NameCensus.

UK surname

Doole

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Doyle, derived from Ó Dubhghaill meaning "descendant of the dark foreigner."

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Doole surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, down from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Witham, Ipswich St Nicholas, Ipswich St Mary at Elms and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, Norwich and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doole is 174 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.0%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

2002

174 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doole had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 139 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Doole surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doole surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doole 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 138 #18,955
1911 historical 121 #20,336
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 154 #21,455
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 159 #20,710
2002 modern 174 #19,971
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 162 #20,716
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 157 #21,546
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 164 #21,628
2010 modern 163 #22,205
2011 modern 166 #21,745
2012 modern 154 #22,870
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 153 #23,413
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Dooles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Witham, Ipswich St Nicholas, Ipswich St Mary at Elms, London parishes, Framsden and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Poole, Norwich, Sheffield and Thrashbush. 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 Witham Essex
2 Ipswich St Nicholas, Ipswich St Mary at Elms Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Framsden Suffolk
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 014 Poole
2 Poole 016 Poole
3 Norwich 002 Norwich
4 Sheffield 068 Sheffield
5 Thrashbush North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doole

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doole

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Doole surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Doole household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Doole 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

Doole is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Doole falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Doole 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Doole

The surname "DOOLE" has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "dol," meaning a boundary or boundary mark, or possibly from the Old Norse word "dola," meaning a level piece of ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "Robert de la Dole." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a boundary or marked boundary.

The name "DOOLE" is also associated with several place names in England, such as Doole in Wiltshire and Doole Green in Shropshire. These place names likely contributed to the development and spread of the surname.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it is recorded as "William atte Dole." This variation highlights the use of the preposition "atte" (at the) before the place name, indicating the person's association with that location.

Notably, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname "DOOLE." However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Dole in Derbyshire and Dole in Berkshire.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname "DOOLE." One of the earliest recorded was John Doole, a British merchant and explorer who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his travels to the West Indies and his writings about the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.

Another prominent figure was Richard Doole (1580-1640), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick. He wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Lord's Supper" and "A Discourse on the Sacraments."

In the 18th century, William Doole (1705-1789) was a respected English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Brecon Circuit in Wales. He was known for his fair and impartial judgments.

In the literary world, Thomas Doole (1820-1895) was a British poet and author who published several collections of poetry, including "Lyrics and Legends" and "Songs of the Sierras."

Lastly, Mary Doole (1874-1956) was a British artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits. Her works were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts and other prestigious galleries in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doole families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doole 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. Suffolk leads with 33 Dooles recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.19x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 33 30.19x
Ayrshire 13 19.36x
Surrey 13 2.97x
Lanarkshire 11 3.79x
Essex 9 5.08x
Bedfordshire 4 8.61x
Lancashire 4 0.38x
Middlesex 3 0.33x
Sussex 2 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 13 Dooles recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.68x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 13 22.68x
Sorn 13 984.85x
Framsden 10 4166.67x
Barony 9 12.25x
Ipswich St Peter 9 612.24x
Witham 8 879.12x
Ipswich St Nicholas 6 1000.00x
Kempston 4 380.95x
Liverpool 4 6.18x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 3 297.03x
Holbrook 2 833.33x
Hove 2 30.12x
Ipswich St Clement 2 71.94x
Islington London 2 2.30x
Shotts 2 57.64x
Benhall 1 526.32x
Paddington London 1 3.03x
West Ham 1 2.56x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Doole surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doole surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Doole surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doole surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Doole a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Doole surname mean?

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Doyle, derived from Ó Dubhghaill meaning "descendant of the dark foreigner."

What does the Doole map show?

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