NameCensus.

UK surname

Duncalf

Derived from a combination of "dun" meaning brown or dark-colored and "calf", referring to a young bovine.

In the 1881 census there were 302 people recorded with the Duncalf surname, ranking it #9,673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 602, ranked #8,701, up from #9,673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Astbury and Runcorn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Conwy and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duncalf is 673 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.3%.

1881 census count

302

Ranked #9,673

Modern count

602

2016, ranked #8,701

Peak year

2002

673 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duncalf had 302 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 602 in 2016, ranked #8,701.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 448 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Duncalf surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duncalf surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duncalf 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 279 #8,067
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 302 #9,673
1891 historical 345 #9,944
1901 historical 339 #10,682
1911 historical 448 #8,538
1997 modern 575 #8,388
1998 modern 650 #7,904
1999 modern 659 #7,866
2000 modern 647 #7,961
2001 modern 640 #7,883
2002 modern 673 #7,753
2003 modern 669 #7,666
2004 modern 641 #7,918
2005 modern 623 #8,038
2006 modern 594 #8,345
2007 modern 598 #8,375
2008 modern 608 #8,320
2009 modern 642 #8,148
2010 modern 643 #8,319
2011 modern 621 #8,458
2012 modern 605 #8,550
2013 modern 601 #8,741
2014 modern 602 #8,782
2015 modern 605 #8,678
2016 modern 602 #8,701

Geography

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Where Duncalfs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Astbury, Runcorn, Liverpool and Frodsham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Conwy and Hambleton. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Astbury Cheshire
3 Runcorn Cheshire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Frodsham Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 020 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Cheshire West and Chester 002 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Conwy 012 Conwy
5 Hambleton 009 Hambleton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duncalf

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duncalf

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Duncalf surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Duncalf household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Duncalf 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

Duncalf is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Duncalf

The surname Duncalf has its origins in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "calf" referring to a young cow or bull. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a hill where calves were raised.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Records of 1379, where a John Duncalf is listed as a resident of the village of Bingley. Another early mention appears in the Lancashire Inquests of 1486, which references a Richard Duncalf from the town of Colne.

The Duncalf name is notably absent from the Domesday Book of 1086, which suggests that the surname did not emerge until after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. However, it is possible that the name existed in its earlier Anglo-Saxon form and was later anglicized to its current spelling.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Robert Duncalf, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 15th century and served as a clerk and scribe in the northern English town of Richmond. Another notable bearer of the name was John Duncalf (1619-1682), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Rector of Monks Risborough in Buckinghamshire.

In the 17th century, the Duncalf family appears to have had a presence in the village of Gisburn in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Records from this period mention a William Duncalf (1634-1706) who was a prominent landowner and farmer in the area.

During the 18th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of England, with mentions of a Thomas Duncalf (1723-1789) who was a successful merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. Another individual of note was Richard Duncalf (1765-1841), a renowned mathematician and astronomer who served as the Rector of Sittingbourne in Kent.

In the 19th century, the Duncalf surname gained recognition through the work of John Duncalf (1822-1901), a prominent architect and surveyor who was responsible for the design of several notable buildings in the city of Leeds, including the iconic Leeds Corn Exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duncalf families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duncalf 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. Cheshire leads with 122 Duncalfs recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.76x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 122 18.76x
Lancashire 95 2.72x
Staffordshire 33 3.32x
Yorkshire 20 0.69x
Cornwall 13 3.90x
Derbyshire 7 1.52x
Surrey 6 0.42x
Kent 3 0.30x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.71x
Middlesex 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Congleton in Cheshire leads with 18 Duncalfs recorded in 1881 and an index of 160.14x.

Place Total Index
Congleton 18 160.14x
Kingsley 14 1157.02x
Great Bolton 12 25.92x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 10.43x
Widnes 10 39.67x
Moston 9 256.41x
Worsley 9 41.76x
Everton 8 7.18x
Macclesfield 8 27.68x
Derby St Werburgh 7 26.29x
Madron Penzance 7 57.71x
Openshaw 7 42.76x
Runcorn 7 46.70x
Barnton 6 387.10x
Castle Northwich 6 279.07x
Failsworth 6 75.00x
Great Budworth 6 521.74x
Leek Lowe 6 45.35x
Preston On Hill 6 1052.63x
Smallthorne 6 162.60x
Wass 6 5454.55x
Yearsley 6 3750.00x
Daresbury 5 3571.43x
Halton 5 344.83x
Kirkdale 5 8.50x
Manchester 5 3.18x
Newton 5 18.56x
Norley 5 684.93x
Over 5 75.64x
Rotherhithe 5 13.74x
Bollin Fee 4 138.89x
Burslem 4 14.04x
Crowton 4 851.06x
Frodsham Lordship 4 363.64x
Mevagissey 4 180.18x
Erith 3 30.30x
Leftwich 3 103.81x
Oldham 3 2.66x
Wakefield 3 13.39x
Wharton 3 84.75x
Wolstanton Chesterton 3 59.06x
Birkdale 2 22.62x
Birkenhead 2 3.86x
Bradford 2 12.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.60x
Heaton Norris 2 10.05x
Liverton 2 298.51x
Salford 2 1.95x
Sithney 2 59.35x
Weston In Runcorn 2 118.34x
Adlington 1 114.94x
Allostock 1 196.08x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.30x
Chester St John Baptist 1 8.55x
Chorley In Macclesfield 1 50.51x
Farnworth 1 4.78x
Harrow On The Hill 1 16.98x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 1 181.82x
Knutsford Nether 1 25.45x
Little Leigh 1 217.39x
Liverpool 1 0.47x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 19.31x
Middlesbrough 1 2.63x
Norton In Moors 1 19.01x
Offord Cluny 1 344.83x
Sandbach 1 18.02x
Simonswood 1 212.77x
Southwark St Thomas 1 126.58x
Toxteth Park 1 0.84x
Tranmere 1 4.18x
Walton On Hill 1 5.28x
Warmfield Cum Heath 1 101.01x
Wednesbury 1 4.02x
Wellington 1 6.99x
Windle 1 5.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 11
Margaret 11
Ann 10
Jane 8
Annie 7
Martha 6
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Alice 3
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Ruth 3
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Elizth 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Jessie 1
Josepha 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Polly 1
Rachel 1
Rinder 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 21
James 13
Joseph 11
George 8
Thomas 8
Samuel 5
Robert 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Mathew 3
Ralph 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Caleb 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Eli 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Job 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Nathan 1
Obediah 1
Richard 1
Sam 1

FAQ

Duncalf surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duncalf surname in 1881?

In 1881, 302 people were recorded with the Duncalf surname. That placed it at #9,673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duncalf surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 602 in 2016. That gives Duncalf a modern rank of #8,701.

What does the Duncalf surname mean?

Derived from a combination of "dun" meaning brown or dark-colored and "calf", referring to a young bovine.

What does the Duncalf map show?

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