NameCensus.

UK surname

Dodsworth

English surname derived from a medieval personal name combining the elements "dod" meaning round object and "worth" meaning enclosure or farm.

In the 1881 census there were 1,254 people recorded with the Dodsworth surname, ranking it #3,242 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,146, ranked #3,011, up from #3,242 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Hull Holy Trinity and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, County Durham and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dodsworth is 2,272 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.1%.

1881 census count

1,254

Ranked #3,242

Modern count

2,146

2016, ranked #3,011

Peak year

1999

2,272 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dodsworth had 1,254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,242 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,146 in 2016, ranked #3,011.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,831 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dodsworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dodsworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dodsworth 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 818 #3,289
1861 historical 797 #3,450
1881 historical 1,254 #3,242
1891 historical 1,414 #3,086
1901 historical 1,618 #3,193
1911 historical 1,831 #2,692
1997 modern 2,188 #2,833
1998 modern 2,245 #2,869
1999 modern 2,272 #2,852
2000 modern 2,226 #2,895
2001 modern 2,197 #2,874
2002 modern 2,230 #2,891
2003 modern 2,190 #2,874
2004 modern 2,153 #2,919
2005 modern 2,083 #2,962
2006 modern 2,067 #2,997
2007 modern 2,103 #2,985
2008 modern 2,092 #3,013
2009 modern 2,139 #3,031
2010 modern 2,187 #3,034
2011 modern 2,199 #2,973
2012 modern 2,140 #2,995
2013 modern 2,181 #2,990
2014 modern 2,209 #2,968
2015 modern 2,159 #3,005
2016 modern 2,146 #3,011

Geography

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Where Dodsworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Hull Holy Trinity, Leeds, Middlesborough and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, County Durham and Darlington. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
2 County Durham 048 County Durham
3 Darlington 013 Darlington
4 Darlington 009 Darlington
5 Darlington 014 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dodsworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dodsworth

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dodsworth is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Dodsworth is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dodsworth

The surname Dodsworth is of English origin, derived from a locational name from one of the various places in Yorkshire called Dodsworth. The name is believed to have originated in the 13th century, with the earliest recorded spelling being de Dodesworth in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379.

The name Dodsworth is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dod" meaning "to make round or plump" and "worth" meaning "an enclosed homestead or farm". Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived at the rounded or plump homestead or farm.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John de Dodesworth, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327. Another early reference to the name can be found in the Yorkshire Chantry Surveys of 1546, where a Richard Dodsworth is listed.

The Dodsworth family was established in Yorkshire and several members played significant roles in the county's history. One notable individual was Roger Dodsworth (1585-1654), an English antiquary and historian who compiled a valuable collection of manuscripts and records related to Yorkshire's history.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Reverend William Dodsworth (1798-1861), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Christ Church in Shropshire. He published several works, including a book on the history of the parish of Whalley in Lancashire.

In the 17th century, the Dodsworth family established themselves in Lincolnshire, where they became landowners and prominent members of the local gentry. One member, Sir John Dodsworth (1628-1688), was a baronet and served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire.

The surname Dodsworth also has a connection to the village of Dodsworth in West Yorkshire, which likely took its name from the same Old English roots as the surname. This village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the spelling "Dodeswrde".

Other notable individuals with the surname Dodsworth include Roger Dodsworth (1610-1662), an English barrister and antiquary who studied the history of Yorkshire, and William Dodsworth (1798-1861), an English clergyman and author who wrote on the history of Lancashire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dodsworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dodsworth 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 773 Dodsworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.40x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 773 6.40x
Durham 193 5.32x
Middlesex 54 0.44x
Lincolnshire 41 2.10x
Northumberland 30 1.65x
Lancashire 27 0.19x
Kent 23 0.55x
Derbyshire 13 0.68x
Surrey 13 0.22x
Cumberland 11 1.05x
Warwickshire 11 0.36x
Gloucestershire 10 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.61x
Staffordshire 8 0.19x
Cheshire 6 0.22x
Essex 5 0.21x
Suffolk 5 0.34x
Hampshire 4 0.16x
Channel Islands 3 0.83x
Royal Navy 2 1.38x
Bedfordshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Denbighshire 1 0.22x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Shropshire 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 54 Dodsworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.55x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 54 38.55x
Leeds 44 6.45x
Stranton 29 23.75x
Middlesbrough 26 16.52x
Mexborough 25 104.25x
Stockton On Tees 25 14.30x
Horton In Bradford 23 12.19x
York St Mary 23 45.95x
Kelfield 22 1538.46x
Holy Trinity 21 7.23x
Selby 21 83.17x
Scarborough 20 18.22x
Bradford 19 6.50x
New Malton 18 124.57x
Sowerby In Thirsk 18 247.25x
Bowling 17 14.20x
Thornaby 17 37.65x
Hunslet 15 7.96x
Minskip 14 1538.46x
Bishopwearmouth 13 4.18x
Metheringham 13 166.88x
Stapenhill 13 45.74x
Ormesby 12 36.96x
Sculcoates 12 6.26x
Baildon 11 48.35x
Hambleton 11 495.50x
Kirby Fleetham 11 474.14x
St Pancras London 11 1.12x
Workington 11 18.30x
Birmingham 10 0.98x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 10 112.11x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 9.23x
Stainton In 10 709.22x
Boothby Graffoe 9 1285.71x
Eldon 9 156.52x
Holbeck 9 11.24x
Oldham 9 1.93x
Pickering Marishes 9 681.82x
Barton 8 372.09x
Easington 8 152.09x
Great Little Preston 8 231.21x
Holy Trinity St Mary 8 43.50x
Snape 8 408.16x
St George In East London 8 6.98x
Thirsk 8 57.39x
Boroughbridge 7 172.41x
Newington 7 1.55x
Norton In Malton 7 47.78x
Welton Melton 7 198.30x
Barlby 6 280.37x
Bishop Wilton Cum 6 258.62x
Chiswick 6 9.01x
Clifford Cum Boston 6 55.25x
Eston 6 22.80x
Forcett With Carkin 6 254.24x
Great Ayton 6 81.08x
Great Givendale Cum 6 1764.71x
Halifax 6 3.38x
Helperby 6 224.72x
Kidbrooke 6 255.32x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 8.47x
Norton 6 44.98x
Nun Monkton 6 535.71x
Osmotherley 6 156.25x
South Otterington 6 410.96x
York St Mary Castlegate 6 169.01x
Asenby 5 704.23x
Billinghay 5 83.19x
Blacktoft 5 359.71x
Carlton In Stokesley 5 471.70x
Hetton Le Hole 5 10.88x
Plumstead 5 3.61x
Ruskington 5 100.60x
Salford 5 1.18x
Stainland Cum Old 5 24.18x
Twickenham 5 9.56x
Woolwich 5 3.25x
Yeadon 5 18.33x
York St Crux 5 145.77x
York St Michael 5 287.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 105
William 73
Thomas 57
George 42
James 28
Robert 27
Charles 25
Henry 22
Arthur 15
Joseph 15
Francis 11
Richard 11
Samuel 10
Edward 7
Alfred 6
Christopher 6
Ernest 6
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Martin 6
Herbert 5
Thos. 5
Anthony 4
Benjamin 4
Fred 4
Leonard 4
Matthew 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Coultas 3
Geo. 3
Jeremiah 3
Mathew 3
Tom 3
Andrew 2
David 2
Foster 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Hiram 2
J. 2
Jno. 2
Michael 2
Sam 2
Will. 2
Wm. 2
Coulson 1
Cyril 1
Fredrick 1
Gatha 1

FAQ

Dodsworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dodsworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,254 people were recorded with the Dodsworth surname. That placed it at #3,242 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dodsworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,146 in 2016. That gives Dodsworth a modern rank of #3,011.

What does the Dodsworth surname mean?

English surname derived from a medieval personal name combining the elements "dod" meaning round object and "worth" meaning enclosure or farm.

What does the Dodsworth map show?

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