NameCensus.

UK surname

Dodge

An occupational surname for a maker or seller of dough, possibly a baker or bread maker.

In the 1881 census there were 1,159 people recorded with the Dodge surname, ranking it #3,459 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,353, ranked #4,454, down from #3,459 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Coker, East. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, South Somerset and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dodge is 1,464 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.7%.

1881 census count

1,159

Ranked #3,459

Modern count

1,353

2016, ranked #4,454

Peak year

1911

1,464 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dodge had 1,159 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,459 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,353 in 2016, ranked #4,454.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,464 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dodge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dodge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dodge 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 773 #3,457
1861 historical 802 #3,425
1881 historical 1,159 #3,459
1891 historical 1,247 #3,463
1901 historical 1,302 #3,832
1911 historical 1,464 #3,292
1997 modern 1,401 #4,138
1998 modern 1,436 #4,195
1999 modern 1,429 #4,232
2000 modern 1,408 #4,267
2001 modern 1,381 #4,259
2002 modern 1,429 #4,222
2003 modern 1,383 #4,264
2004 modern 1,357 #4,336
2005 modern 1,320 #4,388
2006 modern 1,322 #4,386
2007 modern 1,321 #4,424
2008 modern 1,331 #4,422
2009 modern 1,367 #4,406
2010 modern 1,387 #4,435
2011 modern 1,360 #4,463
2012 modern 1,335 #4,469
2013 modern 1,379 #4,429
2014 modern 1,368 #4,480
2015 modern 1,349 #4,486
2016 modern 1,353 #4,454

Geography

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Where Dodges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Coker, East, Crewkerne, Wayford and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, South Somerset and East Lindsey. 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 3
3 Coker, East Somerset
4 Crewkerne, Wayford Somerset
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
2 South Somerset 017 South Somerset
3 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
4 South Somerset 020 South Somerset
5 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dodge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dodge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dodge, 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 Dodge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dodge 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dodge 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

Dodge 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

Dodge 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 Dodge 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 Dodge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dodge

The surname Dodge is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "docga," which means "a powerful breed of dogs." It is believed to have emerged during the 11th century in the counties of Devon and Somerset in the southwest of England.

The earliest recorded instance of the Dodge surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dodda" and "Dodde." These early spellings are thought to have been occupational surnames referring to individuals who bred or worked with these powerful dogs.

In the 13th century, the surname began to appear in various spellings, such as "Dogge," "Doge," and "Dodge," reflecting the evolution of the English language over time.

During the medieval period, the Dodge family gained prominence in the county of Devon, with several members holding positions of authority and land ownership. One notable figure was Sir John Dodge (1420-1487), who served as Sheriff of Devon and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses.

As the Dodge family expanded, they established themselves in other parts of England, including Gloucestershire and Yorkshire. In the 16th century, the surname was recorded in the parish registers of several villages, such as Dodsworth in Yorkshire and Dodgerton in Gloucestershire, indicating the potential formation of place names derived from the surname.

Notable individuals with the Dodge surname throughout history include:

1. William Dodge (1604-1685), one of the founders of the town of Salem, Massachusetts, in the early colonial era of America. 2. Phineas Dodge (1728-1796), a prominent American merchant and land speculator during the Revolutionary War era. 3. Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905), an American children's writer best known for her novel "Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates." 4. Grenville M. Dodge (1831-1916), a prominent American Civil War officer and later a influential railroad engineer and businessman. 5. John F. Dodge (1864-1920), co-founder of the Dodge Brothers Company, which later merged with Chrysler Corporation.

The Dodge surname continues to be prevalent in various parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, reflecting the migration patterns of families bearing this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dodge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dodge 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. Somerset leads with 227 Dodges recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.30x.

County Total Index
Somerset 227 12.30x
Middlesex 167 1.46x
Kent 115 2.94x
Surrey 107 1.92x
Lancashire 79 0.58x
Gloucestershire 73 3.25x
Devon 71 2.98x
Dorset 57 7.58x
Leicestershire 55 4.33x
Warwickshire 22 0.76x
Hampshire 21 0.89x
Yorkshire 21 0.18x
Essex 17 0.75x
Channel Islands 15 4.42x
Cheshire 15 0.59x
Wiltshire 14 1.38x
Cornwall 12 0.92x
Sussex 12 0.62x
Worcestershire 11 0.73x
Staffordshire 10 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.15x
Berkshire 7 0.81x
Glamorgan 7 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.69x
Ayrshire 4 0.47x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.26x
Northumberland 3 0.18x
Royal Navy 3 2.20x
Shropshire 3 0.30x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Hertfordshire 2 0.25x
Suffolk 2 0.14x
Durham 1 0.03x
Flintshire 1 0.32x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crewkerne in Somerset leads with 63 Dodges recorded in 1881 and an index of 321.59x.

Place Total Index
Crewkerne 63 321.59x
Yeovil 52 138.70x
Hunton 24 701.75x
St Pancras London 24 2.60x
Cheetham 21 20.70x
East Coker 21 519.80x
West Coker 21 560.00x
Greenwich 18 9.86x
Lambeth 16 1.60x
Aston 15 1.88x
Battersea 15 3.56x
Feltham 15 131.12x
Leicester St Margaret 14 4.52x
Dawlish 13 73.03x
Frome 13 29.46x
Hackney London 13 2.02x
Islington London 13 1.17x
Boughton Monchelsea 12 278.42x
Chiselborough 12 845.07x
Stoke Under Hambdon 12 198.35x
Tenterden 12 87.02x
St Helier 11 9.95x
Westbury On Trym 11 14.44x
Bristol Temple 10 67.57x
Paddington London 10 2.37x
Bermondsey 9 2.64x
Bradford Abbas 9 450.00x
Ditton 9 681.82x
Fareham 9 31.88x
Hempstead 9 327.27x
Levenshulme 9 64.29x
Reddish 9 48.05x
Shoreditch London 9 1.81x
St Marylebone London 9 1.47x
Tormoham 9 8.92x
Blackley 8 33.56x
Charlton 8 30.80x
Godalming 8 22.75x
Leicester St Mary 8 7.79x
Mile End Old Town London 8 3.28x
Mountsorrel South End 8 441.99x
Netherbury 8 128.62x
Puddletown 8 173.54x
Steeple Claydon 8 238.81x
Stoke Damerel 8 4.79x
Thames Ditton 8 68.97x
Warminster 8 36.02x
Bristol St Paul In 7 11.69x
Camberwell 7 0.96x
Croydon 7 2.26x
Ealing 7 6.83x
Hougham 7 30.11x
Stalbridge 7 97.90x
Brighton 6 1.54x
Buckland Monachorum 6 117.65x
Cuddington 6 279.07x
Halstock 6 344.83x
Merriott 6 111.11x
Minchinhampton 6 33.50x
Reading St Giles 6 7.11x
St Luke London 6 3.26x
Stroud 6 13.71x
Tranmere 6 6.45x
Tysoe 6 153.06x
Westminster St John 6 4.30x
Weymouth 6 42.11x
Beckenham 5 9.78x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.00x
Coyty Lower 5 38.58x
Dewsbury 5 4.29x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 12.16x
Isleworth 5 9.81x
Melcombe Regis 5 16.04x
Nether Seal 5 223.21x
Newington 5 1.18x
Odcombe 5 204.08x
Portsea 5 1.09x
Waltham Holy Cross 5 23.64x
West Ham 5 1.00x
Worcester Blockhouse 5 60.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 79
John 56
George 40
Charles 32
Henry 29
James 22
Thomas 22
Walter 16
Arthur 15
Edward 15
Joseph 15
Samuel 14
Frederick 11
Richard 11
Albert 9
Harry 9
Herbert 9
Robert 8
Alfred 7
Edwin 7
Ernest 6
Benjamin 5
Augustus 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
David 3
Jno. 3
Sidney 3
Wm. 3
Albion 2
Artemus 2
Barnard 2
Daniel 2
Eber 2
Francis 2
Gilbert 2
J. 2
Louis 2
Morton 2
Simon 2
Stephen 2
Arnold 1
Caleb 1
Eli 1
Elisha 1
Ellen 1
Emanl. 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Dodge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dodge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,159 people were recorded with the Dodge surname. That placed it at #3,459 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dodge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,353 in 2016. That gives Dodge a modern rank of #4,454.

What does the Dodge surname mean?

An occupational surname for a maker or seller of dough, possibly a baker or bread maker.

What does the Dodge map show?

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