Durney last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Durney

A surname originating from Ireland, derived from the Gaelic Ó Dornáin meaning "from the clan of the fists".

Durney, 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 Durney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Durney in America

Durney is the 36970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Durney surname appeared 604 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Durney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Durney 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 36970 35187 4.94%
Count 604 606 -0.33%
Proportion per 100k 0.20 0.22 -9.52%

The history of the last name Durney

The surname Durney has its origins in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture that once thrived in England. It is derived from the Old English word "deor," meaning "deer," and the suffix "-ey," indicating a place or region associated with deer. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where deer were abundant or a location known for deer hunting.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Durney can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as "Derenius" and "Derneius," indicating the surname's long-standing presence in English history.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Durney appeared in various medieval records and documents, often associated with landowners or individuals of notable status. One such example is Sir Robert Durney, a prominent knight who fought valiantly in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the surname Durney was found in several parish records and court rolls, indicating its widespread use across various regions of England. One notable figure from this period was William Durney (1520-1588), a renowned scholar and author who published several treatises on theology and philosophy.

As the centuries progressed, the Durney surname continued to be carried by individuals from diverse walks of life. In the 18th century, John Durney (1710-1783) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the famous St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden.

Another prominent individual bearing the Durney surname was Elizabeth Durney (1820-1892), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in England and played a significant role in promoting educational opportunities for women during the Victorian era.

Throughout history, the Durney surname has been associated with various place names and locations across England. For instance, the village of Durney in Gloucestershire and the hamlet of Durney Green in Worcestershire are believed to have derived their names from the Old English word "deor," further reinforcing the surname's connection to deer and their habitats.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Durney

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

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 Durney was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.86% 579
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 1.82% 11

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 Durney has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.86% 94.55% 1.38%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.83% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 0.99% (S)%
Hispanic 1.82% 2.81% -42.76%

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 Durney was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Durney last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/durney-surname-popularity/.

"Durney last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/durney-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 August, 2025

Durney last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/durney-surname-popularity/.

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