NameCensus.

UK surname

Doubleday

A surname referring to a person employed in a position that required two days' work.

In the 1881 census there were 627 people recorded with the Doubleday surname, ranking it #5,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 488, ranked #10,156, down from #5,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Claxton, or Long Clawson, St Leonard Shoreditch and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doubleday is 778 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.2%.

1881 census count

627

Ranked #5,643

Modern count

488

2016, ranked #10,156

Peak year

1901

778 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doubleday had 627 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 488 in 2016, ranked #10,156.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 778 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Doubleday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doubleday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doubleday 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 486 #5,133
1861 historical 529 #4,961
1881 historical 627 #5,643
1891 historical 675 #5,778
1901 historical 778 #5,775
1911 historical 767 #5,650
1997 modern 552 #8,634
1998 modern 570 #8,685
1999 modern 567 #8,766
2000 modern 564 #8,774
2001 modern 555 #8,747
2002 modern 553 #8,949
2003 modern 550 #8,843
2004 modern 524 #9,198
2005 modern 500 #9,443
2006 modern 497 #9,518
2007 modern 491 #9,689
2008 modern 493 #9,757
2009 modern 510 #9,699
2010 modern 533 #9,595
2011 modern 527 #9,584
2012 modern 485 #10,089
2013 modern 488 #10,211
2014 modern 503 #10,038
2015 modern 494 #10,083
2016 modern 488 #10,156

Geography

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Where Doubledays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Claxton, or Long Clawson, St Leonard Shoreditch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Bristol, Swale and Lichfield. 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 Claxton, or Long Clawson Leicestershire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 001 Melton
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Bristol 026 Bristol, City of
4 Swale 016 Swale
5 Lichfield 008 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doubleday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doubleday

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Doubleday is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Doubleday 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

Doubleday falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Doubleday

The surname Doubleday is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from one of the various places in England called Doubleday or Doubledays. These place names likely referred to clearings or enclosed areas where cereals were grown twice in a year, hence the term "double day."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a certain Ricardus de Doubledaye is mentioned. The Doubledaye spelling suggests the name was originally pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable.

In the 14th century, the Doubleday surname appeared in various records across different counties in England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. This indicates that the name was well-established and widespread by that time.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Doubleday surname, as it predates the use of hereditary surnames in England. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Dubledi and Dublodiae, which could be related to the origins of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Doubleday surname was John Doubleday, who was born in Sprotborough, Yorkshire, in the late 15th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Doubleday (c. 1572-1649), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1638-1639.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Doubleday surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. Benjamin Doubleday (1764-1837), a Baptist minister from Norfolk, wrote several religious works and was a prominent figure in his community.

In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the American baseball pioneer Abner Doubleday (1819-1893), who is often credited with inventing the modern game of baseball, although this claim is disputed by some historians.

Another notable figure was Thomas Doubleday (1790-1870), an English entomologist and author of several works on butterflies and moths, including "The Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera," published in 1846.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doubleday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doubleday 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 103 Doubledays recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.47x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 103 12.47x
Lincolnshire 88 8.98x
Norfolk 79 8.39x
Middlesex 77 1.26x
Leicestershire 49 7.21x
Lancashire 36 0.50x
Yorkshire 25 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 24 6.19x
Surrey 23 0.77x
Kent 20 0.96x
Essex 19 1.57x
Cheshire 18 1.33x
Warwickshire 16 1.04x
Hampshire 11 0.88x
Cornwall 6 0.87x
Durham 5 0.27x
Lanarkshire 5 0.25x
Northamptonshire 4 0.69x
Westmorland 4 2.97x
Northumberland 3 0.33x
Derbyshire 2 0.21x
Glamorgan 2 0.19x
Herefordshire 2 0.80x
Devon 1 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.24x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.82x
Midlothian 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.37x
Suffolk 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 52 Doubledays recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.35x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 52 24.35x
Bethnal Green London 28 10.52x
Outwell 15 2083.33x
Liverpool 14 3.17x
Spittlegate 13 95.94x
Clawson 12 764.33x
Shoreditch London 12 4.52x
Diss 11 136.31x
Wymondham 10 103.84x
Barnham Broom 9 967.74x
Emneth 9 428.57x
Hampstead London 9 9.43x
Lambeth 9 1.69x
Moulton 9 191.08x
Besthorpe 8 784.31x
Mundham 8 1290.32x
Paddington London 8 3.55x
Anwick 7 958.90x
Barkestone 7 1111.11x
Bingham 7 199.43x
Colsterworth 7 338.16x
Great Coggeshall 7 111.29x
Hickling 7 673.08x
Brightside Bierlow 6 5.04x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 36.17x
Gosberton 6 137.93x
Gwinear 6 182.37x
Isleworth 6 22.03x
Macclesfield 6 9.98x
Outwell 6 327.87x
Rockland All Sts 6 1034.48x
Upton 6 571.43x
West Derby 6 2.82x
Wisbech St Peter 6 30.83x
Belvoir 5 1666.67x
Birmingham 5 0.97x
Bradford 5 3.40x
Bury 5 6.02x
Canterbury St Mary 5 35.64x
Dagenham 5 69.44x
Everton 5 2.16x
Hough On Hill Brandon 5 1041.67x
Langar 5 561.80x
Leamington 5 48.83x
Navenby 5 248.76x
Newark Upon Trent 5 16.85x
Redmile 5 485.44x
Snenton 5 15.41x
Surfleet 5 245.10x
Sutton St Mary 5 54.00x
Woolsthorpe 5 400.00x
Aston 4 0.94x
Billingborough 4 160.64x
Camberwell 4 1.02x
Kettering 4 17.17x
St Luke London 4 4.07x
Swayfield 4 754.72x
Waltham On The Wolds 4 320.00x
Willoughby On Wolds 4 396.04x
Barony 3 0.60x
Basingstoke 3 20.78x
Burton 3 211.27x
Chester St John Baptist 3 12.34x
Chiddingfold 3 107.14x
Elm 3 78.95x
Falsgrave 3 33.52x
Gedling 3 220.59x
Halstead 3 21.26x
Kensington London 3 0.88x
Lakenham 3 22.42x
Lanchester 3 89.55x
Lenton 3 15.42x
Newington 3 1.33x
Northwood 3 16.78x
Radford 3 7.15x
Saltby 3 526.32x
Sheffield 3 1.55x
South Warnborough 3 454.55x
Sproxton 3 428.57x
Tranmere 3 6.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 44
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 17
Ellen 13
Ann 12
Annie 12
Alice 9
Emma 9
Jane 9
Maria 9
Eliza 7
Louisa 7
Rebecca 7
Martha 6
Florence 5
Kate 5
Charlotte 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Isabella 4
Anna 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Lizzie 3
Margaret 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Katherine 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Bridgett 1
Ellse 1
Elza 1
Emeline 1
J. 1
Jemima 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
William 29
George 26
Charles 20
Henry 20
Thomas 15
James 14
Edward 13
Robert 13
Richard 11
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Walter 5
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Geo. 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Montagu 2
Thos.G. 2
Aubrey 1
Benj. 1
Carl 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Dan 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezar 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Elizah 1
Epriam 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Heteyner 1
Horace 1
Jesse 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Doubleday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doubleday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 627 people were recorded with the Doubleday surname. That placed it at #5,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doubleday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 488 in 2016. That gives Doubleday a modern rank of #10,156.

What does the Doubleday surname mean?

A surname referring to a person employed in a position that required two days' work.

What does the Doubleday map show?

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