NameCensus.

UK surname

Doleman

A Medieval English surname derived from "dolman", referring to one who made or sold dolmans (long robes worn in Turkey).

In the 1881 census there were 238 people recorded with the Doleman surname, ranking it #11,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 353, ranked #13,081, down from #11,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, St Alkmund and St Peter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Flintshire and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doleman is 430 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.3%.

1881 census count

238

Ranked #11,476

Modern count

353

2016, ranked #13,081

Peak year

1999

430 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doleman had 238 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 353 in 2016, ranked #13,081.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 263 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Doleman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doleman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doleman 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 214 #9,898
1861 historical 123 #17,914
1881 historical 238 #11,476
1891 historical 256 #12,522
1901 historical 256 #12,934
1911 historical 263 #12,473
1997 modern 405 #10,908
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 430 #10,855
2000 modern 410 #11,204
2001 modern 400 #11,229
2002 modern 390 #11,646
2003 modern 384 #11,589
2004 modern 397 #11,345
2005 modern 380 #11,639
2006 modern 378 #11,714
2007 modern 375 #11,955
2008 modern 379 #11,960
2009 modern 381 #12,174
2010 modern 382 #12,410
2011 modern 377 #12,392
2012 modern 344 #13,121
2013 modern 350 #13,186
2014 modern 350 #13,263
2015 modern 351 #13,135
2016 modern 353 #13,081

Geography

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Where Dolemans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, St Alkmund, St Peter, Maiden Bradley and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Flintshire, Melton and Sunderland. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 St Alkmund Derbyshire
3 St Peter Derbyshire
4 Maiden Bradley Wiltshire
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 009 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 014 Sandwell
3 Flintshire 003 Flintshire
4 Melton 001 Melton
5 Sunderland 016 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doleman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doleman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Doleman, 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 Doleman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Doleman 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Doleman is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Doleman is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Doleman 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 Doleman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Doleman

The surname DOLEMAN is of English origin, first appearing in the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dole" meaning a share or portion, combined with the suffix "man". This suggests the name was likely an occupational surname referring to a person who was responsible for distributing or sharing out portions of land or other resources.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a Thomas Doleman is listed. The name is also found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1332, mentioning a Richard Doleman. These early records provide evidence of the name's existence and its association with specific regions of England during the medieval period.

The DOLEMAN surname has been linked to various place names in England, including Doulman's Green, a small hamlet in Staffordshire. It is possible that the name originated from this or a similar location, although the exact connection remains uncertain.

Notable individuals bearing the DOLEMAN surname include William Doleman, a 16th-century English clergyman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes from 1580 until his death in 1597. Another figure was Thomas Doleman, a 17th-century English merchant and author, born in 1622, who wrote a book titled "A Compleat Body of the Art Military" published in 1676.

In the 18th century, John Doleman (1727-1804) was a prominent English silversmith and engraver based in London. His works are highly regarded and can be found in various museum collections.

Moving into the 19th century, James Doleman (1811-1888) was an English sculptor and artist renowned for his works in marble and bronze. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and completed several public commissions during his career.

Finally, one of the more recent notable individuals with this surname was Sir Ralph Doleman (1892-1976), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Mauritius from 1949 to 1953.

While the DOLEMAN surname may not be among the most common in English-speaking countries today, its historical roots can be traced back several centuries, with records highlighting its presence across different regions of England and its association with various occupations and professions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doleman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doleman 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. Derbyshire leads with 50 Dolemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.82x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 50 13.82x
Staffordshire 39 5.00x
Leicestershire 26 10.14x
Nottinghamshire 17 5.46x
Yorkshire 16 0.70x
Lanarkshire 15 2.01x
Lancashire 15 0.55x
Middlesex 12 0.52x
Warwickshire 8 1.37x
Lincolnshire 7 1.89x
Somerset 6 1.61x
Surrey 6 0.53x
Glamorgan 5 1.24x
Cheshire 4 0.78x
Gloucestershire 4 0.88x
Midlothian 3 0.97x
Huntingdonshire 1 2.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.56x
Westmorland 1 1.97x
Wiltshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bilston in Staffordshire leads with 14 Dolemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.59x.

Place Total Index
Bilston 14 92.59x
Alfreton 13 118.18x
Litchurch 11 75.55x
Nottingham St Mary 10 12.41x
Barony 9 4.76x
Ratby 9 703.13x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 9.67x
Farndon 7 1272.73x
Wednesfield 7 60.98x
Ashby De La Zouch 6 101.01x
Bradfield 6 67.95x
Glasgow 6 4.52x
Leicester St Margaret 6 9.60x
Winthorpe 6 2222.22x
Chebsey 5 1250.00x
Pendlebury 5 86.36x
Aston 4 2.49x
Birmingham 4 2.06x
Breadsall 4 952.38x
Clapham 4 13.84x
Clowne 4 277.78x
Derby St Alkmund 4 36.87x
Dewsbury 4 17.03x
Long Eaton 4 83.68x
Monks Coppenhall 4 20.77x
St Luke London 4 10.79x
Thornhill 4 59.88x
Bedminster 3 8.58x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.99x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 7.03x
Llandough Juxta Cardiff 3 750.00x
Markfield 3 236.22x
Portishead 3 108.30x
Wavertree 3 34.17x
Willenhall 3 20.52x
Hulme 2 3.49x
Inveresk 2 23.87x
Islington London 2 0.89x
Layton With Warbreck 2 19.86x
Oldham 2 2.26x
Roath 2 10.94x
South Normanton 2 78.74x
Warley 2 30.21x
Battersea 1 1.18x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 1 42.02x
Boulton 1 625.00x
Breaston 1 156.25x
Burton Upon Trent 1 5.48x
Cheltenham 1 2.86x
Church Gresley 1 17.36x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.80x
Etwall 1 238.10x
Huntingdon St Mary 1 86.96x
Kensington London 1 0.78x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.70x
Kirkby Stephen 1 75.76x
Knighton 1 68.97x
Leicester St Mary 1 4.83x
Little Chester 1 222.22x
Liverpool 1 0.60x
Matlock 1 20.58x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.03x
Ollersett 1 140.85x
Towerof London London 1 136.99x
Trowbridge 1 11.06x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.48x
West Greenock 1 3.11x
Yarborough 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
James 13
George 12
Charles 9
Thomas 8
Henry 5
Albert 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Samuel 3
Francis 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Dan 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Roberd 1
Robt. 1
Simon 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Williamson 1
Wm. 1
Wm.M. 1

FAQ

Doleman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doleman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 238 people were recorded with the Doleman surname. That placed it at #11,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doleman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 353 in 2016. That gives Doleman a modern rank of #13,081.

What does the Doleman surname mean?

A Medieval English surname derived from "dolman", referring to one who made or sold dolmans (long robes worn in Turkey).

What does the Doleman map show?

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