NameCensus.

UK surname

Dorrington

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 942 people recorded with the Dorrington surname, ranking it #4,092 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,499, ranked #4,128, down from #4,092 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Stroud and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dorrington is 1,653 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.1%.

1881 census count

942

Ranked #4,092

Modern count

1,499

2016, ranked #4,128

Peak year

1998

1,653 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dorrington had 942 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,092 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,499 in 2016, ranked #4,128.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,359 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dorrington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dorrington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dorrington 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 708 #3,689
1861 historical 536 #4,904
1881 historical 942 #4,092
1891 historical 1,010 #4,115
1901 historical 1,328 #3,772
1911 historical 1,359 #3,531
1997 modern 1,553 #3,798
1998 modern 1,653 #3,725
1999 modern 1,641 #3,780
2000 modern 1,625 #3,795
2001 modern 1,575 #3,834
2002 modern 1,575 #3,912
2003 modern 1,564 #3,851
2004 modern 1,580 #3,819
2005 modern 1,527 #3,890
2006 modern 1,529 #3,894
2007 modern 1,525 #3,930
2008 modern 1,547 #3,910
2009 modern 1,577 #3,927
2010 modern 1,589 #3,976
2011 modern 1,537 #4,064
2012 modern 1,471 #4,152
2013 modern 1,525 #4,099
2014 modern 1,524 #4,127
2015 modern 1,503 #4,129
2016 modern 1,499 #4,128

Geography

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Where Dorringtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H, Brighton and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Stroud, Bristol, South Kesteven and Wiltshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 008 Torridge
2 Stroud 012 Stroud
3 Bristol 002 Bristol, City of
4 South Kesteven 008 South Kesteven
5 Wiltshire 062 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dorrington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dorrington

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dorrington 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

Dorrington is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dorrington falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dorrington

The surname Dorrington originates from England and dates back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the parish of Dorrington in Shropshire, a county located in the West Midlands region of England. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "dor" meaning a door or passage, and "ing" denoting a meadow or enclosure, suggesting that it referred to someone who lived near a meadow or enclosure with a door or passage.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a Walter de Dorenton in Shropshire. This spelling variation, along with others like Dorington and Dorryngton, was common in medieval times before standardized spelling was introduced.

In the 16th century, the Dorrington surname appeared in the records of the nearby county of Staffordshire. A notable mention is that of William Dorrington, who was born in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, in 1565 and became a respected scholar and theologian at the University of Cambridge.

The Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, does not mention the name Dorrington specifically. However, it does reference the village of Dorrington in Shropshire, suggesting that the surname may have originated from this location.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Dorrington surname. One example is Sir John Dorrington (1553-1616), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who represented Shropshire in the House of Commons during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Theophilus Dorrington (1654-1698), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Witney in Oxfordshire and wrote several religious works, including "The Reformd Devotion" and "The Mourners Companion."

In the 19th century, Henry Dorrington (1804-1879) was a British artist and engraver, known for his landscapes and architectural etchings, many of which depicted scenes from his native Shropshire.

The Dorrington surname has also been associated with military service. Major General Sir Horace Lockwood Dorrington (1870-1935) was a highly decorated British Army officer who served in the Boer War and World War I, receiving numerous honors, including the Distinguished Service Order and the Order of St. Michael and St. George.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dorrington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dorrington 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. Middlesex leads with 177 Dorringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.92x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 177 1.92x
Essex 153 8.42x
Kent 75 2.39x
Lancashire 72 0.66x
Surrey 62 1.38x
Hertfordshire 47 7.40x
Gloucestershire 46 2.55x
Derbyshire 33 2.29x
Huntingdonshire 33 18.05x
Bedfordshire 28 5.87x
Cornwall 21 2.01x
Warwickshire 20 0.86x
Devon 19 0.99x
Staffordshire 17 0.55x
Yorkshire 17 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 15 1.21x
Sussex 15 0.97x
Hampshire 13 0.69x
Cheshire 12 0.59x
Wiltshire 9 1.11x
Glamorgan 8 0.50x
Brecknockshire 7 3.80x
Durham 6 0.22x
Lanarkshire 6 0.20x
Somerset 5 0.34x
Herefordshire 4 1.06x
Leicestershire 4 0.39x
Lincolnshire 4 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.51x
Dorset 2 0.33x
Midlothian 2 0.16x
Norfolk 2 0.14x
Northamptonshire 2 0.23x
Caithness 1 0.79x
Cumberland 1 0.13x
Renfrewshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 0.91x
Suffolk 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 37 Dorringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.15x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 37 4.15x
St Pancras London 27 3.64x
Westbury On Severn East 25 61.23x
Tottenham 24 16.36x
West Ham 22 5.48x
Battersea 18 5.31x
Camberwell 18 3.06x
Romford 18 62.65x
Luton 16 19.38x
Bethnal Green London 15 3.75x
Bishop Stortford 15 70.75x
Epping 14 189.45x
Broxbourne 13 103.34x
Brighton 12 3.83x
Canterbury St Gregory 12 289.86x
Great Hallingbury 12 606.06x
Derby St Peter 11 23.95x
Manchester 11 2.24x
Navestock 11 418.25x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 14.42x
Stoke Damerel 10 7.45x
Brampton 9 236.84x
Hornchurch 9 101.01x
Kensington London 9 1.76x
Milton In Gravesend 9 19.10x
Milton In Milton 9 67.37x
Netteswell 9 857.14x
Openshaw 9 17.59x
Derby St Werburgh 8 9.61x
Eastwood 8 72.07x
Foots Cray 8 133.11x
Goldington 8 437.16x
Leeds 7 1.36x
North Weald Bassett 7 221.52x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.18x
St Giles Cripplegate 7 57.28x
Stanford Rivers 7 228.01x
Truro St Mary 7 79.91x
Whitechapel London 7 7.71x
Alverstoke 6 8.78x
Aston 6 0.94x
Biggin 6 1463.41x
Blantyre 6 19.35x
Builth 6 130.72x
Greenwich 6 4.09x
Lichfield St Chad 6 85.84x
Lingfield 6 68.65x
Llandyfodwg 6 66.01x
Merrington 6 113.85x
Plumstead 6 5.73x
Sawbridgeworth 6 62.44x
St Blazey 6 65.57x
St George In East London 6 6.93x
St Martin In Fields 6 10.88x
Stoke Newington London 6 8.36x
Tidenham 6 215.05x
Wednesbury 6 7.72x
Accrington 5 5.03x
Ardwick 5 5.07x
Baguley 5 215.52x
Bradford 5 9.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 2.88x
Frome 5 14.10x
Lewisham 5 2.98x
Mirfield 5 9.98x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 3.39x
Salford 5 1.56x
Wistow 5 403.23x
Worsley 5 7.42x
Beswick 4 14.32x
Buckden 4 121.58x
Cheshunt 4 18.03x
Coventry St Michael 4 5.36x
Dewsbury 4 4.27x
Hackney London 4 0.77x
Lambeth 4 0.50x
Little Chester 4 220.99x
Maker 4 41.54x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 2.16x
Walthamstow 4 6.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 55
John 46
George 36
James 31
Thomas 28
Charles 21
Alfred 18
Henry 18
Edward 15
Joseph 14
Arthur 13
Benjamin 10
Frederick 8
Samuel 8
Albert 5
Walter 5
Wm. 5
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Thos. 4
Alexander 3
David 3
Harry 3
Percy 3
Robert 3
Tom 3
Bartholomew 2
C. 2
Daniel 2
Douglas 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
G.W. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Hy. 2
Matthew 2
Raymond 2
W.J. 2
Willm. 2
Benjn. 1
Ethel 1
F.W. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.J. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Job 1

FAQ

Dorrington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dorrington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 942 people were recorded with the Dorrington surname. That placed it at #4,092 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dorrington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,499 in 2016. That gives Dorrington a modern rank of #4,128.

What does the Dorrington surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Dorrington map show?

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