NameCensus.

UK surname

Dodson

An English occupational surname for someone who makes dods, an archaic word for a type of wooden bucket.

In the 1881 census there were 2,316 people recorded with the Dodson surname, ranking it #1,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,748, ranked #2,443, down from #1,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swavesey, London parishes and Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Liverpool and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dodson is 3,118 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.7%.

1881 census count

2,316

Ranked #1,922

Modern count

2,748

2016, ranked #2,443

Peak year

1911

3,118 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dodson had 2,316 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,748 in 2016, ranked #2,443.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,118 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dodson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dodson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dodson 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 1,503 #1,909
1861 historical 1,566 #1,819
1881 historical 2,316 #1,922
1891 historical 2,522 #1,877
1901 historical 2,864 #1,952
1911 historical 3,118 #1,673
1997 modern 2,914 #2,218
1998 modern 2,962 #2,275
1999 modern 2,925 #2,319
2000 modern 2,895 #2,326
2001 modern 2,769 #2,366
2002 modern 2,804 #2,385
2003 modern 2,754 #2,375
2004 modern 2,765 #2,373
2005 modern 2,685 #2,401
2006 modern 2,673 #2,410
2007 modern 2,681 #2,428
2008 modern 2,693 #2,432
2009 modern 2,758 #2,432
2010 modern 2,778 #2,459
2011 modern 2,744 #2,461
2012 modern 2,746 #2,429
2013 modern 2,764 #2,453
2014 modern 2,791 #2,447
2015 modern 2,767 #2,442
2016 modern 2,748 #2,443

Geography

Back to top

Where Dodsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swavesey, London parishes, Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, Liverpool, Barnsley, Kirklees and Wakefield. 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 Swavesey Huntingdonshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 007 Swindon
2 Liverpool 058 Liverpool
3 Barnsley 011 Barnsley
4 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
5 Wakefield 044 Wakefield

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dodson

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dodson

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Dodson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Dodson 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

Dodson falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dodson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dodson

The surname Dodson is of English origin, derived from the Medieval given name Dodde, a diminutive of the Old English name Dodd. This name is believed to have evolved from the Old English word "dud," meaning "round and small." The earliest recorded instances of the surname Dodson can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Dodson can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from the year 1296, where a certain William Dodessone is mentioned. Additionally, the Dodson surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1275, indicating its widespread use during that time.

The surname Dodson has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is James Dodson (1705-1757), an English mathematician and author who wrote extensively on topics related to mathematics and navigation. Another prominent bearer of the name was Michael Dodson (1732-1799), an English clergyman and mathematician who served as the Rector of Buckingham.

In the literary world, the name Dodson is remembered through the character of Mr. Dodson, a lawyer featured in Charles Dickens' novel "The Pickwick Papers," published in 1837. This fictional character's name likely drew inspiration from the surname's widespread use in England during Dickens' time.

The Dodson surname has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Dodson's Green in Buckinghamshire and Dodson's Farm in Sussex. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the Dodson surname who resided or held lands in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Dodson include Robert Dodson (1704-1775), an English merchant and philanthropist who donated funds for the establishment of several schools and hospitals in London, and James Dodson (1842-1918), a Scottish-born American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Dodson Iron Works in Ohio.

Throughout its history, the surname Dodson has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, reflecting its enduring heritage and the significance of its bearers in various fields, from mathematics and literature to business and philanthropy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dodson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dodson 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. Yorkshire leads with 540 Dodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.41x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 540 2.41x
Middlesex 264 1.17x
Surrey 253 2.30x
Lancashire 208 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 102 3.35x
Lincolnshire 81 2.24x
Cambridgeshire 80 5.59x
Essex 62 1.39x
Northamptonshire 58 2.73x
Shropshire 58 2.97x
Wiltshire 57 2.85x
Norfolk 51 1.47x
Cheshire 48 0.96x
Warwickshire 48 0.84x
Derbyshire 44 1.24x
Leicestershire 39 1.56x
Sussex 36 0.94x
Huntingdonshire 34 7.57x
Suffolk 33 1.20x
Durham 28 0.42x
Kent 26 0.34x
Gloucestershire 20 0.45x
Glamorgan 17 0.43x
Staffordshire 17 0.22x
Hampshire 16 0.35x
Worcestershire 14 0.47x
Oxfordshire 12 0.86x
Lanarkshire 11 0.15x
Devon 10 0.21x
Hertfordshire 9 0.58x
Somerset 8 0.22x
Berkshire 7 0.41x
Dorset 7 0.47x
Rutland 5 3.01x
Stirlingshire 4 0.48x
Northumberland 3 0.09x
Bedfordshire 2 0.17x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.40x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 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. Slaithwaite in Yorkshire leads with 50 Dodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 214.32x.

Place Total Index
Slaithwaite 50 214.32x
Nottingham St Mary 48 6.09x
Islington London 44 2.01x
Newington 43 5.15x
Camberwell 40 2.77x
Rawmarsh 40 50.53x
Lambeth 37 1.88x
St Pancras London 36 1.98x
Walton On Thames 36 71.16x
Sheffield 35 4.91x
Swavesey 34 370.37x
Purton 31 174.26x
Huddersfield 28 8.58x
Toxteth Park 27 2.97x
Almondbury 26 24.00x
Chelsea London 25 3.67x
West Ham 25 2.54x
Great Yarmouth 24 8.33x
Peterborough 23 14.94x
Yaxley 22 209.52x
Gomersal 20 19.12x
Meltham 19 54.52x
Hackney London 18 1.42x
Shoreditch London 18 1.84x
West Derby 18 2.29x
Childerley 17 4594.59x
Newton Harcourt 17 1188.81x
Wetherden 17 441.56x
Lymm 16 44.09x
Morley 16 13.73x
Stoke Albany 16 642.57x
Birmingham 15 0.79x
Hulme 14 2.50x
Wilsden 14 60.84x
Chiswick 13 10.52x
Honley 13 33.15x
Liverpool 13 0.80x
Manchester 13 1.08x
St George Hanover Square 13 3.26x
Ardwick 12 4.96x
Lockwood 12 14.89x
Longwood 12 33.22x
Basford 11 7.83x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.12x
Kingston On Thames 11 4.16x
Armthorpe 10 328.95x
Arthingworth 10 699.30x
Bolehall Glascote 10 41.39x
Litchurch 10 7.02x
Selston 10 29.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 2.20x
St Luke London 10 2.76x
Thames Ditton 10 43.69x
Bermondsey 9 1.34x
Bishopwearmouth 9 1.56x
Brinkworth 9 100.11x
Colchester St Giles 9 20.41x
Coningsby 9 86.71x
Glasgow 9 0.69x
Golcar 9 15.19x
Haslingden 9 8.10x
Lydney 9 39.30x
Moulton 9 51.72x
Preston 9 13.52x
Riby 9 412.84x
Rugby 9 11.67x
Skelmanthorpe 9 37.21x
Barrow In Furness 8 2.19x
Battersea 8 0.96x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 10.88x
Mile End Old Town London 8 1.66x
Rowley Regis 8 3.76x
Tugford 8 941.18x
Arlington 7 154.19x
Chester St Oswald 7 7.75x
Condover 7 50.91x
Croydon 7 1.14x
Heigham 7 3.75x
Horton In Bradford 7 2.00x
Kidderminster Borough 7 4.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 130
Sarah 105
Elizabeth 76
Jane 43
Emma 42
Ann 41
Eliza 41
Alice 35
Hannah 35
Annie 34
Ellen 29
Emily 29
Martha 26
Louisa 24
Margaret 23
Harriet 22
Ada 17
Clara 14
Maria 14
Edith 13
Florence 13
Caroline 12
Charlotte 11
Elizth. 11
Lucy 11
Minnie 11
Sophia 11
Anne 9
Kate 9
Lydia 9
Catherine 8
Fanny 8
Amelia 7
Rebecca 7
Rose 7
Ruth 7
Susan 7
Eleanor 6
Esther 6
Grace 6
Amy 5
Frances 5
Julia 5
Matilda 5
Selina 5
Gertrude 4
Henrietta 4
Jemima 4
Jessie 4
Laura 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 131
John 130
George 94
Thomas 60
Henry 53
James 51
Charles 39
Arthur 34
Alfred 32
Joseph 29
Edward 21
Robert 21
Frederick 19
Walter 18
Richard 17
Samuel 17
Albert 15
Herbert 15
David 14
Harry 14
Frank 13
Fred 12
Ernest 9
Tom 8
Edwin 7
Job 7
Wm. 7
Francis 6
Benjamin 5
Joe 5
Thos. 5
Alexander 4
Edgar 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Levi 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Philip 4
Fisher 3
Jonas 3
Percy 3
Sam 3
Shaw 3
Sidney 3
Spencer 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Nathaniel 2
Paul 2

FAQ

Dodson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dodson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,316 people were recorded with the Dodson surname. That placed it at #1,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dodson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,748 in 2016. That gives Dodson a modern rank of #2,443.

What does the Dodson surname mean?

An English occupational surname for someone who makes dods, an archaic word for a type of wooden bucket.

What does the Dodson map show?

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