NameCensus.

UK surname

Davie

A Scottish patronymic surname meaning "son of David," derived from the Hebrew name meaning "beloved."

In the 1881 census there were 2,771 people recorded with the Davie surname, ranking it #1,608 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,612, ranked #1,879, down from #1,608 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Hilltown and The Glens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Davie is 3,636 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.4%.

1881 census count

2,771

Ranked #1,608

Modern count

3,612

2016, ranked #1,879

Peak year

1998

3,636 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Davie had 2,771 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,608 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,612 in 2016, ranked #1,879.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,400 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Davie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Davie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Davie 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 1,922 #1,505
1861 historical 1,982 #1,468
1881 historical 2,771 #1,608
1891 historical 3,344 #1,430
1901 historical 3,400 #1,636
1911 historical 1,531 #3,174
1997 modern 3,477 #1,863
1998 modern 3,636 #1,856
1999 modern 3,610 #1,883
2000 modern 3,554 #1,906
2001 modern 3,460 #1,920
2002 modern 3,517 #1,929
2003 modern 3,414 #1,940
2004 modern 3,427 #1,931
2005 modern 3,409 #1,906
2006 modern 3,400 #1,909
2007 modern 3,430 #1,910
2008 modern 3,490 #1,902
2009 modern 3,562 #1,916
2010 modern 3,577 #1,945
2011 modern 3,538 #1,943
2012 modern 3,506 #1,923
2013 modern 3,559 #1,931
2014 modern 3,619 #1,898
2015 modern 3,623 #1,881
2016 modern 3,612 #1,879

Geography

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Where Davies are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Hilltown, The Glens, Dunoon and North Devon. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 005 Charnwood
2 Hilltown Dundee City
3 The Glens Dundee City
4 Dunoon Argyll and Bute
5 North Devon 008 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Davie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Davie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Davie, 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 Davie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Davie 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Davie 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

Davie 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

Davie 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 Davie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Davie

The surname Davie originates from Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the personal name David, which is believed to have come from the Hebrew name "Dawid," meaning "beloved." The surname is a patronymic form, indicating "son of David."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Scottish records from the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable mention is in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of instruments of homage and fealty to Edward I of England, which includes the name William Davy in 1296.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various Scottish charters and records, with spellings such as Davy, Davie, and Dawie. The different spellings likely reflect regional variations and the evolution of the name over time.

The Davie surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 16th century, John Davie (c. 1564-1618) was a Scottish clergyman and scholar who served as the Principal of Marischal College in Aberdeen.

Another prominent individual was William Davie (1756-1820), a Revolutionary War soldier and one of the founders of the University of North Carolina. He served as the state's governor from 1798 to 1799.

In the 19th century, Sir John Davie (1795-1857) was a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed parts of the Australian coast and discovered several islands in the Great Barrier Reef.

The name has also been linked to various place names in Scotland, such as Davie's Burn, a stream in Ayrshire, and Davie's Hill, a location in Fife. These place names likely originated from individuals or families with the surname Davie residing in those areas.

Another notable figure was George Davie (1884-1957), a Scottish politician and businessman who served as the Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1946 to 1949.

The Davie surname has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with various notable individuals and connections to places throughout the centuries. While its origin can be traced back to the 12th century, the name continues to be carried on by families and individuals today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Davie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Davie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 358 Davies recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.11x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 358 4.11x
Aberdeenshire 318 12.76x
Angus 212 8.50x
Devon 206 3.68x
Midlothian 180 4.99x
Middlesex 158 0.59x
Stirlingshire 125 12.59x
Fife 99 6.21x
Renfrewshire 90 4.32x
Dunbartonshire 88 12.17x
Durham 81 1.01x
Lancashire 70 0.22x
Leicestershire 65 2.18x
Surrey 56 0.43x
Perthshire 54 4.47x
Hampshire 45 0.82x
Kent 39 0.42x
Yorkshire 36 0.14x
Northumberland 35 0.87x
Somerset 33 0.76x
Glamorgan 31 0.66x
Clackmannanshire 29 13.05x
Kincardineshire 29 8.85x
Sussex 29 0.64x
Banffshire 27 4.84x
Cheshire 26 0.44x
Dorset 25 1.42x
Suffolk 25 0.76x
West Lothian 20 4.93x
Ayrshire 18 0.89x
Essex 16 0.30x
East Lothian 13 3.65x
Norfolk 12 0.29x
Argyllshire 10 1.33x
Hertfordshire 10 0.54x
Cumberland 9 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 2.31x
Orkney 9 3.04x
Dumfriesshire 7 1.18x
Gloucestershire 6 0.11x
Kinross-shire 6 8.82x
Monmouthshire 6 0.31x
Shropshire 6 0.26x
Ross-shire 4 0.54x
Wigtownshire 4 1.12x
Worcestershire 4 0.11x
Wiltshire 3 0.13x
Bedfordshire 2 0.14x
Cornwall 2 0.07x
Peeblesshire 2 1.58x
Roxburghshire 2 0.41x
Royal Navy 2 0.62x
Berwickshire 1 0.31x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.09x
Denbighshire 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x
Staffordshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 107 Davies recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.86x.

Place Total Index
Barony 107 4.86x
Dundee 100 10.74x
Govan 100 4.65x
Glasgow 75 4.85x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 55 11.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 45 3.10x
Ilfracombe 45 78.03x
Aberdeen Old Machar 43 8.26x
Dunfermline 40 16.33x
Kirriemuir 37 60.14x
Bishopwearmouth 30 4.37x
Cardross 28 32.24x
Stirling 26 20.78x
West Greenock 26 6.94x
Alloa 25 23.19x
Denny 25 47.35x
Sunderland 24 16.97x
Old Kilpatrick 22 25.74x
Barnstaple 21 23.88x
Southampton St Mary 21 6.05x
Minster In Sheppey 20 13.15x
Montrose 20 13.24x
Larbert 19 32.02x
Maryhill 19 11.15x
St Martin In Fields 19 11.79x
Clerkenwell London 18 2.83x
Crediton 18 33.91x
Islington London 18 0.69x
Glencorse 17 122.74x
Leicester St Margaret 16 2.20x
Cockpen 15 35.60x
Forfar 15 11.11x
Tyrie 15 47.94x
St Marylebone London 14 0.97x
Turriff 14 34.80x
West Calder 14 19.70x
Kensington London 13 0.87x
Kinghorn 13 38.44x
Mile End Old Town London 13 2.27x
Old Monkland 13 3.76x
Sheepshed 13 31.78x
South Leith 13 3.20x
St Andrew Holborn London 13 11.16x
Aberdour 12 74.77x
Bonhill 12 10.34x
Calverley Cum Farsley 12 15.85x
Chapel Of Garioch 12 67.68x
East Budleigh 12 45.47x
East Greenock 12 6.09x
Gamrie 12 19.26x
Kessingland 12 106.01x
Kirkintilloch 12 12.21x
Lanark 12 17.14x
Lochwinnoch 12 38.61x
Old Deer 12 25.41x
Bideford 11 18.33x
Kilbarchan 11 17.36x
Linlithgow 11 21.16x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.03x
Westgate 11 4.44x
Anstey 10 84.82x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 10 11.72x
Gateshead 10 1.67x
Hackney London 10 0.66x
Hastings St Mary In The 10 10.33x
King Edward 10 34.81x
Lambeth 10 0.43x
Mortlake 10 17.11x
Cluny 9 75.06x
Drumoak 9 104.90x
Duddingston 9 12.44x
Dunning 9 59.60x
Falkirk 9 3.87x
Kintore 9 41.55x
Newbattle 9 29.20x
Oldham 9 0.87x
Stratton 9 327.27x
Urr 9 17.76x
Bermondsey 8 1.00x
Orell Ford 8 136.29x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 62
William 57
James 40
George 36
Thomas 32
Charles 22
Henry 16
Robert 16
Joseph 13
Samuel 12
Alfred 11
Frederick 10
Richard 10
Edward 9
Albert 8
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Edwin 5
Fredk. 5
Thos. 5
Daniel 4
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Sidney 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
A. 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Robt. 3
Allison 2
Benj. 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Lewis 2
Matthew 2
Montague 2
Nelson 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Abraham 1
August 1
Bertie 1
Edw. 1
Jacob 1
Joe 1

FAQ

Davie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Davie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,771 people were recorded with the Davie surname. That placed it at #1,608 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Davie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,612 in 2016. That gives Davie a modern rank of #1,879.

What does the Davie surname mean?

A Scottish patronymic surname meaning "son of David," derived from the Hebrew name meaning "beloved."

What does the Davie map show?

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