NameCensus.

UK surname

Dwan

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendent of the nobleman".

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Dwan surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 220, ranked #18,376, up from #31,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, Southwark and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dwan is 233 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1194.1%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

220

2016, ranked #18,376

Peak year

2010

233 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dwan had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016, ranked #18,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 94 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dwan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dwan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dwan 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 24 #30,922
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1911 historical 94 #23,391
1997 modern 194 #17,978
1998 modern 205 #17,850
1999 modern 207 #17,855
2000 modern 209 #17,723
2001 modern 205 #17,683
2002 modern 216 #17,447
2003 modern 218 #17,131
2004 modern 213 #17,492
2005 modern 210 #17,572
2006 modern 220 #17,204
2007 modern 223 #17,248
2008 modern 222 #17,442
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 228 #17,673
2012 modern 217 #18,184
2013 modern 216 #18,543
2014 modern 220 #18,471
2015 modern 214 #18,712
2016 modern 220 #18,376

Geography

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Where Dwans 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 South Gloucestershire, Southwark, Leeds and Trafford. 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 South Gloucestershire 001 South Gloucestershire
2 Southwark 001 Southwark
3 Leeds 079 Leeds
4 Trafford 015 Trafford
5 South Gloucestershire 004 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dwan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dwan

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Dwan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dwan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dwan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Dwan 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

Dwan falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dwan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dwan

The surname DWAN is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "dubhan," which means "little black man" or "swarthy person." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname referring to someone's physical appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DWAN surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a person named Maolmuire O'Dubhain, who was a member of a prominent family from County Sligo in the northwest of Ireland.

During the medieval period, the DWAN surname was particularly concentrated in the counties of Sligo, Mayo, and Galway in the western region of Ireland. It is possible that the name may have originated from these areas or nearby regions.

In the 16th century, the DWAN surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were official documents issued by the English crown in Ireland. This suggests that the name was well-established by that time.

Notable individuals with the DWAN surname throughout history include:

1. Thaddeus Dwan (1776-1848), an Irish lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for County Galway in the early 19th century.

2. Sir James Dwan (1801-1865), an Irish-born Australian politician and landowner who served as the Colonial Treasurer of New South Wales.

3. Mary Dwan (1858-1936), an Irish-American actress and singer who performed in various stage productions and vaudeville shows in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

4. Edmond Dwan (1865-1931), an Irish-born American architect who designed several notable buildings in San Francisco, including the Flood Building and the Hibernia Bank Building.

5. Robert Dwan (1905-1963), an American actor and playwright who appeared in various Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the mid-20th century.

While the DWAN surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its origins can be traced back to the Gaelic language and the descriptive meaning associated with physical appearance in medieval Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dwan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dwan 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. Surrey leads with 6 Dwans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.43x.

County Total Index
Surrey 6 7.43x
Yorkshire 6 3.66x
Lancashire 2 1.02x
Middlesex 2 1.21x
Staffordshire 1 1.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chertsey in Surrey leads with 6 Dwans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1153.85x.

Place Total Index
Chertsey 6 1153.85x
Leeds 6 64.72x
Handsworth 1 72.46x
Hulme 1 24.39x
Islington London 1 6.23x
Little Crosby 1 3333.33x
St George Bloomsbury 1 105.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Louisa 2
Winifred 2
Kathleen 1
Margaret 1
Vivien 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carrol 2
James 2
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Jas. 1
John 1
Michael 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 Dwan households.

FAQ

Dwan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dwan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Dwan surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dwan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016. That gives Dwan a modern rank of #18,376.

What does the Dwan surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendent of the nobleman".

What does the Dwan map show?

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