NameCensus.

UK surname

Davidson

Patronymic surname meaning "son of David," referring to the biblical King David or someone named David.

In the 1881 census there were 25,224 people recorded with the Davidson surname, ranking it #131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 35,401, ranked #147, down from #131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Longside and Rattray, Peterhead Harbour and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Davidson is 35,481 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.3%.

1881 census count

25,224

Ranked #131

Modern count

35,401

2016, ranked #147

Peak year

2010

35,481 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Davidson had 25,224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 35,401 in 2016, ranked #147.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31,147 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Davidson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Davidson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Davidson 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 17,906 #122
1861 historical 19,123 #111
1881 historical 25,224 #131
1891 historical 28,261 #120
1901 historical 31,147 #131
1911 historical 13,277 #368
1997 modern 33,263 #148
1998 modern 34,114 #149
1999 modern 34,436 #150
2000 modern 34,323 #151
2001 modern 33,170 #153
2002 modern 33,982 #153
2003 modern 33,132 #153
2004 modern 33,186 #152
2005 modern 33,171 #149
2006 modern 33,239 #149
2007 modern 33,520 #149
2008 modern 33,843 #149
2009 modern 34,646 #149
2010 modern 35,481 #149
2011 modern 34,746 #150
2012 modern 34,078 #149
2013 modern 34,913 #150
2014 modern 35,311 #149
2015 modern 35,219 #147
2016 modern 35,401 #147

Geography

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Where Davidsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Longside and Rattray, Peterhead Harbour, Carlisle and Northumberland. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
2 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire
3 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
4 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
5 Carlisle 009 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Davidson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Davidson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Davidson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Davidson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Davidson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Davidson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Davidson falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Davidson 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 Davidson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Davidson

The surname Davidson originated in Scotland, deriving from the medieval personal name David with the addition of "son" to form the patronymic name. The earliest records of the surname can be traced back to the 12th century.

Davidson is an anglicized version of the Scottish Gaelic name Mac Dhaibhidh, meaning "son of David". The name is believed to have originated in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Moray, where it was particularly prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls documenting feudal allegiances to King Edward I of England. The name is also found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century.

The name Davidson has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir Robert Davidson (1604-1662) was a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of the University of Glasgow. James Davidson (1703-1738) was a Scottish philosopher and writer, known for his work "Selections from the Philosophical Works of Arbuthnot".

Another prominent figure was John Davidson (1857-1909), a Scottish poet and playwright who was part of the "Scottish Renaissance" literary movement. His notable works include the play "Undo Preciosa" and the poetry collection "Fleet Street Eclogues".

In the realm of science, Thomas Davidson (1817-1885) was a Scottish-American philosopher and educator who founded the Glenmore Summer School of Philosophy, which attracted notable thinkers like William James and Josiah Royce.

The Davidson name has also been linked to various place names in Scotland, such as Davidsons Mains in Midlothian and Davidsons Croft in Aberdeenshire, suggesting the widespread presence of the surname across different regions.

Overall, the surname Davidson has a rich history rooted in Scotland, tracing back to the 12th century and encompassing individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from literature and theology to philosophy and education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Davidson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Davidson 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 3,407 Davidsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.98x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 3,407 14.98x
Lanarkshire 2,578 3.25x
Northumberland 1,680 4.60x
Angus 1,643 7.22x
Midlothian 1,513 4.60x
Durham 1,205 1.65x
Cumberland 1,141 5.40x
Lancashire 1,115 0.38x
Middlesex 864 0.35x
Ayrshire 805 4.38x
Fife 714 4.91x
Yorkshire 655 0.27x
Dumfriesshire 560 10.32x
Perthshire 473 4.29x
Roxburghshire 443 9.96x
Inverness-shire 437 5.96x
Renfrewshire 431 2.26x
Banffshire 428 8.40x
Surrey 419 0.35x
Kincardineshire 371 12.40x
Morayshire 360 9.43x
Kent 300 0.36x
Stirlingshire 202 2.23x
Caithness 201 5.98x
Berwickshire 198 6.66x
Cheshire 190 0.35x
Ross-shire 159 2.36x
Wigtownshire 153 4.69x
Selkirkshire 146 6.57x
Hampshire 140 0.28x
Dunbartonshire 137 2.08x
Nairnshire 134 17.87x
East Lothian 130 4.00x
Kirkcudbrightshire 130 3.66x
Shetland 120 4.78x
West Lothian 108 2.92x
Orkney 87 3.22x
Norfolk 86 0.23x
Derbyshire 85 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 76 0.23x
Staffordshire 68 0.08x
Lincolnshire 65 0.17x
Argyllshire 64 0.94x
Devon 57 0.11x
Essex 55 0.11x
Warwickshire 53 0.09x
Gloucestershire 51 0.11x
Glamorgan 49 0.11x
Sussex 49 0.12x
Clackmannanshire 48 2.37x
Peeblesshire 45 3.90x
Flintshire 39 0.59x
Buteshire 38 2.55x
Westmorland 37 0.69x
Suffolk 36 0.12x
Sutherland 35 1.85x
Isle of Man 34 0.75x
Kinross-shire 33 5.31x
Somerset 27 0.07x
Royal Navy 25 0.85x
Berkshire 24 0.13x
Denbighshire 19 0.20x
Wiltshire 18 0.08x
Shropshire 17 0.08x
Worcestershire 17 0.05x
Oxfordshire 15 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 14 0.09x
Hertfordshire 13 0.08x
Leicestershire 13 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.08x
Carmarthenshire 12 0.12x
Cornwall 12 0.04x
Dorset 11 0.07x
Channel Islands 10 0.14x
Northamptonshire 10 0.04x
Herefordshire 9 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 6 0.11x
Monmouthshire 4 0.02x
Bedfordshire 1 0.01x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.01x
Cardiganshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 728 Davidsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.33x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 728 15.33x
Barony 644 3.20x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 635 4.80x
Govan 599 3.05x
Dundee 582 6.85x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 484 11.37x
Glasgow 436 3.09x
Peterhead 276 22.94x
Liff Benvie 251 7.27x
Gateshead 226 4.13x
Montrose 162 11.75x
Inverness 151 8.18x
South Leith 146 3.94x
Everton 142 1.53x
Toxteth Park 127 1.29x
Westgate 125 5.52x
Bishopwearmouth 120 1.91x
Wick 120 11.05x
Longside 119 43.81x
Old Deer 118 27.37x
St Vigeans 114 9.28x
Newhills 110 23.62x
Elswick 109 3.74x
Cruden 108 36.87x
Westoe 108 2.61x
West Greenock 106 3.10x
Liverpool 104 0.59x
Caldewgate 102 8.80x
Hamilton 101 4.56x
Perth East Church 100 9.62x
Duffus 96 28.55x
New Monkland 96 4.09x
Rathven 93 9.72x
Old Monkland 90 2.86x
Hawick 89 8.94x
New Deer 85 20.64x
St Cuthbert W O 82 7.96x
Brechin 81 9.06x
Islington London 79 0.33x
Lambeth 79 0.37x
North Leith 77 5.06x
Paddington London 77 0.85x
Tweedmouth 76 16.68x
Fraserburgh 75 11.71x
Haydon 75 37.53x
Canonbie 73 31.66x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 71 2.24x
Ardersier 70 39.80x
Gamrie 69 12.13x
Kincardine O Neil 69 42.48x
Ellon 68 21.74x
Forfar 66 5.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 65 2.98x
Carluke 62 8.60x
Heworth 62 4.31x
Manchester 62 0.47x
Fyvie 61 16.43x
Kensington London 61 0.45x
Methlick 61 33.50x
Rutherglen 61 5.23x
St George Hanover Square 61 1.41x
Elgin 60 8.08x
Langholm 60 15.39x
Leeds 60 0.44x
Newcastle On Tyne St 60 3.17x
Monifieth 59 7.34x
St Pancras London 59 0.30x
Coldstream 57 26.48x
Dunfermline 57 2.55x
Dysart 57 5.82x
Wallsend 57 4.92x
Wilton 54 11.06x
Galashiels 53 6.45x
Longbenton 53 3.42x
Rayne 53 49.06x
West Derby 53 0.62x
Penrith 52 6.66x
Banchory Ternan 51 19.72x
Stirling 51 4.47x
Tarves 51 23.70x
Fetteresso 50 10.67x
Keith 50 9.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 652
Elizabeth 399
Jane 314
Margaret 286
Sarah 235
Ann 178
Isabella 166
Annie 143
Ellen 96
Eliza 71
Alice 69
Agnes 67
Hannah 67
Catherine 66
Emma 49
Emily 48
Jessie 45
Martha 45
Eleanor 40
Louisa 36
Charlotte 35
Frances 34
Harriet 34
Edith 33
Fanny 33
Anne 32
Maria 31
Florence 29
Caroline 27
Janet 27
Margt. 25
Ada 23
Clara 22
Esther 21
Susannah 21
Dorothy 20
Kate 20
Susan 20
Helen 19
Julia 19
Elizth. 18
Matilda 18
Rebecca 17
Amelia 16
Barbara 16
Maggie 15
Grace 14
Lucy 14
Marion 14
Rachel 13

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 661
William 540
James 379
Thomas 337
Robert 299
George 279
Joseph 143
Charles 118
Henry 99
Alexander 98
Edward 64
Andrew 62
David 57
Walter 49
Alfred 47
Richard 44
Arthur 43
Frederick 40
Wm. 37
Samuel 32
Francis 29
Isaac 29
Peter 24
Matthew 22
Ralph 22
Albert 21
Geo. 21
Frank 20
Robt. 20
Herbert 19
Harry 18
Jas. 17
Christopher 15
Thos. 15
Fred 14
Hugh 12
Archibald 11
Edwin 9
Jno. 9
Percy 9
Tom 9
Donald 8
Jonathan 8
Willm. 8
Benjamin 7
Ernest 7
Fredk. 7
Fredrick 7
Mark 7
Mathew 7

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Davidson households.

FAQ

Davidson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Davidson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 25,224 people were recorded with the Davidson surname. That placed it at #131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Davidson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 35,401 in 2016. That gives Davidson a modern rank of #147.

What does the Davidson surname mean?

Patronymic surname meaning "son of David," referring to the biblical King David or someone named David.

What does the Davidson map show?

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