NameCensus.

UK surname

Dolman

A surname derived from a type of long, loose cloak or robe worn in the Middle Ages.

In the 1881 census there were 1,289 people recorded with the Dolman surname, ranking it #3,172 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,293, ranked #2,832, up from #3,172 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Burton-on-Trent and Alrewas, Alrewas Hayes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire and East Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dolman is 2,495 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.9%.

1881 census count

1,289

Ranked #3,172

Modern count

2,293

2016, ranked #2,832

Peak year

1999

2,495 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dolman had 1,289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,172 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,293 in 2016, ranked #2,832.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,053 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dolman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dolman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dolman 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 709 #3,681
1861 historical 677 #3,966
1881 historical 1,289 #3,172
1891 historical 1,392 #3,126
1901 historical 1,773 #2,934
1911 historical 2,053 #2,431
1997 modern 2,376 #2,631
1998 modern 2,492 #2,622
1999 modern 2,495 #2,640
2000 modern 2,415 #2,697
2001 modern 2,362 #2,695
2002 modern 2,426 #2,691
2003 modern 2,339 #2,717
2004 modern 2,340 #2,712
2005 modern 2,292 #2,727
2006 modern 2,277 #2,739
2007 modern 2,287 #2,756
2008 modern 2,320 #2,745
2009 modern 2,372 #2,760
2010 modern 2,413 #2,773
2011 modern 2,390 #2,765
2012 modern 2,276 #2,832
2013 modern 2,327 #2,827
2014 modern 2,354 #2,813
2015 modern 2,337 #2,801
2016 modern 2,293 #2,832

Geography

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Where Dolmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Burton-on-Trent, Alrewas, Alrewas Hayes, St Werburgh and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire and East Staffordshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 Alrewas, Alrewas Hayes Staffordshire
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 009 South Derbyshire
2 South Derbyshire 012 South Derbyshire
3 South Derbyshire 007 South Derbyshire
4 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
5 East Staffordshire 007 East Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dolman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dolman

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dolman 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

Dolman 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

Dolman falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dolman

The surname Dolman originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "doel," meaning a boundary or limit, combined with the word "mann," meaning a man or servant. This suggests that the name may have referred to a person responsible for maintaining boundaries or borders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Doleman" in this historical document. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, including Dolman, Doleman, and Dolemannus.

In the 13th century, records show a John Dolman residing in Worcestershire, England. Another notable individual was William Dolman, born in 1572 in Worcestershire, who became a prominent theologian and served as the Rector of Pocklington in Yorkshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Dolman was associated with several notable figures. Thomas Dolman (1539-1599) was an English Catholic martyr who was executed for his faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Robert Dolman (1597-1638) was a Jesuit priest and philosopher who wrote extensively on theological and philosophical subjects.

In the 18th century, John Dolman (1711-1795) was a renowned English architect known for designing various churches and public buildings in the neoclassical style. He was also responsible for the renovation of several historic structures, including the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Dolman (1806-1895), a British civil engineer and railway contractor. He played a significant role in the construction of various railway lines in England and India, contributing to the development of transportation infrastructure during the Victorian era.

The surname Dolman has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to its English origins, reflecting the rich history and linguistic influences that have shaped surnames over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dolman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dolman 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. Staffordshire leads with 345 Dolmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.16x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 345 8.16x
Derbyshire 248 12.65x
Wiltshire 108 9.75x
Middlesex 76 0.61x
Gloucestershire 60 2.44x
Norfolk 55 2.86x
Somerset 40 1.98x
Lancashire 39 0.26x
Leicestershire 38 2.74x
Dorset 36 4.38x
Warwickshire 28 0.89x
Surrey 24 0.39x
Sussex 21 0.99x
Yorkshire 19 0.15x
Northumberland 17 0.91x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.95x
Berkshire 13 1.38x
Buckinghamshire 10 1.32x
Cheshire 10 0.36x
Devon 10 0.38x
Durham 9 0.24x
Bedfordshire 8 1.23x
Hampshire 8 0.31x
Northamptonshire 8 0.68x
Shropshire 7 0.65x
Kent 6 0.14x
Lincolnshire 5 0.25x
Worcestershire 5 0.31x
Essex 4 0.16x
Oxfordshire 3 0.39x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Perthshire 2 0.36x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burton Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 56 Dolmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.62x.

Place Total Index
Burton Upon Trent 56 56.62x
Walsall Foreign 55 25.18x
Repton 54 728.74x
Alrewas 53 1295.84x
Wolverhampton 42 12.92x
Horninglow 31 155.70x
Bremhill 29 581.16x
Stapenhill 23 78.79x
Great Massingham 22 578.95x
Sedgley 22 14.01x
Derby St Werburgh 21 18.55x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 20 8.65x
Bathhampton 18 1022.73x
Aston 15 1.72x
Cherhill 15 1219.51x
Chippenham 15 64.57x
Church Gresley 15 48.08x
Derby St Peter 15 24.02x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 15 13.48x
Aston 14 491.23x
Hackney London 14 1.99x
Yatton Keynell 14 619.47x
Nottingham St Mary 13 2.98x
Pendlebury 13 41.43x
Toxteth Park 13 2.58x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 12 26.70x
Ogley Hay 12 136.67x
Cheltenham 11 5.80x
Whitwick 11 62.29x
Brampton 10 36.48x
Chenies 10 602.41x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 10 207.04x
Salisbury St Edmund 10 56.24x
St Marylebone London 10 1.50x
Wandsworth 10 8.29x
Alvaston 9 161.00x
Congleton 9 18.84x
Findern 9 517.24x
Hartshorn 9 121.46x
Kensington London 9 1.29x
Toller Porcorum 9 471.20x
Bedminster 8 4.22x
Derby St Alkmund 8 13.61x
Dunstable 8 40.14x
Lytchett Minster 8 219.78x
Belper 7 18.41x
Bilston 7 8.54x
Burton Extra 7 28.88x
Hanbury 7 301.72x
Holbeck 7 8.51x
Lambeth 7 0.64x
Loughborough 7 11.11x
Melksham 7 36.40x
Newbold Dunston 7 37.55x
Northampton Priory St 7 9.90x
Rushall 7 28.14x
Seals 7 143.15x
Ticknall 7 174.13x
Ashby De La Zouch 6 18.64x
Clifton 6 4.83x
Dawlish 6 30.85x
Derby St Michael 6 145.63x
Hampstead London 6 3.08x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 11.37x
Lytchett Matravers 6 202.02x
Ore 6 38.17x
Rougham 6 359.28x
Snettisham 6 112.57x
Stranton 6 4.78x
Sunninghill 6 46.01x
West Bromwich 6 2.48x
West Parley 6 416.67x
Hastings St Mary 5 9.51x
Lichfield St Chad 5 52.58x
Litchurch 5 6.34x
Liverpool 5 0.55x
Sheffield 5 1.27x
Shoreditch London 5 0.92x
West Tarring 5 159.24x
Westminster St Margaret 5 8.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 71
George 48
Thomas 46
James 43
Henry 29
Joseph 22
Arthur 19
Robert 18
Samuel 16
Charles 15
Alfred 14
Edward 13
Frederick 12
Herbert 11
Albert 8
Frank 8
Ernest 7
Wm. 7
Harry 6
Richard 6
Walter 6
Benjamin 5
David 5
Edwin 5
Fredk. 5
Daniel 4
Edmund 4
Enoch 4
Fredrick 4
Abel 3
Francis 3
Reginald 3
Reuben 3
Willie 3
Andrew 2
Auther 2
Elijah 2
Frederic 2
Infant 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Dolman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dolman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,289 people were recorded with the Dolman surname. That placed it at #3,172 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dolman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,293 in 2016. That gives Dolman a modern rank of #2,832.

What does the Dolman surname mean?

A surname derived from a type of long, loose cloak or robe worn in the Middle Ages.

What does the Dolman map show?

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