NameCensus.

UK surname

Davidge

A locational surname referring to a dweller near a small ravine or valley.

In the 1881 census there were 514 people recorded with the Davidge surname, ranking it #6,635 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 654, ranked #8,139, down from #6,635 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, Thanet and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Davidge is 792 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.2%.

1881 census count

514

Ranked #6,635

Modern count

654

2016, ranked #8,139

Peak year

1911

792 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Davidge had 514 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,635 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 654 in 2016, ranked #8,139.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 792 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Davidge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Davidge surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Davidge 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 440 #5,586
1861 historical 403 #6,372
1881 historical 514 #6,635
1891 historical 590 #6,478
1901 historical 687 #6,379
1911 historical 792 #5,514
1997 modern 758 #6,824
1998 modern 786 #6,855
1999 modern 766 #7,023
2000 modern 769 #6,971
2001 modern 739 #7,063
2002 modern 772 #6,971
2003 modern 744 #7,063
2004 modern 746 #7,050
2005 modern 717 #7,188
2006 modern 691 #7,433
2007 modern 687 #7,535
2008 modern 692 #7,552
2009 modern 699 #7,647
2010 modern 700 #7,778
2011 modern 703 #7,676
2012 modern 692 #7,670
2013 modern 688 #7,838
2014 modern 680 #7,962
2015 modern 666 #8,037
2016 modern 654 #8,139

Geography

Back to top

Where Davidges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, Thanet, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Aylesbury Vale and Bristol. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
2 Thanet 006 Thanet
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 010 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Aylesbury Vale 013 Aylesbury Vale
5 Bristol 002 Bristol, City of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Davidge

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Davidge

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Davidge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Davidge household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Davidge is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Davidge is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Davidge falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Davidge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Davidge

The surname Davidge originated in England. It is derived from the Old English words "deaw" meaning dew and "ridge" referring to a hill or ridge. The name likely originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a dew-covered ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Dewerige". This suggests the name was already in use by the late 11th century in its early spelling form.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as "Dewerugge" and "Dewrigge". These spellings reflect the evolution of the name over time as it adapted to changes in the English language.

By the 14th century, the name had evolved closer to its modern spelling, appearing in records as "Dawridge" and "Daveryge". This spelling variation continued into the 15th and 16th centuries.

One notable bearer of the name was William Davidge, a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in 1547. Another early example is John Davidge, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1562 and served as a clergyman.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in various parish records across England, particularly in counties like Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire, suggesting these areas may have been strongholds for the name.

A prominent figure with this surname was Thomas Davidge (1765-1831), an English attorney and author who wrote several legal treatises and works on criminal law.

Another individual of note was Giles Davidge (1807-1876), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire in the early days of the sport.

In the 19th century, the name continued to be found across various parts of England, with bearers like William Davidge (1825-1886), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the surname Davidge has maintained its connection to its topographic origins, reflecting the influence of the English landscape on the development of surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Davidge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Davidge 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. Middlesex leads with 104 Davidges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.06x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 104 2.06x
Dorset 96 29.00x
Somerset 91 11.21x
Wiltshire 38 8.52x
Hampshire 37 3.58x
Gloucestershire 31 3.13x
Surrey 26 1.06x
Kent 23 1.34x
Durham 8 0.53x
Warwickshire 8 0.63x
Glamorgan 7 0.80x
Pembrokeshire 7 4.37x
Berkshire 5 1.32x
Midlothian 5 0.74x
Sussex 5 0.59x
Devon 4 0.38x
Lancashire 4 0.07x
Derbyshire 3 0.38x
Westmorland 3 2.71x
Hertfordshire 2 0.58x
Leicestershire 2 0.36x
Northumberland 2 0.27x
Bedfordshire 1 0.38x
Channel Islands 1 0.67x
Cornwall 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 1.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 29 Davidges recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.14x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 29 31.14x
Wincanton 22 526.32x
Ashmore 21 4468.09x
Southampton St Mary 17 26.15x
Monckton Combe 16 617.76x
North Cadbury 14 903.23x
Hampstead London 12 15.28x
Lambeth 11 2.50x
Portland 11 61.80x
East Stour 10 1282.05x
Wimborne Minster 10 186.92x
Hackney London 9 3.18x
Kensington London 9 3.21x
Longburton 9 1384.62x
Mile End New Town London 9 90.36x
Swindon 9 26.01x
Darlington 8 13.81x
Greenwich 8 9.97x
St Marylebone London 8 2.97x
Stalbridge 8 253.97x
Cardiff St John 7 24.41x
Mile End Old Town London 7 6.52x
Minster In Sheppey 7 24.55x
East Tisbury 6 389.61x
Kingston On Thames 6 10.16x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 28.24x
Melcombe Regis 6 43.73x
Portsea 6 2.96x
Acton 5 16.91x
Aston 5 1.43x
Bedminster 5 6.55x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.28x
Chelsea London 5 3.29x
Donhead St Mary 5 220.26x
Fulham London 5 6.84x
Islington London 5 1.02x
Iwerne Courtnay 5 224.22x
New Windsor 5 39.28x
South Leith 5 6.58x
Stert 5 2083.33x
West Lavington 5 233.64x
Aldershot 4 11.55x
Brighton 4 2.33x
Deptford St Paul 4 3.01x
Langport Eastover 4 341.88x
Liverpool 4 1.10x
Llanstadwell 4 76.34x
Melbury Abbas 4 701.75x
Provost Stour 4 606.06x
Alfreton 3 12.51x
Ambleside 3 87.21x
Andover 3 30.71x
Birmingham 3 0.71x
Croydon 3 2.20x
Isleworth 3 13.38x
Lee 3 12.01x
Paddington London 3 1.62x
Poplar London 3 3.15x
St Luke London 3 3.71x
Twerton 3 35.84x
Bridgewater 2 9.07x
Burton Overy 2 273.97x
Curry Rivell 2 73.53x
Dartmouth St Saviour 2 66.67x
Easington 2 769.23x
Hammersmith London 2 1.61x
Portishead 2 33.17x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 2 116.96x
Sherborne 2 20.51x
Shoreditch London 2 0.91x
St Davids 2 55.10x
St Pancras London 2 0.49x
St Thomas Winchester 2 27.40x
Stoke Trister 2 273.97x
Tottenham 2 2.49x
Trowbridge 2 10.15x
Writhlington 2 281.69x
Yeovil 2 12.13x
Bristol St James In 1 6.87x
Chertsey 1 6.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Sarah 23
Elizabeth 19
Eliza 15
Ann 11
Annie 7
Maria 7
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Florence 5
Alice 4
Bessie 4
Caroline 4
Catherine 4
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Amy 3
Anna 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Florance 3
Hannah 3
Rose 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Effie 2
Eleanor 2
Emmia 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Minnie 2
Sophia 2
Adeline 1
Beatrice 1
Bethia 1
Betsy 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Winsfield 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
George 26
John 22
James 21
Charles 14
Alfred 13
Thomas 12
Arthur 9
Henry 9
Albert 8
Edward 8
Harry 7
Edwin 6
Richard 6
Joseph 5
Frederick 4
Tom 4
Frank 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Nehemiah 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
A. 1
A.T. 1
Alf. 1
Charley 1
David 1
Dick 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Elija 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Freeborn 1
G.Sandys 1
Geo.Francis 1
Geo.Wilcox 1
H.C. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonas 1
Josiah 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Teddy 1

FAQ

Davidge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Davidge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 514 people were recorded with the Davidge surname. That placed it at #6,635 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Davidge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 654 in 2016. That gives Davidge a modern rank of #8,139.

What does the Davidge surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a dweller near a small ravine or valley.

What does the Davidge map show?

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