NameCensus.

UK surname

Doidge

A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly a small village in England.

In the 1881 census there were 847 people recorded with the Doidge surname, ranking it #4,455 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 977, ranked #5,911, down from #4,455 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger, Stoke Climsland and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doidge is 1,130 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.3%.

1881 census count

847

Ranked #4,455

Modern count

977

2016, ranked #5,911

Peak year

1911

1,130 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doidge had 847 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,455 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 977 in 2016, ranked #5,911.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,130 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Doidge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doidge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doidge 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 631 #4,113
1861 historical 556 #4,739
1881 historical 847 #4,455
1891 historical 912 #4,525
1901 historical 1,091 #4,426
1911 historical 1,130 #4,120
1997 modern 941 #5,762
1998 modern 964 #5,846
1999 modern 992 #5,750
2000 modern 998 #5,697
2001 modern 987 #5,630
2002 modern 1,010 #5,644
2003 modern 985 #5,658
2004 modern 999 #5,607
2005 modern 977 #5,645
2006 modern 967 #5,709
2007 modern 968 #5,762
2008 modern 972 #5,773
2009 modern 1,009 #5,724
2010 modern 1,033 #5,723
2011 modern 981 #5,908
2012 modern 977 #5,847
2013 modern 986 #5,886
2014 modern 983 #5,939
2015 modern 968 #5,972
2016 modern 977 #5,911

Geography

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Where Doidges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger, Stoke Climsland, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy, Plymouth St Charles the Martyr and Calstock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon and Cornwall. 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 Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger Devon
2 Stoke Climsland Cornwall
3 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon
4 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon
5 Calstock Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 005 West Devon
2 West Devon 007 West Devon
3 Cornwall 010 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 003 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 028 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doidge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doidge

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Doidge is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Doidge 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

Doidge falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Doidge

The surname Doidge has its origins in England, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dohtig," meaning "brave" or "valiant," which later evolved into the Middle English "doughty." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who exhibited characteristics of bravery or fortitude.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where a Robert Dohti is mentioned. This document was a record of landholders and their holdings, indicating that the Doidge family may have had connections to the landed gentry of the time.

The Doidge surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire in southwestern England. In these regions, variations of the spelling, such as Doudge, Dowdge, and Douditch, were common. Some historians have also suggested a possible link between the name and the village of Doddridge in Devon, though this connection remains uncertain.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Doidge name appears in several notable records. In 1568, a William Doidge is listed as a resident of Wiltshire in the Muster Roll, a military census. Additionally, the parish records of Stoke St. Gregory in Somerset mention the baptism of a John Doidge in 1611.

Prominent individuals bearing the Doidge surname include:

1. Sir John Doidge (c. 1542 - 1629), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bristol, who served as Sheriff of the city in 1604. 2. Richard Doidge (1684 - 1762), an English clergyman and author who published several theological works in the early 18th century. 3. William Doidge (1775 - 1858), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Waterloo Medal for his actions at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. 4. Mary Ann Doidge (1799 - 1887), a prolific English novelist and poet whose works often explored themes of love and morality. 5. Sir Thomas Doidge (1856 - 1935), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Doidge Foundation, a charitable organization focused on promoting education and alleviating poverty.

While the Doidge surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, the focus of this report remains on the historical origins and early examples of the name within its country of origin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doidge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doidge 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. Devon leads with 507 Doidges recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.17x.

County Total Index
Devon 507 29.17x
Cornwall 157 16.61x
Warwickshire 25 1.19x
Middlesex 23 0.28x
Surrey 19 0.47x
Yorkshire 16 0.19x
Gloucestershire 14 0.85x
Northumberland 14 1.13x
Durham 12 0.48x
Worcestershire 10 0.92x
Cumberland 8 1.11x
Derbyshire 7 0.54x
Hampshire 6 0.35x
Lancashire 6 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.53x
Royal Navy 6 6.03x
Kent 4 0.14x
Channel Islands 3 1.21x
Glamorgan 3 0.21x
Lanarkshire 3 0.11x
Sussex 2 0.14x
Dorset 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.19x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 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. Tavistock in Devon leads with 63 Doidges recorded in 1881 and an index of 318.18x.

Place Total Index
Tavistock 63 318.18x
Plymouth Charles The 60 78.36x
Stoke Damerel 49 40.28x
Plymouth St Andrew 45 33.61x
Beerferris 35 1032.45x
Lamerton 34 1030.30x
Marytavy 25 976.56x
Aston 24 4.14x
Lifton 22 526.32x
Milton Abbott 20 793.65x
Stowford 17 1517.86x
Broadwoodwidger 16 812.18x
Calstock 16 86.30x
Cramlington 14 85.26x
North Hill 14 462.05x
Stoke Climsland 14 231.79x
Tormoham 13 17.68x
St Peter Tavy 11 1250.00x
Coryton 9 1406.25x
Great Torrington 9 91.28x
St Mary Magdalene 9 129.50x
Trewen 9 2250.00x
Bridestow 8 434.78x
Chudleigh 8 144.67x
Lambeth 8 1.10x
Millom 8 36.31x
Pennycross 8 547.95x
Westbury On Trym 8 14.42x
Benfieldside 7 42.84x
Brentor 7 1891.89x
Edmonton 7 10.40x
Tintagel 7 272.37x
Whitchurch 7 228.76x
Wortley In Bramley 7 10.68x
Basford 6 11.57x
Fairfield 6 68.65x
Kensington London 6 1.29x
Newlyn 6 148.51x
Northfield 6 29.00x
Plympton St Mary 6 59.70x
Redruth 6 22.44x
Royal Navy 6 7.05x
St Germans 6 91.05x
St Pancras London 6 0.89x
St Teath 6 105.45x
St Thomas Apostle 6 206.19x
Barrow In Furness 5 3.71x
Madron Penzance 5 14.54x
St Stephen 5 149.25x
St Stephens By Saltash 5 122.85x
Wingate 5 29.36x
Devonport 4 20.03x
Dunterton 4 1212.12x
Illogan 4 15.98x
Kings Norton 4 4.09x
Lezant 4 189.57x
Portsea 4 1.19x
South Petherwin 4 169.49x
Southwark Christchurch 4 10.22x
Sydenham Damerel 4 298.51x
Truro St Mary 4 50.38x
Battersea 3 0.98x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 5.49x
Cambusnethan 3 5.00x
Cardiff St Mary 3 3.75x
Davidstow 3 256.41x
Deptford St Nicholas 3 13.27x
East Stonehouse 3 8.76x
Eston 3 16.65x
Lewannick 3 163.04x
Manningham 3 2.94x
Mylor 3 47.39x
Saltash 3 40.93x
St Tudy 3 201.34x
Stoke 3 42.61x
Camberwell 2 0.38x
Compton Gifford 2 36.70x
Germansweek 2 263.16x
Laira 2 512.82x
Normanby In 2 9.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 82
John 76
Thomas 39
Richard 30
Henry 18
Charles 17
George 17
James 15
Alfred 11
Samuel 11
Edwin 8
Frederick 8
Harry 7
Joseph 7
Robert 7
Ernest 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Francis 4
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Nathaniel 2
Nicholas 2
Phillip 2
Sydney 2
Bobby 1
Deliah 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Emmanuel 1
Fredk.W. 1
Harris 1
Harrold 1
Hary 1
Hedley 1
Herbert 1
Jabez 1
Joanas 1
Langford 1
Malachi 1
Maurice 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Saml. 1
Saml.J. 1

FAQ

Doidge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doidge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 847 people were recorded with the Doidge surname. That placed it at #4,455 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doidge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 977 in 2016. That gives Doidge a modern rank of #5,911.

What does the Doidge surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly a small village in England.

What does the Doidge map show?

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