NameCensus.

UK surname

Durn

A surname derived from a place name, possibly from the French word "dune" meaning sandy hill.

In the 1881 census there were 110 people recorded with the Durn surname, ranking it #18,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260, ranked #16,349, up from #18,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a and Kingswood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durn is 277 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.4%.

1881 census count

110

Ranked #18,695

Modern count

260

2016, ranked #16,349

Peak year

2003

277 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durn had 110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016, ranked #16,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 216 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Durn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Durn 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 135 #13,964
1861 historical 172 #13,619
1881 historical 110 #18,695
1891 historical 216 #14,107
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 201 #14,905
1997 modern 263 #14,769
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 277 #14,577
2004 modern 270 #14,913
2005 modern 260 #15,250
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 250 #16,421
2010 modern 258 #16,432
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 254 #16,726
2015 modern 254 #16,608
2016 modern 260 #16,349

Geography

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Where Durns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a, Kingswood, Grantham and Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud and Bradford. 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 North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire
2 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk
3 Kingswood Gloucestershire
4 Grantham Lincolnshire
5 Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 004 Stroud
2 Stroud 006 Stroud
3 Stroud 007 Stroud
4 Bradford 015 Bradford
5 Stroud 008 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Durn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Durn

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Durn is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Durn is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Durn 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 Durn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Durn

The surname DURN is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "derne," meaning secret or hidden, which suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a secluded or isolated area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name DURN can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a Richard Durn. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, making this an important historical document for tracing the origins of surnames.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201, which record the proceedings of the King's Court. This document mentions a William Durn, indicating that the name was well-established in England by this time.

During the Middle Ages, the DURN surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Some notable individuals bearing this name include John Durn, a merchant from York who was recorded in the Guild Register in 1349, and Robert Durn, a landowner from Lincolnshire mentioned in the Court Rolls of 1428.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name began to evolve, with variations such as Dourne and Dowrne appearing in records. One notable figure from this period was Sir William Durn, a member of the English gentry from Nottinghamshire, who served as a Justice of the Peace in 1567.

As the centuries progressed, the DURN surname spread across England and even into Scotland. In the 18th century, a prominent Scottish family by the name of Durn resided in the Orkney Islands, with several members serving as ministers and landowners in the region.

Among the notable individuals bearing the DURN surname throughout history are: 1. Richard Durn (mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, 1166) 2. William Durn (mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls, 1201) 3. John Durn (merchant from York, recorded in the Guild Register, 1349) 4. Robert Durn (landowner from Lincolnshire, mentioned in the Court Rolls, 1428) 5. Sir William Durn (Justice of the Peace in Nottinghamshire, 1567)

While the DURN surname may have evolved and spread across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "derne," reflecting the secluded or hidden nature of the places where its earliest bearers likely resided.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Durn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durn 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. Gloucestershire leads with 54 Durns recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.66x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 54 25.66x
Norfolk 16 9.70x
Warwickshire 8 2.96x
Lancashire 7 0.55x
Yorkshire 7 0.66x
Middlesex 5 0.47x
Lincolnshire 3 1.75x
Shropshire 3 3.24x
Worcestershire 2 1.43x
Essex 1 0.47x
Northumberland 1 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.69x
Staffordshire 1 0.28x
Sussex 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wotton Under Edge in Gloucestershire leads with 27 Durns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2177.42x.

Place Total Index
Wotton Under Edge 27 2177.42x
Norwich St Martin At 14 5000.00x
Stroud 12 292.68x
Kingswood 9 2647.06x
Birmingham 8 8.87x
Brightside Bierlow 6 28.78x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 78.25x
Bisley 3 157.07x
Manthorpe Cum Little 3 229.01x
Wellington 3 57.58x
Astley 2 689.66x
Dursley 2 229.89x
Hammersmith London 2 7.57x
Norwich St Michael At 2 208.33x
Brighton 1 2.74x
Hunslet 1 6.03x
Morpeth 1 53.19x
North Collingham 1 294.12x
Poplar London 1 4.94x
Spotland 1 7.06x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 21.51x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.60x
West Derby 1 2.68x
West Ham 1 2.14x
Westminster St Margaret 1 19.31x
Wickwar 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
George 6
Thomas 5
James 4
Frederick 3
John 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Ezekiel 2
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Henry 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt.O. 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Durn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 110 people were recorded with the Durn surname. That placed it at #18,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016. That gives Durn a modern rank of #16,349.

What does the Durn surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly from the French word "dune" meaning sandy hill.

What does the Durn map show?

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