UK surname
A variant spelling of the English surname Dawson, meaning "son of David".
In the 1881 census there were 37 people recorded with the Dorson surname, ranking it #28,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 51, ranked #34,838, down from #28,418 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Botolph Aldgate, Greenwich and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dorson is 114 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.8%.
1881 census count
37
Ranked #28,418
Modern count
51
2016, ranked #34,838
Peak year
1861
114 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Dorson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Dorson surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 23 | #29,205 |
| 1861 | historical | 114 | #19,011 |
| 1881 | historical | 37 | #28,418 |
| 1891 | historical | 26 | #32,189 |
| 1901 | historical | 11 | #32,907 |
| 1911 | historical | 21 | #31,179 |
| 1997 | modern | 36 | #34,071 |
| 1998 | modern | 32 | #34,633 |
| 1999 | modern | 31 | #34,821 |
| 2000 | modern | 33 | #34,607 |
| 2001 | modern | 33 | #34,436 |
| 2002 | modern | 32 | #34,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 28 | #35,200 |
| 2004 | modern | 30 | #35,186 |
| 2005 | modern | 31 | #35,260 |
| 2006 | modern | 35 | #35,191 |
| 2007 | modern | 35 | #35,347 |
| 2008 | modern | 37 | #35,327 |
| 2009 | modern | 35 | #35,545 |
| 2010 | modern | 35 | #35,676 |
| 2011 | modern | 36 | #35,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 40 | #35,369 |
| 2013 | modern | 46 | #35,110 |
| 2014 | modern | 48 | #35,041 |
| 2015 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2016 | modern | 51 | #34,838 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Botolph Aldgate, Greenwich, St Leonard Shoreditch, Auckland St Andrew and Siston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Botolph Aldgate | London (Central Districts) |
| 2 | Greenwich | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Auckland St Andrew | Durham |
| 5 | Siston | Somerset |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Dorson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dorson, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Dorson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Dorson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Dorson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dorson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Dorson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Dorson is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dor," meaning "door," and "sunu," meaning "son," suggesting that it may have originally referred to someone who was the son of a doorkeeper or gatekeeper.
One of the earliest known references to the name Dorson can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were records of landholders and their holdings in various counties of England. This document mentions a Richard Doreson residing in the county of Oxfordshire.
Throughout the centuries, the name has appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, often with slight variations in spelling, such as Dorsun, Dorssun, and Dorsesson. These variations reflect the fluidity of English spelling during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.
Notable individuals bearing the surname Dorson include:
1. John Dorson (c. 1530-1597), an English clergyman and author who served as the chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I. 2. William Dorson (1609-1675), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, England, who played a role in the English Civil War. 3. Elizabeth Dorson (1652-1718), a prominent Quaker minister and writer from Hertfordshire, England. 4. George Dorson (1799-1868), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and the South Pacific. 5. Edward Dorson (1825-1891), an English scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Old English and Middle English literature.
While the surname Dorson has been found in various parts of England throughout history, it appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Hertfordshire, where many of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dorson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 14 Dorsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.88x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 14 | 3.88x |
| Essex | 10 | 14.04x |
| Gloucestershire | 5 | 7.07x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 3.77x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.93x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.81x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 2.50x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 1.80x |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.72x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Saling in Essex leads with 10 Dorsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Great Saling | 10 | 25000.00x |
| Shoreditch London | 6 | 38.36x |
| Siston | 5 | 3846.15x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 4 | 193.24x |
| Sutton In Macclesfield | 3 | 361.45x |
| Hammersmith London | 2 | 22.50x |
| Islington London | 2 | 5.72x |
| Abbots Leigh | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 10.25x |
| Ryhope | 1 | 133.33x |
| Tonbridge | 1 | 22.52x |
| Wymondham | 1 | 175.44x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dorson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dorson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dorson households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 7 |
| Ag Lab | 3 |
| Artificial Florist | 1 |
| Cab Driver | 1 |
| French Polisher | 1 |
| Gamekeeper | 1 |
| Gamekeeper Wife | 1 |
| Grainer & Decorator | 1 |
| Housekeeper (Lodg) | 1 |
| Potman | 1 |
| Railway Labourer | 1 |
| Seamer (Hos) | 1 |
| Servant Domestic | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 37 people were recorded with the Dorson surname. That placed it at #28,418 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 51 in 2016. That gives Dorson a modern rank of #34,838.
A variant spelling of the English surname Dawson, meaning "son of David".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dorson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.