NameCensus.

UK surname

Durnan

Of Irish origin, a surname referring to a person from a fortified house or castle.

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Durnan surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 293, ranked #14,981, up from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Wigan and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Campbeltown, Barmulloch and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durnan is 303 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 388.3%.

1881 census count

60

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

293

2016, ranked #14,981

Peak year

2010

303 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durnan had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 293 in 2016, ranked #14,981.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 117 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Durnan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durnan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Durnan 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 52 #27,369
1881 historical 60 #25,133
1891 historical 88 #25,677
1901 historical 117 #20,830
1911 historical 90 #23,797
1997 modern 234 #15,939
1998 modern 241 #16,065
1999 modern 256 #15,557
2000 modern 259 #15,390
2001 modern 252 #15,452
2002 modern 263 #15,277
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 267 #15,038
2005 modern 267 #14,954
2006 modern 276 #14,700
2007 modern 275 #14,888
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 292 #14,700
2010 modern 303 #14,626
2011 modern 287 #15,044
2012 modern 282 #15,158
2013 modern 294 #14,961
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 289 #15,153
2016 modern 293 #14,981

Geography

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Where Durnans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Wigan, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Darfield and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Campbeltown, Barmulloch, Barnsley, Springburn and Chorley. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
2 Barmulloch Glasgow City
3 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
4 Springburn Glasgow City
5 Chorley 006 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Durnan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Durnan

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Durnan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Durnan 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 characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Durnan 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

Durnan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Durnan 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 Durnan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Durnan

The surname Durnan is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "dùradan," which means "little stubborn person." This suggests that the name was likely originally a nickname given to someone with a stubborn or determined personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland from 1592, which mentions a "Johne Durnan." This document provides evidence of the name's existence and use during the late 16th century in Scotland.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records and local documents throughout Scotland, particularly in the regions of Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire, and Angus. It is possible that the name may have originated in one of these areas before spreading to other parts of the country.

The surname Durnan has also been linked to several place names in Scotland, such as Durnane in Fife and Durnane in Stirlingshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Durnan throughout history include:

1. William Durnan (1765-1848), a Scottish soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. 2. James Durnan (1820-1890), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 3. Andrew Durnan (1858-1934), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. 4. Robert Durnan (1876-1950), a Scottish footballer who played for several clubs, including Rangers and St. Mirren. 5. John Durnan (1915-1998), a Scottish-born Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League.

While the surname Durnan has been present in historical records for several centuries, its origins can be traced back to Scotland, where it likely began as a nickname based on the Scottish Gaelic word "dùradan," reflecting the stubborn or determined nature of its early bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Durnan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durnan 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. Yorkshire leads with 18 Durnans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.10x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 18 3.10x
Argyllshire 17 104.36x
Lancashire 11 1.58x
Renfrewshire 6 13.23x
Angus 3 5.53x
Staffordshire 3 1.52x
Durham 1 0.57x
Lanarkshire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Campbeltown in Argyllshire leads with 16 Durnans recorded in 1881 and an index of 816.33x.

Place Total Index
Campbeltown 16 816.33x
Barugh 7 1428.57x
Wigan 7 72.16x
Lochwinnoch 6 882.35x
Sheffield 6 32.50x
Wath On Dearne 5 431.03x
Kirkdale 4 34.25x
Liff Benvie 3 36.45x
Rushall 3 258.62x
Gigha Cara 1 1250.00x
Glasgow 1 2.98x
Willington 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Katherine 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
May 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 3
Matthew 2
Bernard 1
Harry 1
James 1
Jas. 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Joseph 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Thos. 1
Walter 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 Durnan households.

FAQ

Durnan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durnan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Durnan surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durnan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 293 in 2016. That gives Durnan a modern rank of #14,981.

What does the Durnan surname mean?

Of Irish origin, a surname referring to a person from a fortified house or castle.

What does the Durnan map show?

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