NameCensus.

UK surname

Doherty

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach," a personal name meaning "obstructive" or "hurtful."

In the 1881 census there were 2,460 people recorded with the Doherty surname, ranking it #1,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,508, ranked #406, up from #1,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Luton and IZ06.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doherty is 15,585 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 530.4%.

1881 census count

2,460

Ranked #1,808

Modern count

15,508

2016, ranked #406

Peak year

2014

15,585 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doherty had 2,460 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,508 in 2016, ranked #406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,374 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Doherty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doherty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doherty 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 1,087 #2,585
1861 historical 1,423 #1,998
1881 historical 2,460 #1,808
1891 historical 2,558 #1,858
1901 historical 3,374 #1,651
1911 historical 2,941 #1,768
1997 modern 13,605 #447
1998 modern 14,094 #448
1999 modern 14,280 #448
2000 modern 14,158 #448
2001 modern 13,805 #448
2002 modern 14,250 #443
2003 modern 14,048 #437
2004 modern 14,040 #435
2005 modern 14,058 #428
2006 modern 14,175 #426
2007 modern 14,443 #423
2008 modern 14,582 #424
2009 modern 15,049 #422
2010 modern 15,480 #420
2011 modern 15,255 #418
2012 modern 15,013 #418
2013 modern 15,424 #412
2014 modern 15,585 #411
2015 modern 15,528 #409
2016 modern 15,508 #406

Geography

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Where Dohertys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Luton, IZ06, Gorbals and Hutchesontown and Govanhill West. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 060 Liverpool
2 Luton 006 Luton
3 IZ06 West Dunbartonshire
4 Gorbals and Hutchesontown Glasgow City
5 Govanhill West Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doherty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doherty

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

Doherty is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Doherty 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 Doherty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Doherty

The surname Doherty originated in Ireland and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach." Dochartach was a personal name derived from the Gaelic word "dochartach," meaning "hurtful" or "obstructive." The name is believed to have originated in the northern part of Ireland, particularly in County Donegal.

The Dohertys were a prominent Irish clan with a long history dating back to the 12th century. They were one of the most powerful families in the region and held a significant amount of land and influence. The name can be traced back to ancient Irish manuscripts and records, such as the Annals of the Four Masters, which document the clan's activities and history.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Fergal Ó Dochartaigh, who lived in the 13th century and was the chief of the clan. The name also appears in the Annals of Ulster, which mention several notable Dohertys, including Aodh Ó Dochartaigh, who was described as a "wealthy and affluent man" in the 14th century.

Over time, the name has been anglicized in various ways, including Doherty, Daugherty, and Dougherty. The name is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Ballyougherty and Ardougherty, which are believed to have derived from the Doherty clan's presence in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Doherty throughout history include:

1. John Doherty (1785-1854), an Irish politician and member of the United Kingdom Parliament. 2. Edward Doherty (1823-1908), an Irish-American Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Wheeling, West Virginia. 3. Pat Doherty (1913-2003), an Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior hurling team and won six All-Ireland medals. 4. Móna Doherty (1904-1994), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Free State Seanad Éireann. 5. Shannen Doherty (born 1971), an American actress known for her roles in popular television shows like "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doherty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doherty 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. Lancashire leads with 909 Dohertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.21x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 909 3.21x
Lanarkshire 215 2.79x
Middlesex 187 0.78x
Yorkshire 183 0.77x
Cheshire 83 1.58x
Staffordshire 82 1.02x
Surrey 76 0.65x
Warwickshire 73 1.21x
Durham 70 0.99x
Renfrewshire 66 3.57x
Midlothian 64 2.00x
Kent 49 0.60x
Dunbartonshire 44 6.86x
Northumberland 36 1.01x
Hampshire 35 0.72x
Devon 22 0.44x
Essex 17 0.36x
Peeblesshire 17 15.15x
Derbyshire 16 0.43x
Westmorland 16 3.05x
Gloucestershire 15 0.32x
Angus 14 0.63x
Ayrshire 14 0.78x
Worcestershire 13 0.42x
Denbighshire 11 1.22x
Cumberland 10 0.49x
Monmouthshire 9 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.25x
Shropshire 8 0.39x
East Lothian 7 2.22x
Somerset 7 0.18x
Fife 6 0.43x
Glamorgan 6 0.14x
Perthshire 6 0.56x
Suffolk 6 0.21x
Wiltshire 6 0.28x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.52x
Sussex 5 0.12x
Herefordshire 4 0.41x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.40x
Royal Navy 3 1.06x
Anglesey 2 0.47x
Channel Islands 2 0.28x
Hertfordshire 2 0.12x
Banffshire 1 0.20x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.19x
Inverness-shire 1 0.14x
Isle of Man 1 0.23x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.29x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 136 Dohertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.91x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 136 7.91x
Manchester 101 7.94x
Glasgow 69 5.04x
Barony 65 3.33x
Birmingham 56 2.79x
Leeds 51 3.82x
Salford 45 5.41x
Wigan 44 11.13x
Barrow In Furness 36 9.35x
Cumbernauld 35 99.66x
Birkenhead 34 8.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 32 7.12x
Everton 32 3.55x
St Marylebone London 32 2.51x
Abbey 26 9.22x
Kirkdale 26 5.46x
Hamilton 24 11.16x
Bootle Cum Linacre 23 10.23x
Govan 23 1.21x
Bury 22 6.81x
Toxteth Park 22 2.30x
Chelsea London 21 2.92x
Middle Greenock 21 41.63x
Gorton 20 7.52x
Ardwick 19 7.44x
Cheetham 18 8.53x
Hunslet 18 4.88x
Kendal 16 16.68x
Bermondsey 15 2.11x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 1.17x
Old Monkland 15 4.90x
Oldham 15 1.64x
Windle 15 9.42x
Camberwell 14 0.92x
Innerleithen 14 47.03x
Warrington 14 4.17x
Lanark 13 20.95x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 1.52x
Alverstoke 12 6.78x
Aston 12 0.72x
Broughton In Salford 12 4.64x
Clerkenwell London 12 2.13x
Kensington London 12 0.91x
North Meols 12 4.33x
St Pancras London 12 0.63x
Stockton On Tees 12 3.51x
West Derby 12 1.45x
Accrington 11 4.28x
Battersea 11 1.25x
Harborne 11 4.26x
Hulme 11 1.86x
Islington London 11 0.48x
Kings Norton 11 3.94x
Mile End Old Town London 11 2.17x
Over Darwen 11 4.87x
Parr 11 10.86x
Preston 11 1.45x
Whalley 11 26.67x
Bradford 10 7.55x
Burslem 10 4.34x
Dukinfield 10 4.11x
Gillingham 10 5.96x
Plymouth Charles The 10 4.57x
West Ham 10 0.96x
Wrexham Regis 10 14.95x
York St Cuthbert 10 46.21x
Clapham 9 3.02x
Corstorphine 9 51.05x
Holy Trinity 9 1.58x
Maybole 9 16.56x
Richmond 9 24.37x
Shoreditch London 9 0.87x
Tonge With Haulgh 9 16.34x
Withington 9 9.87x
Fulham London 8 2.31x
St George In East London 8 3.57x
Thornton In Fylde 8 12.92x
West Calder 8 12.70x
West Greenock 8 2.41x
Wigginton 8 117.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 237
Margaret 60
Elizabeth 56
Catherine 52
Ann 43
Bridget 43
Sarah 41
Ellen 38
Jane 31
Annie 30
Kate 21
Eliza 19
Agnes 16
Rose 16
Anne 14
Maria 14
Alice 12
Emma 11
Hannah 10
Harriet 9
Martha 9
Caroline 8
Emily 8
Susan 7
Esther 6
Julia 6
Margt. 6
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Lucy 5
Cathrine 4
Elizth. 4
Frances 4
Harriett 4
Isabella 4
Jessie 4
Johannah 4
Catharine 3
Eleanor 3
Kathleen 3
Rebecca 3
Selina 3
A. 2
Anney 2
Clara 2
Honor 2
Katie 2
Mabel 2
Margret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 199
James 104
William 71
Patrick 63
Thomas 59
Michael 46
Edward 41
Charles 27
George 26
Henry 23
Joseph 21
Hugh 19
Francis 16
Robert 14
Daniel 12
Peter 11
Arthur 10
Martin 10
Andrew 8
David 7
Owen 7
Wm. 7
Alexander 6
Thos. 6
Alfred 5
Bernard 5
Felix 5
Herbert 5
Anthony 4
Augustine 4
Dominick 4
Jno. 4
Matthew 4
Philip 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Cornelius 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Lawrence 3
Mark 3
Alexr. 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Leonard 2
Michal 2
Micheal 2

FAQ

Doherty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doherty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,460 people were recorded with the Doherty surname. That placed it at #1,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doherty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,508 in 2016. That gives Doherty a modern rank of #406.

What does the Doherty surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach," a personal name meaning "obstructive" or "hurtful."

What does the Doherty map show?

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