History of Durham in County Durham

Place:

Durham County Durham

Names from historical writing:

The following appear as names for Durham. Follow the links for what the author actually said:

Name	Author	Source
CASTLE PRECINCTS	John Bartholomew	Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887).
CASTLE PRECINCTS	John Marius Wilson	Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (Edinburgh: A Fullarton & Co., 1870-72).
DURHAM	John Bartholomew	Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887).
DURHAM	John Marius Wilson	Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (Edinburgh: A Fullarton & Co., 1870-72).
DURHAM COLLEGE	John Bartholomew	Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887).
DURHAM OLD	John Marius Wilson	Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (Edinburgh: A Fullarton & Co., 1870-72).
MAGDALEN PLACE	John Bartholomew	Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887).
MAGDALEN PLACE OR ST MARY MAGDALEN	John Bartholomew	Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887).
OLD DURHAM	John Marius Wilson	Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (Edinburgh: A Fullarton & Co., 1870-72).
ST MARY MAGDALEN	John Bartholomew	Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887).

NB: These variant names come from our collections of historical travel writing and descriptive gazetteers:

The above links take you to the first reference to this particular version of the name within a book of travel writing, or to the relevant gazetteer entry.
Some names may derive from research by antiquarian writers such as William Camden and Thomas Pennant into the Roman, Saxon and medieval names of places. Their claims are not always supported by modern place-name researchers.
References by travel writers to the place using its "normal" name are not included. Descriptive gazetteer entries are included only if the name does not appear anywhere else.

Names for administrative units:

These names were used for units associated with Durham. Click on the links for details of the units and their names:

Name	Unit Type	Source
20UE	District/Unitary Authority	Census of Population (2001 Key Statistics)
CASTLE AND PRECINCTS	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	1901 Census of England and Wales, Table 12, 'Registration County, Districts, and Sub-Districts, with their Constituent Civil Parishes - Area; Houses and Population 1891 and 1901, and Separate Occupiers 1901'.
CASTLE PRECINCTS	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
CITY OF DURHAM	Constituency (CCon)	Richard H.A. Cheffins, Parliamentary Constituencies and their registers since 1832 (London: The British Library, 1998)
CO DURHAM DURHAM	Constituency (PDivCon)	Richard H.A. Cheffins, Parliamentary Constituencies and their registers since 1832 (London: The British Library, 1998)
COLLEGE	Parish-level Unit (ExP/CP)	1901 Census of England and Wales, Table 12, 'Registration County, Districts, and Sub-Districts, with their Constituent Civil Parishes - Area; Houses and Population 1891 and 1901, and Separate Occupiers 1901'.
DURHAM	1841 Occupation reporting area	1841 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Occupation Abstract'.
	Ancient District (Wd)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 662.
	Ancient District (AD_City)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
	Ancient District (Borough)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
	Archdeaconry	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 864.
	Constituency (CCon)	Richard H.A. Cheffins, Parliamentary Constituencies and their registers since 1832 (London: The British Library, 1998)
	Constituency (PBCon)	Richard H.A. Cheffins, Parliamentary Constituencies and their registers since 1832 (London: The British Library, 1998)
	Diocese	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 864.
	District/Unitary Authority	Census of Population (2001 Key Statistics)
	Local Government District (RD)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 666.
	Local Government District (MB)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 663.
	Parish-level Unit (CP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 98.
	Poor Law Union/Reg. District (RegD)	Registrar General, Annual Report (HM Stationery Office)
	Poor Law Union/Reg. District (RegD/PLU)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 664.
	Registration sub-District	1911 Census of England and Wales, Table 5, 'Registration Counties, Districts and Sub-districts with their constituent civil parishes. - Urban or Rural District in which each parish is situated; Area; families or separate occupiers, and population, 1901 and 1911; and population enumerated in Institutions, large establishments, and on vessels, &c., 1911'.
	Rural Deanery	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 864.
	Rural Deanery	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 864.
	Sanitary District (USD)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 665.
	Sanitary District (RSD)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 665.
	Urban Labour Market	Great Britain Historical GIS Project
DURHAM AND FRAMWELLGATE	Ancient District (Borough)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 663.
DURHAM AND FRAMWELLGATE	Constituency (PBCon)	Richard H.A. Cheffins, Parliamentary Constituencies and their registers since 1832 (London: The British Library, 1998)
DURHAM BISHOPS	Ancient District (Borough)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 663.
DURHAM CASTLE AND PRECINCTS	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 98.
DURHAM CASTLE JURISDICTION	Ancient District (AD_PalS)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 663.
DURHAM CITY OF	Constituency (CCon)
DURHAM CITY OF	Local Government District (MB)	1931 Census of England and Wales, Table 3, 'Industries (condensed list) of Males and Females (exclusive of persons out of work)'.
DURHAM COLLEGE	Parish-level Unit (ExP/CP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 98.
DURHAM DURHAM	Constituency (CCon)	Boundary Commission for England, First Periodical Report (London: H.M.S.O., 1954)
DURHAM DURHAM	Constituency (PDivCon)	Boundary Commission for England & Wales, Report of the Boundary Commission (England and Wales) (London: H.M.S.O., 1917)
DURHAM MAGDALEN PLACE	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 98.
DURHAM NORTH	Constituency (CCon)	The Electoral Commission, The Electoral Commission
DURHAM NORTH BAILEY	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM SOUTH BAILEY	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST CUTHBERT	Ecclesiastical Parish (EP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 98.
DURHAM ST GILES	Ecclesiastical Parish (EP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 98.
DURHAM ST GILES	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	1911 Census of England and Wales, Table 5, 'Registration Counties, Districts and Sub-districts with their constituent civil parishes. - Urban or Rural District in which each parish is situated; Area; families or separate occupiers, and population, 1901 and 1911; and population enumerated in Institutions, large establishments, and on vessels, &c., 1911'.
DURHAM ST MARGARET	Ecclesiastical Parish (EP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST MARGARET	Parish-level Unit (Ch)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST MARY LE BOW	Ecclesiastical Parish (EP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST MARY LE BOW	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST MARY LE BOW WITH ST MARY THE LESS	Ecclesiastical Parish (EP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST MARY MAGDALEN	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
DURHAM ST MARY THE LESS	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST NICHOLAS	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
DURHAM ST OSWALD	Ecclesiastical Parish (EP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
E110273	Local Government District (MB)
E110298	Local Government District (RD)
GILES ST GILLIGATE	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
GILLIGATE	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 113.
MARY ST LE BOW WITH NORTH BAILEY	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
MARY ST LITTLE	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
NICHOLAS ST	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
NORTH BAILEY	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
NORTH DURHAM	Constituency (CCon)	Richard H.A. Cheffins, Parliamentary Constituencies and their registers since 1832 (London: The British Library, 1998)
OSWALD ST	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP/Ch)	1831 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
SOUTH BAILEY	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 99.
ST GILES	Ancient District (Borough)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 663.
ST GILES	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 113.
ST MARY LE BOW	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	1891 Census of England and Wales, Table 2, 'Area and Population in Registration Districts and Sub-Districts and in Civil Parishes'.
ST MARY MAGDALENE	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	1891 Census of England and Wales, Table 2, 'Area and Population in Registration Districts and Sub-Districts and in Civil Parishes'.
ST MARY MAGDALEN OR MAGDALENE PLACE	Parish-level Unit (CP/ExP)	1901 Census of England and Wales, Table 12, 'Registration County, Districts, and Sub-Districts, with their Constituent Civil Parishes - Area; Houses and Population 1891 and 1901, and Separate Occupiers 1901'.
ST MARY THE LESS	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP)	1891 Census of England and Wales, Table 2, 'Area and Population in Registration Districts and Sub-Districts and in Civil Parishes'.
ST NICHOLAS	Parish-level Unit (CP/AP)	1801 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
ST NICHOLAS	Registration sub-District	Registrar General, Annual Report (HM Stationery Office)
ST OSWALD	Parish-level Unit (AP/CP/Ch)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 113.
ST OSWALDS	Parish-level Unit (CP)	F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991), p. 113.

NB: These are all the names of all the administrative units which we have associated with Durham, and you must judge whether all or even any of them are variant names for the place. They may well include the names of other locations or areas:

For cities, the associated administrative units will usually include parishes, especially ecclesiastical parishes, one of whose names is the name of the city followed by a saint's dedication, with just the saint's name as another variant. Parish names will sometimes also include "places" within towns.
Districts usually contain more than one settlement, and some districts had their names changed to take the name of a completely different settlement. As we link each administrative unit to just one of our "places", usually the last place the unit was named after, in these cases the name for a completely different place will appear on this page.
Similarly, a unit may sometimes be named after a particular settlement it contains and sometimes to indicate its location within a higher level unit. This was very common among British parliamentary constituencies in rural areas, one name referring to their main town and another indicating that they were in, say, the southern part of the relevant county.

Every name listed here is linked to the particular historical source in which it appears, but we cannot claim that these are all the historical names of Durham, or that our references are to the first usage of the names. Similarly, we have tried to ensure that names included here are not transcription errors by ourselves, but it is possible they are the result of errors made when the historical sources were printed, or the result of visiting authors or census officials mis-hearing local names.

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Durham in County Durham | Place names, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/110/names

Date accessed: 19th March 2025