Find out how popular the last name Doran is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Doran.

Doran, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Doran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Doran in America

Doran is the 2174th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Doran surname appeared 16,704 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Doran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Doran to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Doran

The surname Doran is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages in Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic surname O'Dorchaidhe, which means "descendant of Dorchaidhe," a personal name derived from the word "dorcha," meaning "dark" or "swarthy."

This surname is particularly associated with County Cork, where it is believed to have originated. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Annals of Innisfallen, an Irish chronicle from the early 13th century, where it is spelled as O'Dorchaidhe.

In the 16th century, the surname underwent anglicization, leading to various spellings such as Doran, Doren, and Dorrin. This process was common during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, as Irish names were adapted to English phonetics.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir Thomas Doran, an Irish soldier and courtier who served under King James I of England in the early 17th century. Another prominent individual was John Doran (1807-1878), an English author and historian who wrote extensively on the history of England and the English monarchy.

In the 19th century, the surname Doran gained further recognition with figures like Dr. John Doran (1807-1878), an English writer and antiquarian, and John W. Doran (1844-1902), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio.

The name Doran also has ties to various place names in Ireland, such as Doran's Rock in County Cork and Doran's Hill in County Donegal, further solidifying its Irish origins.

Throughout history, the Doran surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, authors, politicians, and more, reflecting its enduring presence in both Irish and broader Western culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Doran

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Doran.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Doran was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Doran has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Doran was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Doran, please contact us.

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