NameCensus.

UK surname

Doe

A surname derived from the Old English word "da," meaning "deer," likely referring to a deer hunter or deer herder.

In the 1881 census there were 1,406 people recorded with the Doe surname, ranking it #2,951 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,660, ranked #2,511, up from #2,951 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Finchingfield and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bournemouth and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doe is 2,695 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.2%.

1881 census count

1,406

Ranked #2,951

Modern count

2,660

2016, ranked #2,511

Peak year

2014

2,695 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doe had 1,406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,951 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,660 in 2016, ranked #2,511.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,908 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Doe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doe 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 874 #3,123
1881 historical 1,406 #2,951
1891 historical 17 #32,787
1901 historical 1,908 #2,768
1997 modern 2,592 #2,449
1998 modern 2,660 #2,477
1999 modern 2,639 #2,505
2000 modern 2,628 #2,500
2001 modern 2,548 #2,520
2002 modern 2,618 #2,518
2003 modern 2,553 #2,516
2004 modern 2,585 #2,497
2005 modern 2,493 #2,543
2006 modern 2,508 #2,541
2007 modern 2,533 #2,535
2008 modern 2,543 #2,544
2009 modern 2,622 #2,538
2010 modern 2,659 #2,560
2011 modern 2,634 #2,549
2012 modern 2,582 #2,550
2013 modern 2,655 #2,532
2014 modern 2,695 #2,513
2015 modern 2,680 #2,507
2016 modern 2,660 #2,511

Geography

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Where Does are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Finchingfield, Willesden and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bournemouth and Braintree. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Finchingfield Essex
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bournemouth 005 Bournemouth
2 Braintree 002 Braintree
3 Braintree 018 Braintree
4 Bournemouth 001 Bournemouth
5 Bournemouth 008 Bournemouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doe

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Doe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Doe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Doe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Doe 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

Doe falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Doe

The surname Doe is an English name with origins dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Middle English word "do", which referred to a female deer or doe. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone considered to have doe-like qualities, such as gentleness or grace.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears as "Ralf le Do". The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also mention a "Walter le Doo". These early spellings highlight the evolving nature of the name over time.

The surname Doe can be traced to various regions across England, particularly in counties like Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. It is believed that the name may have originated independently in multiple areas, as nicknames were commonly adopted as surnames during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Doe was John Doe, a 14th-century landowner in Somerset. His name appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, indicating his status as a taxpayer at the time.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Sir John Doe (c. 1530-1592), a prominent English lawyer and judge. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Thomas Doe (1573-1617), an English Puritan clergyman and author. He was known for his religious writings, including "The Doctrine of the Church of England" and "The Policie of the Turkish Empire".

The name Doe has been associated with various locations across England, including Doe Hill in Somerset and Doe Lea in Derbyshire. These place names may have influenced the adoption of the surname or vice versa.

In the 17th century, the name Doe appeared in the records of early American colonists. One such individual was John Doe, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and later settled in Maryland.

Throughout history, the surname Doe has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including writers, artists, and politicians. However, the name's origins can be traced back to its humble beginnings as a nickname referring to the gentle qualities of a doe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doe 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. Essex leads with 348 Does recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.61x.

County Total Index
Essex 348 12.61x
Middlesex 259 1.85x
Surrey 115 1.69x
Hampshire 112 3.91x
Suffolk 83 4.87x
Kent 80 1.68x
Berkshire 75 7.15x
Norfolk 53 2.47x
Cambridgeshire 42 4.74x
Derbyshire 42 1.92x
Lincolnshire 35 1.57x
Lancashire 21 0.13x
Yorkshire 18 0.13x
Glamorgan 15 0.62x
Devon 14 0.48x
Oxfordshire 14 1.62x
Sussex 14 0.59x
Hertfordshire 10 1.04x
Perthshire 10 1.59x
Bedfordshire 8 1.11x
Warwickshire 8 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.37x
Argyllshire 6 1.54x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.16x
Staffordshire 6 0.13x
Channel Islands 5 1.21x
West Lothian 4 1.90x
Worcestershire 4 0.22x
Dorset 3 0.33x
Durham 3 0.07x
Gloucestershire 3 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.24x
Shropshire 2 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.60x
Rutland 1 0.97x
Wiltshire 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. Great Dunmow in Essex leads with 37 Does recorded in 1881 and an index of 257.30x.

Place Total Index
Great Dunmow 37 257.30x
St Pancras London 31 2.76x
Lymington 26 123.46x
Camberwell 24 2.69x
Bethnal Green London 23 3.79x
Kensington London 20 2.57x
Sandhurst 20 98.43x
Terling 20 485.44x
Maidstone 19 13.37x
Fairsted 18 1304.35x
West Ham 18 2.95x
Battersea 17 3.31x
Chesterfield 17 20.72x
Finchingfield 17 196.53x
Grainthorpe 17 507.46x
Hackney London 16 2.04x
Lambeth 15 1.23x
Mile End Old Town London 15 5.04x
Alton 14 64.84x
Paddington London 14 2.72x
Redgrave 14 524.34x
Whittington 14 46.24x
Boldre 13 126.71x
Boreham 13 273.11x
Hoo 13 205.37x
Ipswich St Clement 13 30.04x
Reading St Mary 13 15.47x
St Marylebone London 13 1.74x
Great Torrington 12 72.73x
New Windsor 12 34.01x
Shoreditch London 12 1.98x
St Luke London 12 5.35x
Stapleford Tawney 11 1037.74x
Wattisfield 11 476.19x
Bromley 10 13.76x
Canterbury St Dunstan 10 121.51x
Hornchurch 10 73.91x
Yarmouth 10 264.55x
Brighton 9 1.89x
Cotton 9 371.90x
Croydon 9 2.38x
Farnham 9 16.99x
Habergham Eaves 9 5.94x
Hatfield Peverel 9 151.01x
Islington London 9 0.66x
Stoke By Clare 9 428.57x
Titchfield 9 41.69x
Aberdare 8 4.79x
Brimington 8 48.13x
Burwell 8 75.40x
Chelmsford 8 16.90x
East Harling 8 156.86x
Oxford St Giles 8 19.43x
Stratfieldsaye 8 291.97x
Aston 7 0.72x
Bow London 7 3.93x
Bromley London 7 2.28x
Chelsea London 7 1.66x
Chippenham 7 226.54x
Fareham 7 20.33x
Garboldisham 7 228.01x
Great Burstead 7 69.72x
Heybridge 7 87.28x
Huyton With Roby 7 36.01x
Kirby Cane 7 348.26x
Lewisham 7 2.75x
Little Canfield 7 492.96x
Reading St Lawrence 7 31.18x
Runwell 7 434.78x
Streatham 7 6.75x
Ystradyfodwg 7 3.28x
Braintree 6 24.21x
Bramley 6 279.07x
Broome 6 243.90x
Chigwell 6 23.04x
Colchester St Martin 6 119.05x
Errol 6 51.64x
Hammersmith London 6 1.74x
Soham 6 31.50x
South Hanningfield 6 535.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 80
Charles 61
John 61
George 58
James 51
Henry 43
Thomas 37
Edward 26
Alfred 23
Frederick 20
Albert 17
Arthur 16
Joseph 16
Robert 13
Walter 13
David 10
Harry 10
Frank 8
Daniel 7
Geo. 7
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Richard 5
Job 4
Peter 4
Eli 3
Elijah 3
Abraham 2
Chas. 2
E. 2
Earnest 2
Fredk. 2
Moses 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Sam 2
Stephen 2
Thos.Jas. 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Austin 1
Bertie 1
Burt 1
C. 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Golias 1
H. 1

FAQ

Doe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,406 people were recorded with the Doe surname. That placed it at #2,951 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,660 in 2016. That gives Doe a modern rank of #2,511.

What does the Doe surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "da," meaning "deer," likely referring to a deer hunter or deer herder.

What does the Doe map show?

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