NameCensus.

UK surname

Dobie

A Scottish surname derived from a nickname meaning "good or lucky".

In the 1881 census there were 1,002 people recorded with the Dobie surname, ranking it #3,897 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,204, ranked #4,939, down from #3,897 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cross Cannonby, Govan Combination and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Elie Colinsburgh and Largoward and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dobie is 1,256 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.2%.

1881 census count

1,002

Ranked #3,897

Modern count

1,204

2016, ranked #4,939

Peak year

2010

1,256 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dobie had 1,002 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,897 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,204 in 2016, ranked #4,939.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,137 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dobie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dobie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dobie 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 734 #3,582
1861 historical 797 #3,450
1881 historical 1,002 #3,897
1891 historical 961 #4,303
1901 historical 1,137 #4,273
1911 historical 581 #7,005
1997 modern 1,177 #4,792
1998 modern 1,182 #4,940
1999 modern 1,193 #4,959
2000 modern 1,184 #4,963
2001 modern 1,180 #4,873
2002 modern 1,220 #4,835
2003 modern 1,206 #4,789
2004 modern 1,196 #4,820
2005 modern 1,167 #4,877
2006 modern 1,180 #4,842
2007 modern 1,202 #4,811
2008 modern 1,198 #4,848
2009 modern 1,205 #4,927
2010 modern 1,256 #4,858
2011 modern 1,204 #4,954
2012 modern 1,154 #5,074
2013 modern 1,191 #5,019
2014 modern 1,193 #5,046
2015 modern 1,196 #4,986
2016 modern 1,204 #4,939

Geography

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Where Dobies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cross Cannonby, Govan Combination, Newcastle All Saints, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Elie Colinsburgh and Largoward, Liverpool, Newcastle upon Tyne and Berwickshire Central. 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 Cross Cannonby Cumberland
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 019 Wiltshire
2 Elie Colinsburgh and Largoward Fife
3 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 025 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Berwickshire Central Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dobie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dobie

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dobie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dobie 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

Dobie falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dobie

The surname Dobie has its origins in Scotland, where it is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "dubh," meaning "dark" or "black," and may have been a descriptive nickname referring to someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage pledges made to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name is spelled as "Douby." Over time, various spellings emerged, including Doby, Dobey, Dobbie, and the modern form, Dobie.

The surname is closely associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly in Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. Several place names in these areas, such as Dobbysloan and Dobbingston, may have contributed to the name's development and spread.

Notable historical figures bearing the Dobie surname include Sir James Dobie (c. 1542-1590), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Dobie (1756-1828), a Scottish naval officer who played a significant role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In the literary world, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the famous Scottish writer and creator of Sherlock Holmes, had a maternal ancestor named Dobie. Additionally, William J. Dobie (1868-1936) was an American author and educator, known for his work on the American Southwest and Mexican-American culture.

Other notable Dobies throughout history include John Dobie (1718-1806), a Scottish merchant and landowner who was involved in the tobacco trade; James Dobie (1809-1888), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician; and William Dobie (1862-1945), a Scottish-American labor leader and socialist activist.

While the surname Dobie may have evolved from a descriptive nickname, it has since become a established surname with a rich history, particularly in Scotland and among Scottish diaspora communities around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dobie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dobie 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. Dumfriesshire leads with 150 Dobies recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.54x.

County Total Index
Dumfriesshire 150 69.54x
Midlothian 143 10.93x
Cumberland 125 14.87x
Lancashire 86 0.74x
Kirkcudbrightshire 64 45.28x
Lanarkshire 60 1.90x
Middlesex 53 0.54x
Cheshire 36 1.67x
Fife 33 5.71x
Northumberland 33 2.27x
Ayrshire 28 3.83x
Renfrewshire 28 3.70x
East Lothian 23 17.78x
Westmorland 19 8.85x
Yorkshire 19 0.20x
Angus 18 1.99x
Dunbartonshire 11 4.19x
Durham 11 0.38x
Stirlingshire 9 2.50x
Perthshire 7 1.60x
West Lothian 7 4.76x
Argyllshire 5 1.84x
Kent 5 0.15x
Surrey 4 0.08x
Warwickshire 4 0.16x
Berwickshire 2 1.69x
Inverness-shire 2 0.69x
Norfolk 2 0.13x
Roxburghshire 2 1.13x
Wiltshire 2 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.11x
Brecknockshire 1 0.51x
Channel Islands 1 0.35x
Dorset 1 0.16x
Glamorgan 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.86x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Sussex 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 70 Dobies recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.30x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 70 13.30x
Crosscanonby 30 107.91x
Govan 22 2.82x
Mouswald 18 962.57x
Tinwald 17 590.28x
Caldewgate 16 34.74x
Kendal 16 40.73x
Newabbey 16 529.80x
Dryfesdale 15 150.91x
Islington London 15 1.58x
Inveresk 14 39.53x
Beith 13 59.61x
Dundee 13 3.85x
Kirkmichael 13 456.14x
St Cuthbert W O 13 31.72x
Birkenhead 12 6.98x
Liverpool 11 1.56x
Lochmaben 11 116.40x
South Leith 11 7.47x
Arrow 10 2380.95x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 3.95x
Cummertrees 10 273.22x
Johnstone 10 297.62x
Keighley 10 9.70x
Mile End Old Town London 10 4.81x
Troqueer 10 53.94x
Urr 10 54.38x
West Derby 10 2.95x
West Greenock 10 7.36x
Whiston 10 110.62x
Barony 9 1.13x
Cambusnethan 9 12.83x
Chester St Oswald 9 23.06x
Crawford 9 152.80x
Hoddam 9 173.08x
Kirkintilloch 9 25.25x
St Pancras London 9 1.15x
Wetheral 9 80.86x
Abbey 8 6.93x
Aspatria 8 99.01x
Berwick North 8 88.30x
Cockermouth 8 45.20x
Colinton 8 54.83x
Colvend 8 186.48x
Eskdalemuir 8 432.43x
Kilbirnie 8 45.58x
Kirkpatrick Durham 8 181.82x
Barrow In Furness 7 4.44x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.04x
Distington 7 162.04x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 22.62x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 27.53x
Hensingham 7 101.89x
Killearn 7 185.19x
Kilrenny 7 65.48x
Kinghorn 7 57.05x
Kirkandrews On Esk 7 245.61x
Langholm 7 45.16x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 9.29x
Prestonpans 7 80.74x
Bathgate 6 18.80x
Bothal Demesne 6 86.33x
Dunfermline 6 6.75x
Great Bolton 6 3.91x
Paisley Middle Church 6 13.62x
Soyland 6 51.68x
Temple 6 115.38x
Ballingry 5 140.06x
Bunbury 5 169.49x
Chirton 5 15.21x
Crossmichael 5 111.86x
Edinburgh Old Church 5 47.62x
Great Lever 5 40.68x
Liff Benvie 5 3.64x
Moffat 5 50.81x
Morton 5 69.83x
Newburn 5 431.03x
St Cuthbert W O Upperby 5 217.39x
Stretford 5 7.84x
Droylsden 4 10.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 25
Mary 25
Jane 17
Margaret 11
Alice 9
Isabella 9
Annie 8
Hannah 8
Janet 8
Sarah 8
Ellen 5
Eliza 4
Elizth. 4
Jessie 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Susan 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Annabell 1
Caroline 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elloner 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Helen 1
Jeanie 1
Jemima 1
Jennet 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lavinia 1
Lettice 1
Lillian 1
Lillie 1
Lilliy 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
William 31
Thomas 18
George 17
James 17
Robert 9
Joseph 7
David 6
Richard 5
Jonathan 4
Henry 3
Adam 2
Alexander 2
Charles 2
Harry 2
Watson 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Douglas 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jno.W. 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Mathew 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Sinclair 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm.Glen 1

FAQ

Dobie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dobie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,002 people were recorded with the Dobie surname. That placed it at #3,897 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dobie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,204 in 2016. That gives Dobie a modern rank of #4,939.

What does the Dobie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a nickname meaning "good or lucky".

What does the Dobie map show?

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