Durham Surname

8,324th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 68,482 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Turks and Caicos Islands

Durham Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Durham,' the capital of the county of that name.

Walter de Durham, London, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

William de Dureham, London, ibid.

John de Durame. Essex, ibid.

Read More About This Surname

Durham Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States58,4661:6,199718
England4,6051:12,0991,779
Canada1,2981:28,3863,745
Australia1,2211:22,1103,054
New Zealand4051:11,1811,953
Wales3851:8,038892
Scotland3651:14,6681,857
Trinidad and Tobago3301:4,133677
South Africa2501:216,71122,792
Turks and Caicos Islands1231:27964
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines991:1,138263
Ireland971:48,5463,552
Bermuda701:933148
Israel681:125,84813,711
Suriname641:8,6352,172
Mexico641:1,939,47218,543
Japan541:2,367,48729,899
Germany351:2,300,156119,987
Kuwait291:131,05814,967
Panama281:139,7244,684
India261:29,502,515369,827
Netherlands251:675,48754,943
Dominican Republic231:453,60614,824
Guernsey221:2,929767
Greece211:527,60966,013
Iraq211:1,667,69816,789
Barbados201:14,372922
Thailand191:3,717,808320,775
Indonesia181:7,347,177303,310
Switzerland161:513,30736,405
Northern Ireland151:123,0027,073
United Arab Emirates141:654,44824,061
Brazil131:16,467,256295,032
France111:6,038,429280,838
Philippines101:10,123,822213,993
Italy91:6,795,188113,457
Iran91:8,531,392160,212
Norway91:571,36544,190
Ecuador81:1,988,23121,385
Zimbabwe81:1,929,78092,581
Hungary81:1,227,03553,030
Spain71:6,678,86292,666
Bahamas61:65,292848
Yemen51:5,285,05921,214
Malaysia51:5,898,845196,803
China51:273,464,31313,838
Grenada51:21,7071,054
Oman41:921,9937,313
Saudi Arabia41:7,713,95437,548
Sudan41:9,377,5498,207
Egypt41:22,983,93862,368
Turkey41:19,455,356155,681
United States Virgin Islands31:36,7924,502
Jamaica31:956,64910,513
South Korea31:17,080,0852,793
Guyana31:254,07411,262
Hong Kong31:2,445,1619,595
Russia21:72,061,528727,117
Poland21:19,004,374199,659
Iceland21:190,0456,825
Nigeria21:88,571,379625,098
Afghanistan21:16,076,59243,178
Belgium21:5,748,322130,559
Bangladesh11:159,356,77326,077
Vietnam11:92,646,0548,382
Venezuela11:30,204,07785,459
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Argentina11:42,743,414282,706
Falkland Islands11:3,132317
Gibraltar11:33,9541,660
Georgia11:3,745,54547,852
Belize11:355,4743,977
Taiwan11:23,444,74693,622
Bosnia and Herzegovina11:3,536,40219,532
Slovakia11:5,336,450140,422
Singapore11:5,507,70347,049
British Virgin Islands11:31,5941,029
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Portugal11:10,418,24125,048
Paraguay11:7,236,74616,511
Papua New Guinea11:8,153,717181,784
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Kazakhstan11:17,682,496204,010
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland531:83,5825,769
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England2,2851:10,6681,630
Scotland2101:17,8251,869
Wales861:18,2371,068
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States8,2561:6,083766

Durham (603) may also be a first name.

Durham Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Durham,' the capital of the county of that name.

Walter de Durham, London, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

William de Dureham, London, ibid.

John de Durame. Essex, ibid.

1695-6. Married — George White and Jane Durham: St. Dionis Backchurch.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

From Durham in the north of England, anciently Dunhelm or Dunholm. Robertus de Durham was one of twelve Scots knights appointed to settle the laws of the marches in 1249 (APS., I, p. 413). The seal of Walter Durham of Dumfriesshire who rendered homage in 1290 reads S' Valteri Dwrant (Macdonald, 821). Sir William de Dureame agreed in 1302 to remain sheriff of Peebles till Christmas (Bain, II, p. 337). As William de Durem he held land in Hundwalleshope, Peeblesshire, in 1304 (ibid., p. 337). William de Dunolme de Grangia had a grant from Robert I of the land of Monyfothe with the mill, etc. (RMS., I, App. II, 550). Michael Durem de le Grange de Monefuth was one of inquest on the lands of Ouchtirlony, 1457 (RAA., II, 112). Master Thomas of Durame was Dene of Angus, 1479 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 216), vicar of Mathe in 1486 (RAA., II, 298), and is probably the Master Thomas Durhame of the Grange who was on an assize at Forfar in 1495 (ibid., II, 354). Alexander Durhame was argentier to the king and queen, 1565 (RPC., I, p. 419), Francis Durhame was retoured heir in lands in the parish of Lesmahago, 1644 (Retows, Lanark, 215), Hew Dirram and his wife were charged with being disorderly persons in the parish of Balmaghie, 1684 (RPC., 3. ser. IX, p. 572), and John Durham is in Dinnins of Balmaghie, 1733 (Kirkcudbright). Durehame 1683, Durrame 1567. See Dirom.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(English) belonging to Durham, anciently Dun- holm(e = the Hill River-Island [Old English dún, a hill + holm] Brave Durham I behold, that stately-seated town, That Dunholme hight of yore, even from a desert won.— Drayton, Polyolbion, Song xxix. 72-3.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(English) One who came from Durham (island with a hill), in Durham.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

The northern city, anciently written Duresme.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Local: from the town of Durham in England.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

Local. According to Bailey, this word is derived from the Saxon Bun and holm, a town in a wood. It seems rather to come from the British Dour, water, and holm, land surrounded mostly by water. It may be derived from Doire, which, in the British and Celtic, signifies a woody place, abounding in oaks; hence Doirehohn or Dourham, that is, the place or town surrounded by woods.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

Durham Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Durham Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Durham (Arabic: درم, Marathi: धुरम) occurs more in The United States more than any other country or territory. It can be rendered in the variant forms:. Click here for other possible spellings of this name.

How Common Is The Last Name Durham? popularity and diffusion

It is the 8,324th most frequently held surname worldwide It is held by approximately 1 in 106,415 people. The last name is primarily found in The Americas, where 88 percent of Durham are found; 87 percent are found in North America and 87 percent are found in Anglo-North America. It is also the 340,376th most widespread given name throughout the world It is held by 603 people.

The surname Durham is most common in The United States, where it is held by 58,466 people, or 1 in 6,199. In The United States Durham is primarily concentrated in: Texas, where 11 percent reside, Georgia, where 9 percent reside and North Carolina, where 7 percent reside. Barring The United States this surname occurs in 83 countries. It is also found in England, where 7 percent reside and Canada, where 2 percent reside.

Durham Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The prevalency of Durham has changed over time. In The United States the number of people bearing the Durham last name increased 708 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it increased 202 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it increased 448 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it increased 174 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it increased 183 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Durham Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those carrying the Durham last name is primarily Anglican (43%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Durham surname are 17.09% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 63.86% registered to vote for the party.

The amount Durham earn in different countries varies greatly. In South Africa they earn 72.68% more than the national average, earning R 410,352 per year; in United States they earn 4.25% less than the national average, earning $41,314 USD per year and in Canada they earn 3.75% more than the national average, earning $51,548 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Duurham92211/
Daurham9219/
Duraham9216/
Durhamn9210/
Durcham926/
Durhamm925/
Dourham923/
Durkham923/
Durrham921/
Durjham921/
Deurham921/
Durhame920/
Duerham920/
Duirham920/
Dhurham920/
Duram91829/
Dourrham86138/
Dourhame861/
Dourkham861/
Durchame860/
Durgam8334,324/
Dirham837,550/
Durhan832,663/
Durame831,011/
Douram83175/
Dorham83132/
Dutram8368/
Dauram8361/
Dhuram8344/
Duraim8337/
Durram8312/
Durahm8311/
Durjam835/
Dujram835/
Deuram834/
Duramm833/
Dueram832/
Duhram832/
Duraam831/
Durajm831/
Duramt831/
Duramd831/
Duramn831/
Dourhamne803/
Dourahame802/
Daurahaim800/
Durheim77366/
Dhurgam77319/
Durkhan77270/
Durasim7738/
Durchan7720/
Durgamm7718/
Durhand7710/
Durahan775/
Durrgam774/
Durzhan773/
Duttram772/
Dhurram771/
Dhutram771/
Dgurgam771/
Duratim771/
Durgaam771/
Durrhan771/
Duurgam771/
Doorham771/
Diraham771/
Dourame771/
Dourgam771/
Dourhan771/
Daurhan771/
Durhane770/
Dierham770/
Dourahamne7544/
Dourhaamne752/
Duran73843,502/
Doram73502/
Diram73472/
Durom73192/
Durań737/
Durám732/
Durrheim71598/
Durachim7182/
Durochim7129/
Dourhane7111/
Durchand7111/
Dureaume716/
Dourahaamne713/
Douramne712/
Durahyna712/
Deuramme711/
Duggiram711/
Douraame711/
Dourchan711/
Dorraham710/
Durand67197,781/
Durant6730,001/
Durgan672,024/
Durjan671,331/
Durran67895/
Durain67722/
Duraan67681/
Durang67614/
Durane67314/
Dauran67301/
Duranc67164/
Dhuran6786/
Dorhan6774/
Douran6749/
Dutran6748/
Durann6745/
Dorram6742/
Dhiram6740/
Dhoram6729/
Durzan6719/
Durgom6718/
Duraun6714/
Durhanova679/
Durañe679/
Dooram677/
Duuran677/
Dujran675/
Deuran675/
Douraamne675/
Dihram674/
Durańc674/
Duroim673/
Durome673/
Durasn673/
Doraim673/
Duratn672/
Dduran672/
Duiran672/
Dourahane672/
Dorhom672/
Dutrom672/
Diraim671/
Durean671/
Duranh671/
Duranq671/
Tdurrheim671/
Dauraheim670/
Durank670/
Durrom670/
Duhran670/
Dureum670/

Durham Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Durham in the Marathi language
धुरमdhurama44.44
दुहर्मduharma44.44
दुरहनdurahana11.11
Durham in the Arabic language
درمdrm-
درهامdrham-

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Durham Reference & Research

Durham DNA Website - A web page dedicated to the genetic research of those who bear the surname and its variants.

Durham FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Durham
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis