NameCensus.

UK surname

Dooley

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dubhlaoich," meaning "descendant of the dark-haired man."

In the 1881 census there were 1,845 people recorded with the Dooley surname, ranking it #2,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,072, ranked #1,667, up from #2,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Liverpool and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dooley is 4,215 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.7%.

1881 census count

1,845

Ranked #2,363

Modern count

4,072

2016, ranked #1,667

Peak year

2010

4,215 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dooley had 1,845 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,072 in 2016, ranked #1,667.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,419 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dooley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dooley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dooley 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 846 #3,216
1861 historical 1,042 #2,691
1881 historical 1,845 #2,363
1891 historical 1,830 #2,511
1901 historical 2,291 #2,373
1911 historical 2,419 #2,119
1997 modern 3,854 #1,688
1998 modern 4,028 #1,679
1999 modern 4,044 #1,681
2000 modern 4,050 #1,670
2001 modern 3,978 #1,661
2002 modern 4,057 #1,665
2003 modern 3,976 #1,665
2004 modern 3,941 #1,683
2005 modern 3,926 #1,658
2006 modern 3,910 #1,667
2007 modern 3,969 #1,658
2008 modern 3,993 #1,664
2009 modern 4,172 #1,621
2010 modern 4,215 #1,643
2011 modern 4,156 #1,648
2012 modern 4,046 #1,660
2013 modern 4,098 #1,671
2014 modern 4,131 #1,666
2015 modern 4,106 #1,657
2016 modern 4,072 #1,667

Geography

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Where Dooleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Liverpool, Tameside and Rothesay Town. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 010 Bolsover
2 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
3 Bolsover 009 Bolsover
4 Tameside 015 Tameside
5 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dooley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dooley

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dooley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dooley 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

Dooley 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 Dooley 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dooley

The surname Dooley originates from Ireland, with its earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Dubhghalaigh," which means "descendant of the dark foreigner" or "descendant of the dark Gall" (Gall being an old Irish word for a Scandinavian or a foreigner).

The name is believed to have originated in County Laois, a region in the midlands of Ireland. It was first documented in the Irish Annals, which recorded historical events and genealogies of prominent Irish families. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name include Dovenald O'Duvgaly in 1182 and Rory O'Duwghaly in 1190.

In the 14th century, the Dooley surname appeared in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the early 17th century. The Annals mentioned several notable individuals bearing the name, such as Maolmuire Ó Dubhghallaigh, who was described as the chief historian of Leix (now County Laois) in 1380.

As the name spread across Ireland, various spelling variations emerged, including Dooley, Duly, Dooly, Duley, and Duhilly. Some of these variations were influenced by the anglicization of the name, as well as regional dialects and pronunciations.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Dooley surname in its modern spelling appears in the 16th century. Edmond Dooley, born around 1530, was a prominent landowner and chieftain in County Laois during the Tudor period.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Dooley surname:

1. Patrick Dooley (1783-1819), an Irish soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. 2. Thomas A. Dooley (1927-1961), an American physician and humanitarian known for his work in Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam. 3. Michael Dooley (born 1953), an Irish film director and screenwriter best known for his work on "The Commitments" and "The Snapper." 4. Martin Dooley (1857-1938), an American author and humorist who created the fictional character "Mr. Dooley," a popular commentator on political and social issues. 5. James Dooley (1904-1986), an American basketball player and coach who led the University of Rhode Island to multiple conference championships in the 1940s.

While the Dooley surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dooley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dooley 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 687 Dooleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.22x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 687 3.22x
Cheshire 279 7.02x
Yorkshire 190 1.06x
Middlesex 156 0.87x
Derbyshire 122 4.33x
Staffordshire 106 1.74x
Warwickshire 42 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 41 1.69x
Surrey 22 0.25x
Lanarkshire 21 0.36x
Leicestershire 18 0.90x
Durham 14 0.26x
Essex 13 0.37x
Cumberland 12 0.77x
Devon 12 0.32x
Sussex 12 0.40x
Hampshire 10 0.27x
Glamorgan 9 0.29x
Midlothian 9 0.37x
Kent 7 0.11x
Ayrshire 6 0.45x
Flintshire 6 1.24x
Perthshire 6 0.74x
Renfrewshire 6 0.43x
Angus 5 0.30x
Denbighshire 5 0.74x
Royal Navy 5 2.33x
Monmouthshire 4 0.31x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.52x
Channel Islands 2 0.37x
Norfolk 2 0.07x
Shropshire 2 0.13x
Westmorland 2 0.51x
Anglesey 1 0.31x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Herefordshire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Somerset 1 0.03x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 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. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 91 Dooleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.01x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 91 7.01x
Manchester 62 6.45x
Birkenhead 59 18.62x
Salford 46 7.32x
Alfreton 45 52.54x
Toxteth Park 43 5.94x
Pendleton In Salford 35 13.75x
Bradford 34 7.87x
Ashton Under Lyne 33 7.07x
Darlaston 30 35.71x
Gorton 26 12.94x
Stockport 26 12.71x
Church Gresley 22 49.04x
Accrington 21 10.81x
Cheadle 21 27.66x
Warrington 21 8.29x
Islington London 19 1.09x
Chesterfield 18 17.03x
Ardwick 17 8.82x
Macclesfield 17 9.62x
Nottingham St Mary 17 2.71x
Sheffield 17 2.99x
St Luke London 16 5.54x
Wolstanton 16 8.67x
Burton Upon Trent 15 10.55x
Great Bolton 15 5.30x
Over 15 37.13x
Shoreditch London 15 1.92x
Dukinfield 14 7.62x
Lambeth 14 0.89x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 2.17x
Widnes 14 9.08x
Wilnecote 14 107.53x
Birmingham 13 0.86x
Congleton 13 18.93x
Halifax 13 4.96x
Heaton Norris 13 10.69x
Latchford 13 49.22x
Poplar London 13 3.83x
St Marylebone London 13 1.35x
Wharton 13 60.05x
Aston 12 0.96x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 11.19x
Everton 12 1.76x
Henbury Cum Pexhall 12 446.10x
Kirkdale 12 3.34x
Middlesbrough 12 5.16x
Over Darwen 12 7.03x
Skegby 12 80.70x
York St Margaret 12 108.50x
Hulme 11 2.47x
Tottenham 11 3.84x
West Ham 11 1.40x
Barony 10 0.68x
Cleator 10 15.50x
Hackney London 10 0.99x
Horton In Bradford 10 3.59x
St George In East London 10 5.90x
Blackburn 9 1.58x
Blackfordby 9 141.29x
Crumpsall 9 17.87x
Govan 9 0.62x
Heap 9 7.94x
Romiley 9 80.29x
Spotland 9 3.79x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 9 14.63x
Whittington 9 23.07x
Windle 9 7.49x
Withington 9 13.08x
York St Denis In 9 115.09x
Broughton In Salford 8 4.09x
Newcastle Under Lyme 8 7.44x
Rotherham 8 7.95x
Drypool 7 25.62x
Handsworth 7 4.67x
Hunslet 7 2.52x
Little Bolton 7 2.55x
Packington 7 98.45x
Prestbury 7 388.89x
Westminster St James 7 3.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 139
Thomas 101
William 100
James 91
Joseph 38
Patrick 35
George 29
Henry 23
Michael 23
Edward 16
Peter 16
Charles 15
Richard 14
Martin 13
Arthur 10
Frank 10
Samuel 10
Alfred 9
Albert 8
Benjamin 8
Andrew 7
David 7
Francis 7
Matthew 7
Robert 6
Bernard 5
Philip 5
Thos. 5
Timothy 5
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Frederick 3
Isaiah 3
Laurence 3
Robt. 3
Stephen 3
Alick 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fergus 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Jeremiah 2
Job 2
Jonathan 2
Pat 2
Patk. 2
Wm. 2

FAQ

Dooley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dooley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,845 people were recorded with the Dooley surname. That placed it at #2,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dooley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,072 in 2016. That gives Dooley a modern rank of #1,667.

What does the Dooley surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dubhlaoich," meaning "descendant of the dark-haired man."

What does the Dooley map show?

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