NameCensus.

UK surname

Dury

A surname referring to someone from a region in France now called Artois.

In the 1881 census there were 286 people recorded with the Dury surname, ranking it #10,036 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 417, ranked #11,504, down from #10,036 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dury is 442 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.8%.

1881 census count

286

Ranked #10,036

Modern count

417

2016, ranked #11,504

Peak year

2010

442 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dury had 286 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,036 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016, ranked #11,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dury 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 334 #7,631
1881 historical 286 #10,036
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 379 #9,841
1911 historical 384 #9,571
1997 modern 430 #10,423
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 430 #10,855
2000 modern 414 #11,127
2001 modern 404 #11,142
2002 modern 424 #10,950
2003 modern 427 #10,720
2004 modern 417 #10,943
2005 modern 409 #10,999
2006 modern 408 #11,062
2007 modern 397 #11,433
2008 modern 398 #11,525
2009 modern 425 #11,161
2010 modern 442 #11,066
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 425 #11,157
2013 modern 433 #11,184
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 412 #11,642
2016 modern 417 #11,504

Geography

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Where Durys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Farmborough and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip and Sunderland. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Farmborough Somerset
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 021 Bath and North East Somerset
2 Mendip 009 Mendip
3 Sunderland 029 Sunderland
4 Bath and North East Somerset 020 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dury

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Dury is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dury is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dury 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 Dury 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dury

The surname Dury is of English and Norman origin, derived from the Old French word "dur," meaning "stern" or "hardy." It dates back to the 11th century and is thought to have originated in Normandy, France, before being brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dury can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and wealth in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is likely to have been bestowed upon someone with a stern or hardy personality or physical appearance.

In medieval times, the name Dury was often associated with places such as Durie in Fife, Scotland, and Dury in Northamptonshire, England. Some early recorded spellings of the name include Durie, Durey, and Dureye, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling in different regions.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Dury was Sir John Dury (c. 1596-1680), a Scottish minister and writer who advocated for religious unity and served as a chaplain to various noble families. Another notable bearer of the name was John Dury (1703-1758), an English poet and author who wrote the poem "The Ratler."

In the 18th century, Robert Dury (1721-1795) was a British army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Grenada from 1787 to 1789. During the same period, Andrew Dury (1758-1818) was a Scottish architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

Moving into the 19th century, John Baptist Dury (1805-1880) was a British artist and engraver known for his illustrations of architectural subjects and landscapes. He was a member of the Royal Academy and received several commissions from Queen Victoria.

Throughout history, the surname Dury has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, writers, military personnel, architects, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England and Normandy, the name has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dury 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 49 Durys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 1.76x
Somerset 48 10.73x
Lancashire 29 0.88x
Warwickshire 29 4.14x
Kent 25 2.64x
Yorkshire 14 0.51x
Durham 13 1.57x
Nottinghamshire 13 3.47x
Northamptonshire 9 3.44x
Surrey 8 0.59x
Glamorgan 7 1.45x
Devon 6 1.04x
Cheshire 4 0.65x
Caernarfonshire 3 2.67x
Gloucestershire 3 0.55x
Hampshire 3 0.53x
Lincolnshire 3 0.67x
Northumberland 3 0.73x
Worcestershire 3 0.83x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.14x
Essex 2 0.36x
Sussex 2 0.43x
Cumberland 1 0.42x
Denbighshire 1 0.95x
Hertfordshire 1 0.52x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.27x
Roxburghshire 1 1.99x
Staffordshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Binton in Warwickshire leads with 19 Durys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7916.67x.

Place Total Index
Binton 19 7916.67x
Islington London 13 4.82x
Lyncombe Widcombe 10 85.32x
St George Hanover Square 9 18.37x
Walcot 9 37.77x
Timsbury 8 588.24x
Bulwell 7 85.89x
Hadlow 7 297.87x
Hampstead London 7 16.17x
Liverpool 7 3.49x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 15.04x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 6 63.69x
Darenth 6 410.96x
Little Bolton 6 14.15x
Birmingham 5 2.14x
Clutton 5 515.46x
Folkestone 5 27.17x
Kirkdale 5 9.01x
Monkwearmouth 5 63.13x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 30.98x
Northam 5 118.48x
Nottingham St Mary 5 5.16x
Paulton 5 243.90x
Byfield 4 533.33x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 53.69x
Stayley 4 57.06x
Streatham 4 19.39x
Yalding 4 166.67x
Bangor 3 27.68x
Bedminster 3 7.13x
Burradon In Tynemouth 3 283.02x
Darlington 3 9.40x
Gloucester St Michael 3 240.00x
Mile End Old Town London 3 5.07x
Poplar London 3 5.72x
St Pancras London 3 1.34x
Tonge With Haulgh 3 46.73x
Weedon Loys 3 697.67x
Westminster St Margaret 3 22.37x
Birstwith 2 425.53x
Burnley 2 7.20x
Farmborough 2 246.91x
Farnham 2 18.99x
Kings Norton 2 6.14x
Old Stratford 2 50.38x
Sparkford 2 833.33x
Spitalfields London 2 9.56x
Sutton 2 136.99x
Angmering 1 106.38x
Ashford 1 45.45x
Aylesford 1 38.02x
Brafferton 1 434.78x
Chelsea London 1 1.19x
Clent 1 105.26x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.52x
Deal 1 12.36x
Edgbaston 1 4.60x
Eversley 1 153.85x
Everton 1 0.95x
Gainsborough 1 9.54x
Garston 1 10.27x
Great Grimsby 1 3.54x
Hampton London 1 21.88x
Hastings St Mary 1 8.58x
Hobkirk 1 158.73x
Lewisham 1 1.98x
Llanynys 1 149.25x
North Leith 1 5.80x
Northampton Priory St 1 6.37x
Paignton 1 22.73x
Royston 1 61.35x
Rugby 1 10.55x
St Bees 1 90.09x
Temple Grafton 1 256.41x
Toxteth Park 1 0.90x
West Ham 1 0.83x
West Harptree 1 222.22x
Westminster St James 1 3.50x
Woking 1 12.25x
Wootton 1 128.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 19
George 16
William 12
James 11
Charles 8
Henry 8
Thomas 7
Richard 5
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Robert 3
Theodore 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Arther 1
Bernard 1
Edgar 1
Enos 1
Eugne 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
G.Thos. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jules 1
Leopold 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Roland 1
Soloman 1
Solomon 1
Theadore 1
Tony 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 286 people were recorded with the Dury surname. That placed it at #10,036 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016. That gives Dury a modern rank of #11,504.

What does the Dury surname mean?

A surname referring to someone from a region in France now called Artois.

What does the Dury map show?

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