NameCensus.

UK surname

Durnin

Of Irish origin, a habitational surname referring to someone from Durnan or Dornane.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Durnin surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Sefton and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durnin is 246 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 376.6%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

2010

246 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durnin had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 71 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Durnin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durnin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Durnin 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 71 #26,277
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 211 #17,048
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 243 #16,094
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 238 #16,004
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 228 #16,663
2004 modern 228 #16,723
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 244 #16,706
2010 modern 246 #16,975
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 231 #17,448
2013 modern 230 #17,756
2014 modern 234 #17,662
2015 modern 231 #17,733
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

Back to top

Where Durnins 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 Cherwell, Sefton, Selby and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Cherwell 010 Cherwell
2 Sefton 004 Sefton
3 Selby 005 Selby
4 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Selby 006 Selby

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Durnin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Durnin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Durnin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Durnin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Durnin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Durnin 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

Durnin falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Durnin 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Durnin

The surname Durnin is of Irish origin, originating in the 17th century. It is believed to be an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Dornaín or Ó Dornáin, meaning "descendant of Dornán". Dornán was a personal name derived from the word "dorn", meaning "fist" or "hand".

The name Durnin is most commonly found in counties Antrim and Derry in Northern Ireland, suggesting that it may have originated in these regions. It is possible that the name was associated with a specific occupation or trade involving the use of hands or fists.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Durnin can be found in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1663, which listed tax records for households in Ireland. The name appears in these rolls in various spellings, including Durnin, Dornin, and Durnane.

In the 18th century, the name Durnin appeared in several historical records, including parish registers and land records. For example, a John Durnin was listed as a landowner in County Antrim in the 1740s. Additionally, a Patrick Durnin was recorded as a tenant farmer in County Derry in the 1770s.

Notable individuals with the surname Durnin include:

1. James Durnin (1833-1906), an Irish-born American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, from 1893 to 1895. 2. John Durnin (1796-1865), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later settled in Canada. 3. Mary Durnin (1854-1930), an Irish-born writer and educator who founded the St. Louis Catholic Girls' High School in Missouri, United States. 4. Michael Durnin (1918-2002), an Irish historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of County Antrim, including the book "Antrim's Literary Heritage" (1973). 5. Patrick Durnin (1892-1965), an Irish-born American labor leader and organizer who played a significant role in the coal mining industry in West Virginia.

While the surname Durnin is not among the most common Irish names, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its origins in the 17th century, primarily in the northern counties of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Durnin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durnin 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 15 Durnins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 15 2.76x
Durham 10 7.33x
Aberdeenshire 8 18.85x
Lanarkshire 6 4.05x
Yorkshire 4 0.88x
Cheshire 3 2.97x
Somerset 1 1.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 7 Durnins recorded in 1881 and an index of 88.16x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 88.16x
Escomb 7 1111.11x
Govan 5 13.64x
Wigan 5 65.79x
Liverpool 4 12.11x
Harraton 3 1111.11x
Selby 3 315.79x
Stockport 2 38.39x
Toxteth Park 2 10.86x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 11.29x
Birkenhead 1 12.39x
Bothwell 1 24.88x
Bradfield 1 57.14x
Everton 1 5.77x
Sharples 1 169.49x
Walton On Hill 1 33.90x
West Derby 1 6.29x
Weston Super Mare 1 53.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellen 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Peter 4
Henry 2
John 2
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Nicholas 1
Patrick 1
Walter 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 Durnin households.

FAQ

Durnin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durnin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Durnin surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durnin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Durnin a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Durnin surname mean?

Of Irish origin, a habitational surname referring to someone from Durnan or Dornane.

What does the Durnin map show?

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