NameCensus.

UK surname

Doodson

In the 1881 census there were 270 people recorded with the Doodson surname, ranking it #10,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, down from #10,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glossop, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Calderdale and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doodson is 383 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.3%.

1881 census count

270

Ranked #10,484

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

1911

383 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doodson had 270 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 383 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Doodson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doodson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doodson 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 193 #10,704
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 270 #10,484
1891 historical 316 #10,639
1901 historical 328 #10,943
1911 historical 383 #9,597
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 313 #13,504
1999 modern 324 #13,288
2000 modern 327 #13,164
2001 modern 318 #13,205
2002 modern 334 #13,045
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 329 #13,027
2005 modern 315 #13,375
2006 modern 313 #13,517
2007 modern 311 #13,703
2008 modern 314 #13,720
2009 modern 320 #13,796
2010 modern 330 #13,786
2011 modern 315 #14,131
2012 modern 315 #14,031
2013 modern 314 #14,273
2014 modern 308 #14,571
2015 modern 301 #14,727
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Doodsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glossop, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Dean and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, Calderdale and Stockport. 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 Glossop Derbyshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 003 High Peak
2 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
3 Stockport 033 Stockport
4 High Peak 001 High Peak
5 High Peak 002 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doodson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doodson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Doodson, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Doodson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Doodson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Doodson 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

Doodson is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Doodson falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Doodson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doodson 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 228 Doodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 228 7.32x
Derbyshire 21 5.11x
Cheshire 17 2.93x
Yorkshire 2 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kearsley in Lancashire leads with 47 Doodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 717.56x.

Place Total Index
Kearsley 47 717.56x
Glossop Dale 19 98.75x
Farnworth 12 64.31x
Toxteth Park 12 11.38x
Radcliffe 11 73.28x
Haughton 10 220.26x
Pilkington 10 84.53x
Worsley 10 52.11x
Handforth 9 1363.64x
Gorton 8 27.33x
Manchester 8 5.71x
Pendleton In Salford 8 21.56x
Elton 7 65.06x
Moston 7 224.36x
Ardwick 6 21.37x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 25.60x
Bury 6 16.87x
Denton 6 86.96x
Liverpool 6 3.17x
Newton 6 25.00x
Bollin Fee 5 194.55x
Broughton In Salford 5 17.56x
Hindley 5 37.65x
Middleton In Oldham 5 53.53x
Bradford 4 27.45x
Chadderton 4 26.28x
Heap 4 24.23x
Penketh 4 357.14x
West Derby 4 4.39x
Beard 2 149.25x
Sutton In Runcorn 2 588.24x
Bold 1 129.87x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 4.04x
Claughton With Grange 1 37.88x
Dewsbury 1 3.75x
Great Sankey 1 175.44x
Leeds 1 0.68x
Moss Side 1 6.11x
North Meols 1 3.28x
Portsea 1 0.95x
Prestwich 1 12.87x
Warrington 1 2.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 12
Martha 8
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Ellen 5
Hannah 5
Alice 4
Ada 3
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Annie 2
Elizth. 2
Margt. 2
Nancy 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Edna 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Honor 1
Janet 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maragret 1
Margaret 1
Marselle 1
Minnie 1
Ruth 1
Sally 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
Thomas 19
William 17
James 11
Henry 9
Robert 8
George 5
Joseph 5
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Harry 3
Peter 3
Richard 3
Egerton 2
Jonathan 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Allen 1
Blyther 1
Daniel 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Israel 1
Matthew 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Squire 1
Walter 1
Willey 1

FAQ

Doodson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doodson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 270 people were recorded with the Doodson surname. That placed it at #10,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doodson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Doodson a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Doodson map show?

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