NameCensus.

UK surname

Durack

An Irish occupational surname referring to an oak maker or oak worker.

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Durack surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barking and Dagenham, Huntingdonshire and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durack is 148 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1537.5%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

1999

148 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durack had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 61 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Durack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durack surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Durack 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 28 #32,046
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1911 historical 61 #26,724
1997 modern 140 #22,031
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 129 #23,557
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 146 #22,146
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 142 #23,270
2009 modern 139 #24,161
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 134 #25,711
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

Back to top

Where Duracks 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 Barking and Dagenham, Huntingdonshire, Suffolk Coastal, Bexley and Bromley. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barking and Dagenham 001 Barking and Dagenham
2 Huntingdonshire 005 Huntingdonshire
3 Suffolk Coastal 015 Suffolk Coastal
4 Bexley 019 Bexley
5 Bromley 036 Bromley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Durack

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Durack

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Durack surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Durack 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 many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Durack 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

Durack 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

Durack falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Durack is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Durack

The surname Durack originates from Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Dubhrachaidh," which means "dark-skinned" or "swarthy." The name is believed to have originated in County Sligo, a region located in the northwestern part of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Durack name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century. This document mentions a family named Dubhrachaidh, providing evidence of the name's existence during that time period.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Durack family played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1641, where they fought against English rule. Notable figures from this era include Patrick Durack (1635-1701), a prominent landowner and military leader, and his son, Michael Durack (1670-1745), who continued to resist English dominance.

As the years passed, the Durack name spread across Ireland, with several families bearing this surname settling in various regions. One of the most well-known individuals with this name was Charles Durack (1806-1876), an Irish-born explorer who played a crucial role in the exploration of the Australian outback in the mid-19th century.

Another notable figure was Mary Durack (1913-1994), an Australian author and historian widely acclaimed for her works depicting the lives of early settlers and Indigenous Australians. Her novels, such as "Kings in Grass Castles" and "Daughters of Dolours," shed light on the struggles and experiences of the Durack family in the Australian frontier.

The Durack surname can also be traced back to the ancient Irish territory of Muintir Eolais, located in modern-day County Leitrim. Historical records indicate that the Duracks were a prominent family in this region, with some members serving as chieftains and landowners during the medieval period.

Throughout history, the Durack name has undergone various spelling variations, including Durrack, Derrick, and Dirrick, reflecting the fluidity of language and the influence of local dialects. Despite these variations, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained connected to its Irish roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Durack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durack 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. Middlesex leads with 8 Duracks recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 10.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 8 Duracks recorded in 1881 and an index of 184.33x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 8 184.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Louisa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
Alfred 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Durack households.

FAQ

Durack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Durack surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Durack a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Durack surname mean?

An Irish occupational surname referring to an oak maker or oak worker.

What does the Durack map show?

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