NameCensus.

UK surname

Doel

A surname locational in origin, derived from the Dutch word for "goal" or "target".

In the 1881 census there were 571 people recorded with the Doel surname, ranking it #6,089 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 869, ranked #6,459, down from #6,089 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and Bradley, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doel is 954 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.2%.

1881 census count

571

Ranked #6,089

Modern count

869

2016, ranked #6,459

Peak year

1998

954 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doel had 571 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,089 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 869 in 2016, ranked #6,459.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 840 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Doel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doel 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 391 #6,144
1861 historical 294 #8,571
1881 historical 571 #6,089
1891 historical 611 #6,291
1901 historical 772 #5,804
1911 historical 840 #5,273
1997 modern 910 #5,924
1998 modern 954 #5,879
1999 modern 953 #5,930
2000 modern 944 #5,954
2001 modern 899 #6,096
2002 modern 945 #5,952
2003 modern 941 #5,877
2004 modern 945 #5,863
2005 modern 910 #5,973
2006 modern 909 #5,995
2007 modern 918 #6,004
2008 modern 913 #6,070
2009 modern 907 #6,223
2010 modern 932 #6,208
2011 modern 939 #6,125
2012 modern 890 #6,294
2013 modern 887 #6,400
2014 modern 886 #6,459
2015 modern 875 #6,449
2016 modern 869 #6,459

Geography

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Where Doels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, Bradley, North and Horningsham, Hill Deverill, Longbridge Deverill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip and Wiltshire. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bradley, North Wiltshire
5 Horningsham, Hill Deverill, Longbridge Deverill Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 007 Mendip
2 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire
3 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
4 Mendip 003 Mendip
5 Mendip 004 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doel

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Doel 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

Doel 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

Doel falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Doel

The surname DOEL is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "doel," which means "a share or portion," and it may have been used as a descriptive name for someone who received a share of land or property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DOEL can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a person named William Dole is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been influenced by the Old French word "dole," which also means "a share or portion."

The DOEL surname is particularly associated with the county of Worcestershire in the West Midlands region of England. It is possible that the name originated in this area or had a strong presence there from an early period.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, including the Parish Registers of Worcestershire, where entries such as the marriage of John Dole and Elizabeth Symons in 1582 can be found.

One notable figure with the surname DOEL was Sir William Dole, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in 1564 and held the position of High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1616.

Another individual of note was John Doel, a 17th-century English clergyman who served as the Rector of Hartlebury in Worcestershire from 1636 until his death in 1658.

In the 18th century, the DOEL surname continued to be present in various records, such as the baptismal records of St. Martin's Church in Birmingham, where the baptism of Thomas Doel, son of Thomas and Mary Doel, is recorded in 1728.

One notable figure from this period was Richard Doel, a businessman and landowner who lived in Worcestershire from 1720 to 1798. He was involved in the local wool trade and owned several properties in the region.

In the 19th century, the DOEL surname spread beyond its traditional heartland in the West Midlands, with families bearing the name found in various parts of England and even in other parts of the British Isles.

One notable individual from this period was Samuel Doel, an English artist and engraver who was born in London in 1805 and died in 1880. He was known for his landscape paintings and etchings of rural scenes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doel 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. Wiltshire leads with 310 Doels recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.26x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 310 63.26x
Somerset 46 5.16x
Middlesex 32 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 27 8.06x
Gloucestershire 27 2.48x
Glamorgan 22 2.28x
Hampshire 22 1.94x
Surrey 14 0.52x
Suffolk 12 1.78x
Yorkshire 10 0.18x
Monmouthshire 9 2.25x
Cheshire 8 0.65x
Lancashire 7 0.11x
Essex 6 0.55x
Sussex 4 0.43x
Lincolnshire 3 0.34x
Worcestershire 3 0.41x
Devon 2 0.17x
Kent 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.51x
Staffordshire 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. North Bradley in Wiltshire leads with 86 Doels recorded in 1881 and an index of 2402.23x.

Place Total Index
North Bradley 86 2402.23x
Trowbridge 72 332.41x
Westbury 57 498.25x
Horningsham 29 1883.12x
Frome 25 117.21x
Wycombe 24 96.12x
Minchinhampton 15 173.21x
Kensington London 13 4.22x
Bradford On Avon 11 70.11x
Salisbury St Martin 11 215.69x
West Lavington 11 468.09x
Hampstead London 9 10.43x
Lambeth 9 1.86x
Great Barton 8 512.82x
Llansamlet Higher 8 111.11x
Tranmere 8 17.80x
Bedminster 7 8.35x
Rotherham 7 22.62x
Trevethin 7 18.50x
Acton 6 18.47x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 5.86x
Romsey Infra 6 155.84x
West Ashton 6 1034.48x
West Ham 6 2.48x
Corsley 5 259.07x
Fisherton Anger 5 55.13x
Morestead 5 1923.08x
Alverstoke 4 9.73x
Brighton 4 2.12x
Camberwell 4 1.13x
Cardiff St Mary 4 7.53x
Charterhouse Hinton 4 380.95x
Coyty Lower 4 63.90x
Oldham 4 1.89x
Warminster 4 37.24x
Woolpit 4 204.08x
Bristol St James In 3 18.77x
Buckingham 3 44.05x
Chelsea London 3 1.80x
Crowland 3 53.96x
Market Lavington 3 113.21x
Neath 3 15.28x
West Derby 3 1.56x
Wincanton 3 65.36x
Worcester St Peter 3 21.90x
Abbas Combe 2 303.03x
Christchurch 2 16.14x
Clevedon 2 21.58x
East Stonehouse 2 8.80x
Hilperton 2 128.21x
Kings Somborne 2 84.03x
Lonbridge Deverill 2 116.28x
Seend 2 206.19x
Southampton St Mary 2 2.80x
Sutton 2 31.95x
Bath St Peter St Paul 1 25.38x
Boldre 1 24.57x
Cardiff St John 1 3.17x
Cheltenham 1 1.19x
Cirencester 1 6.80x
Clerkenwell London 1 0.76x
Holy Trinity 1 0.76x
Llanwonno 1 2.89x
Loose 1 35.97x
Maiden Bradley 1 88.50x
Melksham 1 11.75x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 3.77x
Portsmouth 1 3.82x
Road 1 92.59x
Royal Navy 1 1.77x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 25.77x
Streatham 1 2.43x
Twyford 1 36.90x
Walcot 1 2.11x
Westbury On Trym 1 2.72x
Westwood 1 98.04x
Wolstanton 1 1.76x
Ystradyfodwg 1 1.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 16
Ellen 14
Eliza 12
Emma 12
Jane 12
Ann 11
Martha 8
Emily 7
Annie 6
Fanny 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Edith 5
Florence 5
Kate 5
Alice 4
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Harriet 4
Laura 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Amy 3
Clara 3
Flora 3
Hannah 3
Matilda 3
Anna 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eva 2
Grace 2
Julia 2
Margt. 2
Olive 2
Phebe 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Elizh. 1
Fannie 1
Katherine 1
Katie 1
Kezia 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 24
William 23
James 21
John 17
Joseph 16
Thomas 15
Henry 12
Alfred 11
Edward 10
Frederick 10
Albert 8
Arthur 8
Job 7
Benjamin 6
Frank 6
Charles 5
Harry 5
Samuel 5
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Jesse 3
Wm. 3
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Lewis 2
Simon 2
Sydney 2
Andrew 1
Benj. 1
Berty 1
Cecil 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Eli 1
Elihu 1
Elijah 1
Enos 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Gideon 1
Graham 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Joshua 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Sidney 1
Simeon 1

FAQ

Doel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 571 people were recorded with the Doel surname. That placed it at #6,089 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 869 in 2016. That gives Doel a modern rank of #6,459.

What does the Doel surname mean?

A surname locational in origin, derived from the Dutch word for "goal" or "target".

What does the Doel map show?

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