NameCensus.

UK surname

Dobinson

In the 1881 census there were 787 people recorded with the Dobinson surname, ranking it #4,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,266, ranked #4,725, down from #4,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, County Durham and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dobinson is 1,421 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.9%.

1881 census count

787

Ranked #4,721

Modern count

1,266

2016, ranked #4,725

Peak year

1999

1,421 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dobinson had 787 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,266 in 2016, ranked #4,725.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dobinson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dobinson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dobinson 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 495 #5,049
1861 historical 491 #5,322
1881 historical 787 #4,721
1891 historical 1,026 #4,063
1901 historical 1,088 #4,439
1911 historical 1,154 #4,047
1997 modern 1,325 #4,334
1998 modern 1,405 #4,260
1999 modern 1,421 #4,251
2000 modern 1,375 #4,360
2001 modern 1,339 #4,371
2002 modern 1,378 #4,347
2003 modern 1,339 #4,375
2004 modern 1,321 #4,423
2005 modern 1,291 #4,452
2006 modern 1,297 #4,453
2007 modern 1,298 #4,492
2008 modern 1,291 #4,543
2009 modern 1,336 #4,501
2010 modern 1,363 #4,507
2011 modern 1,318 #4,581
2012 modern 1,281 #4,634
2013 modern 1,275 #4,737
2014 modern 1,296 #4,690
2015 modern 1,280 #4,701
2016 modern 1,266 #4,725

Geography

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Where Dobinsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, County Durham and Allerdale. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 005 Eden
2 County Durham 057 County Durham
3 Allerdale 011 Allerdale
4 County Durham 064 County Durham
5 Allerdale 009 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dobinson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dobinson

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Dobinson is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Dobinson is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dobinson falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Dobinson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dobinson 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. Durham leads with 226 Dobinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.87x.

County Total Index
Durham 226 9.87x
Northumberland 125 10.92x
Middlesex 110 1.43x
Surrey 85 2.27x
Cumberland 64 9.66x
Lancashire 42 0.46x
Yorkshire 41 0.54x
Westmorland 27 15.96x
Kent 24 0.91x
Essex 14 0.92x
Oxfordshire 9 1.89x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.48x
Gloucestershire 3 0.20x
Renfrewshire 3 0.50x
Sussex 3 0.23x
Berkshire 2 0.35x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Derbyshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.06x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 1.09x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 51 Dobinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.01x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 51 18.01x
Warcop 24 1263.16x
Auckland St Andrew 21 347.11x
Bishopwearmouth 19 9.67x
Seaton Delaval 19 188.87x
Stockton On Tees 19 17.21x
Horton 18 318.02x
Tynemouth 18 29.35x
Limehouse London 15 17.75x
Bethnal Green London 14 4.19x
Brampton 14 154.19x
Newington 14 4.92x
Darlington 13 14.71x
Dawdon 12 42.61x
Gateshead 12 7.00x
Monkwearmouth 11 50.18x
St George In East London 11 15.20x
Ealing 10 14.54x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 14.62x
South Shoebury 10 163.93x
Chirton 9 34.72x
Lewisham 9 6.43x
Monkseaton 9 697.67x
Sunderland 9 22.26x
Thame 9 104.17x
Broughton In Salford 8 9.58x
Escomb 8 76.05x
Gillingham 8 14.78x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 8.07x
Tunstall 8 70.18x
York St Maurice 8 55.71x
Caldwell 7 1521.74x
Crook Billy Row 7 23.87x
Cummersdale 7 309.73x
Edgware 7 325.58x
Great Smeaton 7 1372.55x
Newton Cap 7 197.18x
St Pancras London 7 1.13x
Toxteth Park 7 2.26x
Workington 7 18.45x
Bermondsey 6 2.62x
Boldon 6 73.53x
Bow London 6 6.12x
Cumrew 6 1875.00x
Kimblesworth 6 196.08x
Mile End New Town London 6 39.45x
Preston 6 2.46x
Westoe 6 4.62x
Bromley London 5 2.95x
Clitheroe 5 18.60x
Cramlington 5 33.05x
Elswick 5 5.47x
Great Bookham 5 173.61x
Haltwhistle 5 89.93x
Stanwix 5 93.28x
Stapleford 5 59.31x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 5 19.02x
Westminster St Margaret 5 13.47x
Whitley 5 135.14x
Bexley 4 17.23x
Dean 4 184.33x
Dearham 4 45.77x
Eccleston In Chorley 4 168.78x
Jesmond 4 24.83x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 8.95x
Otley 4 21.60x
Paddington London 4 1.41x
Preston Le Skerne 4 1111.11x
Ryhope 4 25.16x
St George Hanover Square 4 2.95x
Wingate 4 25.48x
Woking 4 17.70x
Wolsingham 4 19.17x
Abbey 3 3.30x
Camberwell 3 0.61x
East Ham 3 10.64x
Heworth 3 6.65x
Kyo 3 27.83x
Lanchester 3 71.43x
Silksworth 3 283.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 54
Elizabeth 44
Jane 34
Margaret 20
Sarah 18
Isabella 16
Ann 14
Alice 13
Annie 11
Eliza 10
Hannah 10
Louisa 9
Emma 8
Catherine 7
Martha 7
Anne 6
Frances 6
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Emily 5
Ellen 4
Harriett 4
Isabel 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Barbara 3
Clara 3
Dorothy 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Anna 2
Augusta 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Lilly 2
Lizzie 2
Maggie 2
Margt. 2
Susannah 2
Annabell 1
Barbra 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Eliz.H. 1
Henrietta 1
Isabell 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 57
John 52
Thomas 45
Joseph 27
George 24
Robert 21
Henry 16
James 13
Arthur 7
Francis 7
Richard 7
Walter 7
Anthony 6
Frederick 6
Lancelot 6
Alfred 5
Charles 5
Wm. 4
Harry 3
Alexander 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Matthew 2
Ralph 2
Robt. 2
Senhouse 2
Archabold 1
Bartholomew 1
Caleb 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Edwd 1
Elia 1
Fletcher 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Jas. 1
Jim 1
Jon 1
Jos.Wilson 1
Josiah 1
Laurence 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Math. 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Newrick 1

FAQ

Dobinson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dobinson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 787 people were recorded with the Dobinson surname. That placed it at #4,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dobinson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,266 in 2016. That gives Dobinson a modern rank of #4,725.

What does the Dobinson map show?

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