NameCensus.

UK surname

Dougal

A Scottish surname likely derived from the Gaelic 'dubhghall' meaning 'dark stranger'.

In the 1881 census there were 547 people recorded with the Dougal surname, ranking it #6,313 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 820, ranked #6,767, down from #6,313 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eyemouth, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eyemouth, Berwickshire East and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dougal is 837 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.9%.

1881 census count

547

Ranked #6,313

Modern count

820

2016, ranked #6,767

Peak year

2010

837 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dougal had 547 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,313 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 820 in 2016, ranked #6,767.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 581 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dougal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dougal surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dougal 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 501 #4,984
1861 historical 502 #5,207
1881 historical 547 #6,313
1891 historical 557 #6,807
1901 historical 581 #7,247
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 727 #7,035
1998 modern 763 #7,006
1999 modern 783 #6,918
2000 modern 802 #6,757
2001 modern 763 #6,900
2002 modern 768 #6,990
2003 modern 742 #7,075
2004 modern 745 #7,058
2005 modern 740 #7,035
2006 modern 741 #7,052
2007 modern 759 #6,988
2008 modern 783 #6,875
2009 modern 818 #6,752
2010 modern 837 #6,774
2011 modern 826 #6,765
2012 modern 789 #6,917
2013 modern 813 #6,854
2014 modern 829 #6,788
2015 modern 825 #6,756
2016 modern 820 #6,767

Geography

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Where Dougals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eyemouth, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eyemouth, Berwickshire East, Northumberland, St Monans and Pittenweem and Craigneuk Wishaw. 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 Eyemouth Berwick
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eyemouth Scottish Borders
2 Berwickshire East Scottish Borders
3 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
4 St Monans and Pittenweem Fife
5 Craigneuk Wishaw North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dougal

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dougal

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dougal, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Dougal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dougal household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dougal 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

Dougal is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dougal falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dougal

The surname Dougal has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic personal name "Dougal," which means "dark stranger" or "dark foreigner." This name was likely given to someone who had a swarthy or dark complexion and was considered a newcomer to a particular area.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Dougal can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of parchment rolls that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Dugal" and "Dougal."

The name Dougal is also connected to several place names in Scotland, such as Dougalston in East Dunbartonshire and Dougalston Loch in North Lanarkshire. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the surname Dougal who owned or lived in those areas.

One notable person with the surname Dougal was John Dougal (1622-1700), a Scottish clergyman and writer who served as the Principal of the University of St. Andrews. Another was James Dougal (1810-1888), a Scottish author and journalist who wrote extensively on Scottish history and culture.

In the 16th century, there was a John Dougal who was a prominent merchant in Edinburgh, and in the 17th century, a William Dougal served as the Provost (mayor) of Linlithgow, a town in West Lothian.

Another individual of note was Archibald Dougal (1759-1838), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several works on theology and religious subjects.

While the surname Dougal is not as common as some other Scottish surnames, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the 12th century, with various individuals bearing the name making significant contributions to Scottish society over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dougal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dougal 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. Berwickshire leads with 187 Dougals recorded in 1881 and an index of 289.92x.

County Total Index
Berwickshire 187 289.92x
West Lothian 50 62.34x
Lanarkshire 47 2.73x
Midlothian 34 4.77x
Angus 32 6.49x
Lancashire 22 0.35x
Stirlingshire 22 11.20x
Ayrshire 20 5.02x
Middlesex 18 0.34x
Gloucestershire 17 1.63x
Perthshire 14 5.86x
Surrey 13 0.50x
Yorkshire 12 0.23x
Renfrewshire 11 2.67x
Inverness-shire 8 5.03x
Roxburghshire 7 7.26x
Dunbartonshire 6 4.19x
Kent 4 0.22x
Northumberland 4 0.50x
Berkshire 3 0.75x
Durham 3 0.19x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.41x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.70x
Sussex 2 0.22x
Argyllshire 1 0.67x
Buteshire 1 3.10x
Cumberland 1 0.22x
East Lothian 1 1.42x
Fife 1 0.32x
Hampshire 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. Eyemouth in Berwickshire leads with 187 Dougals recorded in 1881 and an index of 3475.84x.

Place Total Index
Eyemouth 187 3475.84x
Linlithgow 34 330.42x
Dundee 25 13.57x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 7.32x
Preston 16 9.46x
Falkirk 15 32.62x
Fulham London 13 16.83x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 11.18x
Hamilton 11 22.90x
Lesmahagow 11 60.37x
Sculcoates 10 11.95x
Cambusnethan 9 23.52x
Bathgate 8 45.95x
Inverness 8 20.00x
Kilbirnie 8 83.59x
Renfrew 8 58.69x
Newington 7 3.56x
Wilton 7 66.16x
Clifton 6 11.36x
Dundonald 6 40.82x
Glasgow 6 1.96x
Liff Benvie 6 8.01x
Livingstone 6 218.98x
Stirling 6 24.22x
Dalmellington 5 42.66x
Dunning 5 167.22x
Ratho 5 150.15x
Walton Le Dale 5 29.45x
Avondale 4 39.72x
Knockholt 4 275.86x
Govan 3 0.70x
Inveresk 3 15.53x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 7.30x
Port Of Monteith 3 139.53x
Camberwell 2 0.59x
Canonbie 2 40.00x
Easthampstead 2 93.46x
Hove 2 5.08x
Luss 2 150.38x
New Kilpatrick 2 14.70x
Old Kilpatrick 2 11.83x
Paisley Low Church 2 15.30x
Rattray 2 35.97x
St Andrew Holborn 2 11.07x
St Marylebone London 2 0.70x
Uphall 2 22.68x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 0.97x
Auchterarder 1 14.99x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.74x
Chobham 1 21.83x
Comrie 1 29.24x
Culter 1 95.24x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 6.75x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 1 24.10x
Egham 1 6.28x
Elswick 1 1.58x
Grazeley 1 3333.33x
Holy Trinity 1 0.79x
Kilbride 1 25.19x
Kilfinan 1 25.25x
Kilmadock 1 18.18x
Kippen 1 37.88x
Lambeth 1 0.22x
Loudoun 1 10.43x
Monifieth 1 5.74x
Monquhitter 1 19.57x
North Cave Drewton 1 48.08x
Perth Middle Church 1 11.12x
Portsea 1 0.47x
Rutherglen 1 3.96x
Satley 1 109.89x
South Leith 1 1.25x
St Andrews 1 6.97x
St Pancras London 1 0.23x
Toxteth Park 1 0.47x
Tranent 1 10.49x
Wandsworth 1 1.95x
Washington 1 15.06x
West Greenock 1 1.35x
Whitehaven 1 4.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Mary 5
Martha 4
Maria 3
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Margaret 2
A. 1
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Jennie 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maud 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Andrew 5
George 5
John 5
Thomas 5
James 4
William 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Alexander 2
Ernest 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Alexandra 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
Heny. 1
Jno. 1
Maria 1
Marmaduke 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Samual 1

FAQ

Dougal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dougal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 547 people were recorded with the Dougal surname. That placed it at #6,313 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dougal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 820 in 2016. That gives Dougal a modern rank of #6,767.

What does the Dougal surname mean?

A Scottish surname likely derived from the Gaelic 'dubhghall' meaning 'dark stranger'.

What does the Dougal map show?

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