NameCensus.

UK surname

Doody

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Dubhda, meaning "descendant of Dubhda" (a personal name meaning "black").

In the 1881 census there were 538 people recorded with the Doody surname, ranking it #6,406 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,213, ranked #4,903, up from #6,406 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lilleshall, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors and Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell and Telford and Wrekin.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doody is 1,290 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 125.5%.

1881 census count

538

Ranked #6,406

Modern count

1,213

2016, ranked #4,903

Peak year

1999

1,290 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doody had 538 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,406 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,213 in 2016, ranked #4,903.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 932 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Doody surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doody surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doody 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 349 #7,318
1881 historical 538 #6,406
1891 historical 610 #6,300
1901 historical 803 #5,624
1911 historical 932 #4,815
1997 modern 1,227 #4,625
1998 modern 1,275 #4,655
1999 modern 1,290 #4,627
2000 modern 1,286 #4,624
2001 modern 1,239 #4,672
2002 modern 1,266 #4,691
2003 modern 1,236 #4,693
2004 modern 1,232 #4,696
2005 modern 1,213 #4,722
2006 modern 1,226 #4,686
2007 modern 1,213 #4,769
2008 modern 1,217 #4,791
2009 modern 1,228 #4,851
2010 modern 1,279 #4,771
2011 modern 1,245 #4,834
2012 modern 1,204 #4,902
2013 modern 1,240 #4,854
2014 modern 1,255 #4,835
2015 modern 1,230 #4,863
2016 modern 1,213 #4,903

Geography

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Where Doodys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lilleshall, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, Walsall and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Lilleshall Shropshire
2 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
3 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 016 Sandwell
2 Telford and Wrekin 014 Telford and Wrekin
3 Telford and Wrekin 006 Telford and Wrekin
4 Telford and Wrekin 005 Telford and Wrekin
5 Sandwell 015 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doody

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doody

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Doody 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

Doody 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

Doody 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 Doody is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Doody

The surname DOODY is of Irish origin, hailing from the ancient region of Munster. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word 'dubh,' meaning 'dark' or 'black,' likely referring to the original bearer's physical appearance or complexion. The earliest recorded spelling of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in County Cork.

One of the earliest notable references to the DOODY surname can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a medieval Irish chronicle dating back to the 13th century. The annals mention a certain 'Dubhdara Ua Dubadhath,' which translates to 'Doody of the Black Teeth,' suggesting that the name was associated with physical characteristics at the time.

The DOODY name is also believed to have ties to various place names in Ireland, such as Doodagan in County Sligo and Doodara in County Cork. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the DOODY name was Sir James Doody (c. 1530 - 1607), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought in the Nine Years' War against the English Crown. Another notable DOODY from this era was Reverend Samuel Doody (1556 - 1629), an Anglican clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Killaloe.

During the 17th century, the DOODY surname gained further recognition with the life of Mary Doody (1621 - 1688), a renowned herbalist and botanist from County Cork. Her contributions to the study of plants and their medicinal properties earned her a place in historical records.

In the 18th century, the name DOODY was carried by John Doody (1739 - 1821), an Irish-born architect and civil engineer who played a significant role in the development of New York City's infrastructure during the early years of the United States.

As the centuries passed, the DOODY surname continued to spread across Ireland and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields, including literature, academia, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doody families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doody 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. Shropshire leads with 167 Doodys recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.25x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 167 37.25x
Staffordshire 92 5.25x
Warwickshire 71 5.42x
Middlesex 40 0.77x
Lancashire 32 0.52x
Yorkshire 21 0.41x
Hampshire 19 1.79x
Worcestershire 18 2.66x
Surrey 14 0.55x
Essex 13 1.27x
Derbyshire 10 1.23x
Cheshire 8 0.70x
Gloucestershire 8 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.86x
Sussex 4 0.46x
Cornwall 2 0.34x
Kent 2 0.11x
Royal Navy 2 3.23x
Devon 1 0.09x
Glamorgan 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lilleshall in Shropshire leads with 71 Doodys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1036.50x.

Place Total Index
Lilleshall 71 1036.50x
Birmingham 47 10.78x
Edgmond 23 466.53x
Aston 22 6.10x
Newport 20 369.69x
Wellington 19 75.40x
Aldridge 12 356.08x
Portsea 11 5.28x
Shifnal 11 90.39x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 5.92x
Wolverhampton 11 8.17x
Kensington London 10 3.47x
Kings Norton 10 16.46x
Walsall Foreign 10 11.05x
Pilsley 9 335.82x
West Ham 9 3.98x
Kidderminster Borough 8 20.17x
St George Hanover Square 8 8.75x
West Bromwich 8 7.98x
Wrockwardine 8 81.14x
Altofts 7 123.24x
Clifton 7 13.60x
Newton 7 14.75x
St Pancras London 7 1.68x
Trentham 7 46.98x
Bradford 6 4.82x
Camberwell 6 1.81x
Everton 6 3.06x
Rushall 6 58.20x
Selston 6 76.82x
Sheriff Hales 6 335.20x
Biddulph 5 50.61x
Newington 5 2.61x
Pattingham 5 684.93x
Scarborough 5 10.70x
St George In East London 5 10.24x
Wednesfield 5 19.39x
East Ham 4 21.04x
Shawbury 4 232.56x
Weeke 4 124.22x
Kingswinford 3 4.72x
Layton With Warbreck 3 13.27x
Madeley 3 18.25x
Nantwich 3 22.54x
St Clement Danes London 3 27.93x
St Gilesin Fields London 3 68.34x
Arundel 2 40.82x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 4.17x
Blackburn 2 1.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.04x
Elton 2 9.40x
Great Bolton 2 2.45x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 10.71x
Lambeth 2 0.44x
Liverpool 2 0.53x
Royal Navy 2 3.78x
St Gluvias Penryn 2 42.46x
Wednesbury 2 4.57x
West Kirby 2 100.50x
Westerham 2 49.02x
Alverstoke 1 2.60x
Bilston 1 2.95x
Birkdale 1 6.42x
Caldy 1 303.03x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.01x
Cheetham 1 2.18x
Cresswell 1 1666.67x
Croydon 1 0.71x
Edgbaston 1 2.46x
Farnborough 1 8.95x
Govan 1 0.24x
Great Lever 1 15.31x
Hopton Coton 1 40.32x
Ilkeston 1 4.39x
Longford 1 588.24x
Pattingham 1 357.14x
Salford 1 0.55x
Sandon 1 109.89x
St Martin In Fields 1 3.22x
Tipton 1 1.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Sarah 28
Elizabeth 24
Ann 13
Alice 11
Emma 11
Ellen 10
Jane 10
Hannah 9
Margaret 8
Esther 7
Caroline 6
Annie 5
Catherine 5
Harriet 5
Ada 4
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Bridget 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Marian 2
Susan 2
Chars.E. 1
Clara 1
Clare 1
Edie 1
Elizth.E. 1
Ester 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Letthia 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Louie 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 25
George 23
Thomas 23
James 20
Joseph 11
Alfred 10
Charles 8
Henry 8
Patrick 6
Edward 5
Richard 5
Robert 5
Frank 4
Isaac 4
Wm. 4
Fredk. 3
Michael 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Dennis 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Joseph 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Infant 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jermiah 1
Laurence 1
Moses 1
Obediah 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Reubin 1

FAQ

Doody surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doody surname in 1881?

In 1881, 538 people were recorded with the Doody surname. That placed it at #6,406 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doody surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,213 in 2016. That gives Doody a modern rank of #4,903.

What does the Doody surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Dubhda, meaning "descendant of Dubhda" (a personal name meaning "black").

What does the Doody map show?

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