NameCensus.

UK surname

Durden

Derived from the Old English words "duru" meaning door and "dun" meaning hill, likely referring to a gatekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 376 people recorded with the Durden surname, ranking it #8,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 298, ranked #14,801, down from #8,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mintern Magna, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Horsham and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durden is 450 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.7%.

1881 census count

376

Ranked #8,326

Modern count

298

2016, ranked #14,801

Peak year

1911

450 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durden had 376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 298 in 2016, ranked #14,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 450 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Durden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Durden 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 185 #11,077
1861 historical 286 #8,793
1881 historical 376 #8,326
1891 historical 364 #9,538
1901 historical 413 #9,266
1911 historical 450 #8,507
1997 modern 291 #13,792
1998 modern 294 #14,060
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 310 #13,618
2001 modern 294 #13,896
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 272 #14,746
2004 modern 280 #14,530
2005 modern 274 #14,663
2006 modern 286 #14,322
2007 modern 279 #14,732
2008 modern 273 #15,113
2009 modern 277 #15,260
2010 modern 288 #15,162
2011 modern 286 #15,091
2012 modern 281 #15,198
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 304 #14,703
2015 modern 302 #14,687
2016 modern 298 #14,801

Geography

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Where Durdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mintern Magna, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, Youlgrave and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Horsham, Sevenoaks, Merton and Newham. 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 Mintern Magna Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Youlgrave Derbyshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 004 West Dorset
2 Horsham 016 Horsham
3 Sevenoaks 001 Sevenoaks
4 Merton 006 Merton
5 Newham 027 Newham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Durden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Durden

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Durden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Durden 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Durden is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Durden 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

Durden 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 Durden 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Durden

The surname Durden is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant of the Old English word "deor," which means "deer," or "dun," meaning "hill." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a hill frequented by deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Durdene." This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appears in various forms in historical records, such as "Durdant," "Durdene," and "Durdenne." These variations suggest that the name was subject to regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable individual bearing the name Durden was Robert Durden, a wealthy merchant and alderman of London in the 15th century. He was born around 1420 and held significant influence in the city's governance during his lifetime.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Durden, who lived in the 16th century. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I and served as a member of her Privy Council. Sir William was born in Kent in 1535 and died in 1589.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records throughout England, particularly in counties such as Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire. One notable individual from this period was John Durden, a Puritan minister who was born in 1625 and served as a chaplain during the English Civil War.

The name Durden is also associated with several place names in England, such as Durden Park in Tenterden, Kent, and Durden Farm in Eastbourne, Sussex. These locations likely derived their names from individuals or families bearing the Durden surname in the past.

Other notable individuals with the surname Durden include Henry Durden, a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Georgia, and William Durden, an English actor and playwright who lived in the late 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Durden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durden 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 84 Durdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 84 1.95x
Dorset 54 22.61x
Middlesex 39 1.07x
Surrey 32 1.80x
Kent 26 2.09x
Warwickshire 23 2.51x
Worcestershire 20 4.21x
Northamptonshire 17 4.97x
Derbyshire 16 2.81x
Hampshire 16 2.15x
Staffordshire 12 0.98x
Sussex 12 1.96x
Yorkshire 10 0.28x
Berkshire 4 1.46x
Wiltshire 3 0.93x
Cheshire 2 0.25x
Somerset 2 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheetham in Lancashire leads with 16 Durdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.69x.

Place Total Index
Cheetham 16 49.69x
Winster 16 1538.46x
Minterne Magna 15 3658.54x
Finedon 14 466.67x
Colne 13 101.09x
Brighton 12 9.70x
Camberwell 12 5.16x
Lea Ashton Ingol 11 383.28x
Leigh 11 2200.00x
Burnley 10 27.50x
Bermondsey 9 8.31x
Hilfield 9 5294.12x
Mile End Old Town London 9 11.62x
Parr 9 58.25x
Portsea 9 6.16x
Birmingham 8 2.62x
Blandford Forum 8 169.85x
Paddington London 7 5.23x
Plumstead 7 16.92x
West Bromwich 7 9.96x
Holy Trinity 6 6.92x
Kings Norton 6 14.08x
Oldham 6 4.31x
Aston 5 1.98x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 7.29x
Dudley 5 8.66x
Ealing 5 15.38x
Lewisham 5 7.55x
Beoley 4 526.32x
Hopwood 4 70.92x
Lambeth 4 1.26x
Northfleet 4 36.56x
Bromley London 3 3.75x
Clayton Le Moors 3 35.80x
Dorchester All Sts 3 263.16x
Dover St Mary Virgin 3 24.96x
Evershot 3 483.87x
Fisherton Anger 3 50.34x
Haydock 3 40.32x
Knowle 3 158.73x
Limehouse London 3 7.51x
Reading St Mary 3 13.71x
St Maurice Winchester 3 96.77x
St Pancras London 3 1.02x
Tanworth 3 123.97x
Wandsworth 3 8.56x
Worcester St John 3 52.91x
Allesley 2 165.29x
Basingstoke 2 23.31x
Birkenhead 2 3.12x
Blackburn 2 1.74x
Dorchester St Peter 2 115.61x
Edgbaston 2 7.03x
Hillingdon 2 17.24x
Millbrook 2 10.65x
St Gabriel Fenchurch 2 1428.57x
Sutton At Hone 2 77.52x
Wellingborough 2 11.62x
West Buckland 2 176.99x
Woking 2 18.71x
Wolverhampton 2 2.12x
Woolwich 2 4.36x
Affpuddle 1 163.93x
Beverley St Mary 1 18.98x
Buckland In Dover 1 24.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.36x
Egham 1 9.19x
Feltham 1 27.55x
Handsworth 1 3.30x
Kingswinford 1 2.24x
Leeds 1 0.49x
Middlesbrough 1 2.13x
Newington 1 0.74x
Olney 1 32.89x
Oswaldtwistle 1 6.56x
Portland 1 7.79x
Sedgley 1 2.19x
Speen 1 22.37x
Wimborne Minster 1 25.91x
Yardley 1 8.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 12
Emma 9
Emily 8
Jane 8
Annie 7
Caroline 6
Eliza 6
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Florence 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Amy 2
Ann 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Lydia 2
Selina 2
Susanah 2
Agnes 1
Annabella 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Blanch 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eleinora 1
Eliz.Agnes 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Eveline 1
Fanney 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Hellen 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Marrian 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
George 15
Henry 12
James 11
John 11
Joseph 11
Thomas 11
Charles 9
Arthur 7
Alfred 6
Harry 5
Samuel 4
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Ebenezer 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Aaron 1
Abbert 1
Albert 1
Alred 1
Ambrose 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Jno. 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Septimus 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Terence 1
Venson 1
Willie 1
Wm.Ashton 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Durden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 376 people were recorded with the Durden surname. That placed it at #8,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 298 in 2016. That gives Durden a modern rank of #14,801.

What does the Durden surname mean?

Derived from the Old English words "duru" meaning door and "dun" meaning hill, likely referring to a gatekeeper.

What does the Durden map show?

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