surname began to spread more widely across England and beyond, as some family members migrated to other parts of the country and even overseas. One such example is Edward Duerden (1838-1919), a renowned naturalist and entomologist who was born in Lancashire but spent much of his life in South Africa, where he made significant contributions to the study of insect life.

Other notable individuals with the surname Duerden include Sir James Duerden (1865-1937), a British civil engineer and architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Wilfrid Duerden (1892-1979), a British writer and academic who specialized in the study of Caribbean literature and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Duerden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duerden 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 1,063 Duerdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.17x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,063 8.17x
Yorkshire 39 0.36x
Kent 8 0.21x
Cheshire 6 0.25x
Middlesex 5 0.05x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.14x
Surrey 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Little Marsden in Lancashire leads with 281 Duerdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 471.48x.

Place Total Index
Great Little Marsden 281 471.48x
Burnley 156 142.37x
Blackburn 149 43.04x
Colne 138 356.04x
Habergham Eaves 67 56.34x
Over Darwen 31 29.83x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 27 548.78x
Briercliffe Cum 23 533.64x
Trawden 20 245.70x
Yate Pickup Bank 20 775.19x
Accrington 17 14.37x
Whalley 13 68.57x
Horton In Bradford 12 7.07x
Witton 11 67.20x
Newchurch 10 9.40x
Salford 10 2.61x
Barnsley 9 8.03x
Oswaldtwistle 9 19.58x
Plumstead 8 6.42x
Eccleshill 7 246.48x
Barrowford Booth 6 41.67x
Gorton 6 4.91x
Lower Darwen 6 35.13x
Rimington 6 416.67x
Birkenhead 5 2.59x
Liversedge 5 10.34x
Livesey 5 21.90x
Broughton In Salford 4 3.36x
Cliviger 4 54.57x
Dilworth 4 50.19x
Mearley 4 3636.36x
Read 4 114.94x
St Anne Soho London 4 6.39x
Great Bolton 3 1.74x
Haworth 3 11.61x
Hopwood 3 17.64x
Mellor 3 72.82x
North Meols 3 2.36x
Rainford 3 21.32x
Tottington Lower End 3 4.85x
Withnell 3 37.59x
Huncoat 2 57.31x
Lancaster 2 2.58x
Leeds 2 0.33x
Tonge With Haulgh 2 7.90x
Bradford 1 0.38x
Clitheroe 1 2.61x
Great Boughton 1 11.99x
Haslingden 1 1.86x
Lambeth 1 0.10x
Lower Booths 1 4.29x
Morley 1 1.77x
Nichol Forest 1 42.02x
Poplar London 1 0.48x
Portland 1 2.58x
Preston 1 0.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 94
Elizabeth 47
Sarah 42
Alice 37
Martha 32
Margaret 31
Ellen 27
Jane 25
Betty 24
Ann 21
Nancy 11
Annie 10
Hannah 10
Isabella 9
Susannah 8
Ada 7
Emma 7
Betsy 6
Clara 6
Eliza 5
Ruth 5
Margret 4
Maria 4
Matilda 4
Eleanor 3
Emily 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
Maggie 3
Nanny 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Deborah 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Grace 2
Louisa 2
Margt. 2
Mercy 2
Patience 2
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Alice 1
Wanny 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 73
William 60
James 51
Thomas 46
George 30
Robert 21
Joseph 14
Richard 14
Charles 13
Henry 13
Hartley 12
Francis 8
Frank 8
Fred 8
Harry 8
Samuel 8
Willie 8
Albert 7
Edward 6
Abraham 5
Amos 5
Arthur 5
Moses 5
Benjamin 4
Jonathan 4
Nathan 4
Peter 4
Stephen 4
Alfred 3
Levi 3
Smith 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Foster 2
Frederick 2
Heaton 2
Jno. 2
Job 2
Paul 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Wilson 2
Crossley 1
Frances 1
Johnathan 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Duerden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duerden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,123 people were recorded with the Duerden surname. That placed it at #3,553 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duerden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 874 in 2016. That gives Duerden a modern rank of #6,431.

What does the Duerden surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "deorădūn" meaning "deer hill" or "valley of the deer".

What does the Duerden map show?

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