NameCensus.

UK surname

Double

A surname referring to someone who lived near a low-lying marshy area.

In the 1881 census there were 591 people recorded with the Double surname, ranking it #5,910 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 757, ranked #7,230, down from #5,910 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Raydon, Hadleigh and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Mid Suffolk and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Double is 884 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.1%.

1881 census count

591

Ranked #5,910

Modern count

757

2016, ranked #7,230

Peak year

1911

884 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Double had 591 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,910 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 757 in 2016, ranked #7,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 884 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Double surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Double surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Double 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 454 #5,427
1861 historical 449 #5,764
1881 historical 591 #5,910
1891 historical 631 #6,133
1901 historical 721 #6,132
1911 historical 884 #5,037
1997 modern 807 #6,497
1998 modern 855 #6,405
1999 modern 840 #6,544
2000 modern 839 #6,522
2001 modern 813 #6,560
2002 modern 830 #6,581
2003 modern 779 #6,805
2004 modern 771 #6,872
2005 modern 762 #6,870
2006 modern 766 #6,868
2007 modern 767 #6,926
2008 modern 764 #6,999
2009 modern 795 #6,929
2010 modern 800 #7,029
2011 modern 770 #7,167
2012 modern 743 #7,281
2013 modern 769 #7,199
2014 modern 770 #7,213
2015 modern 764 #7,196
2016 modern 757 #7,230

Geography

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Where Doubles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Raydon, Hadleigh, London parishes and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Mid Suffolk, Cornwall, Ipswich and Tendring. 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 Raydon Suffolk
2 Hadleigh Suffolk
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 011 Babergh
2 Mid Suffolk 012 Mid Suffolk
3 Cornwall 036 Cornwall
4 Ipswich 006 Ipswich
5 Tendring 001 Tendring

Forenames

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First names often paired with Double

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Double

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Double 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

Double is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Double 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 Double 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Double

The surname DOUBLE has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "doble," meaning "double" or "twofold," likely referring to someone who held two roles or occupations simultaneously. Alternatively, it may have been a descriptive surname given to someone who had a striking physical resemblance to another person.

Early records show the name appearing in various forms, such as Doubel, Dobbel, and Daubill, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that time. One of the earliest known references is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named Robert Doubel is mentioned.

The DOUBLE surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Double Hill in Wiltshire and Double Leys in Worcestershire, suggesting that some individuals may have adopted the name based on their place of origin or residence.

One notable figure in history bearing the DOUBLE surname was John Double (c. 1510-1590), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1578 until his death. Another was Sir Walter Double (1570-1627), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I.

In the 17th century, the DOUBLE surname gained recognition through the work of Peter Double (1618-1694), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Another individual of historical importance was Thomas Double (1693-1770), a British writer and historian best known for his work "Remarks on Antiquities, Arts and Letters, During an Excursion in Italy" published in 1766.

During the 18th century, the DOUBLE surname was also associated with the arts, with James Double (1720-1794) being a notable English painter and engraver who exhibited his works at the Society of Artists and the Royal Academy.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the DOUBLE surname throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Double families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Double 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 217 Doubles recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.90x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 217 30.90x
Middlesex 151 2.62x
Surrey 80 2.85x
Essex 60 5.27x
Kent 14 0.71x
Cambridgeshire 11 3.01x
Hertfordshire 10 2.52x
Hampshire 7 0.59x
Sussex 7 0.72x
Durham 5 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 5 4.37x
Norfolk 5 0.56x
Somerset 5 0.54x
Staffordshire 4 0.21x
Lancashire 3 0.04x
Yorkshire 3 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.29x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Herefordshire 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 24 Doubles recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.43x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 24 7.43x
Lambeth 23 4.58x
Mile End Old Town London 23 18.74x
Dedham 22 637.68x
Hadleigh 19 279.00x
Camberwell 18 4.89x
Bury St Edmunds St James 14 74.63x
Battersea 12 5.66x
Holbrook 12 779.22x
Newmarket St Mary 12 222.63x
East Bergholt 11 468.09x
Islington London 11 1.97x
St Giles In Fields London 11 38.90x
St Marylebone London 11 3.57x
Stratford St Mary 11 1100.00x
Bermondsey 10 5.83x
Brantham 10 1250.00x
Shotley 10 806.45x
Tottenham 9 9.80x
Aldbury 8 444.44x
Kensington London 8 2.50x
Levington 8 2424.24x
Stowmarket 8 98.64x
Harwich St Nicholas 7 79.64x
Layham 7 660.38x
Shoreditch London 7 2.80x
St George Bloomsbury 7 21.16x
Stoke By Nayland 7 308.37x
Tattingstone 7 642.20x
Colchester St Botolph 6 61.98x
Rotherhithe 6 8.42x
St Pancras London 6 1.29x
Acton 5 14.79x
Capel St Mary 5 442.48x
Clapham 5 6.94x
Denton 5 520.83x
Dinnington 5 1562.50x
Eye 5 110.13x
Harkstead 5 675.68x
Ipswich St Clement 5 28.01x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 25.41x
Paddington London 5 2.36x
Portsea 5 2.16x
Raydon 5 476.19x
Stibbington 5 467.29x
Washbrook 5 735.29x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.60x
Chelmsford 4 20.49x
Colchester St Giles 4 35.59x
Fornham All Sts 4 476.19x
Great Wenham 4 869.57x
Ipswich St Margaret 4 16.79x
Mile End New Town London 4 35.12x
Spitalfields London 4 9.23x
Sudbury St Gregory 4 71.05x
Walsall Foreign 4 3.98x
Westoe 4 4.11x
Bentley 3 375.00x
Buxhall 3 319.15x
Chilton 3 535.71x
Colchester St James 3 65.08x
Dover St James 3 34.80x
Downham Market 3 49.26x
Lee 3 10.50x
Soham 3 38.17x
St George In East London 3 5.53x
The Holy Sepulchre 3 337.08x
Walton Le Soken 3 110.70x
Wimbledon 3 9.51x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 15.17x
Cranbrook 2 24.01x
Hambledon 2 50.13x
Hampstead London 2 2.23x
Hemel Hempstead 2 11.17x
Kirkdale 2 1.74x
Manningtree 2 108.11x
St Clement Cambridge 2 132.45x
West Ham 2 0.80x
Wherstead 2 384.62x
Wrabness 2 444.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 31
George 28
John 28
Charles 22
James 19
Walter 13
Frederick 12
Henry 12
Thomas 12
Alfred 11
Joseph 9
Harry 7
Robert 6
Arthur 5
Daniel 5
David 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Herbert 4
Benjamin 3
Abraham 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Johnson 2
Robt.James 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Arther 1
Bernard 1
Bertie 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Cornelious 1
Cornelius 1
Dale 1
Edwin 1
Elisha 1
G. 1
Gilbert 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Joshua 1
Leon 1
Leonard 1
Morris 1
Percival 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Double surname: questions and answers

How common was the Double surname in 1881?

In 1881, 591 people were recorded with the Double surname. That placed it at #5,910 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Double surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 757 in 2016. That gives Double a modern rank of #7,230.

What does the Double surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who lived near a low-lying marshy area.

What does the Double map show?

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