NameCensus.

UK surname

Dougherty

An Irish surname derived from Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach," a personal name meaning "hurtful" or "obstructive."

In the 1881 census there were 1,125 people recorded with the Dougherty surname, ranking it #3,544 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,541, ranked #4,013, down from #3,544 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Toxteth Park and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Carmunnock South and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dougherty is 1,588 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.0%.

1881 census count

1,125

Ranked #3,544

Modern count

1,541

2016, ranked #4,013

Peak year

2014

1,588 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dougherty had 1,125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,544 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,541 in 2016, ranked #4,013.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,125 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dougherty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dougherty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dougherty 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 866 #3,144
1861 historical 1,014 #2,761
1881 historical 1,125 #3,544
1891 historical 922 #4,481
1901 historical 1,035 #4,621
1911 historical 851 #5,214
1997 modern 1,439 #4,054
1998 modern 1,500 #4,046
1999 modern 1,485 #4,119
2000 modern 1,470 #4,131
2001 modern 1,450 #4,103
2002 modern 1,467 #4,141
2003 modern 1,425 #4,162
2004 modern 1,430 #4,154
2005 modern 1,434 #4,113
2006 modern 1,466 #4,046
2007 modern 1,481 #4,050
2008 modern 1,486 #4,069
2009 modern 1,524 #4,055
2010 modern 1,542 #4,104
2011 modern 1,563 #4,001
2012 modern 1,543 #3,979
2013 modern 1,567 #3,986
2014 modern 1,588 #3,966
2015 modern 1,571 #3,962
2016 modern 1,541 #4,013

Geography

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Where Doughertys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Greenock, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Carmunnock South and Hartlepool. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 034 County Durham
2 Carmunnock South Glasgow City
3 County Durham 040 County Durham
4 Hartlepool 006 Hartlepool
5 County Durham 038 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dougherty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dougherty

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dougherty, 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 Dougherty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dougherty 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dougherty 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

Dougherty is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dougherty falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dougherty 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dougherty

The surname Dougherty is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Gaelic name Ó Dochartaigh. This name is derived from the Irish words "doch" meaning "hurtful" and "artach" meaning "bear." It likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a fierce or bear-like demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the Dougherty name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The name appears in these records as early as the 14th century, with references to individuals such as Donnchadh Ó Dochartaigh, who lived in the late 1300s.

In its original Irish form, the name was often anglicized to various spellings, including Doherty, Dogherty, and Daugherty, before settling on the more common Dougherty spelling. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Donegal and Derry in Ulster, where the Ó Dochartaigh clan held significant influence.

One notable historical figure bearing the Dougherty name was Cú Chonnacht Ó Dochartaigh, a prominent Irish chieftain who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was the Lord of Inishowen and played a crucial role in the conflicts between the Irish and English during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

Another famous Dougherty was Sir John Dougherty (1598-1689), an Irish lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament and held the position of Recorder of Dublin. He was a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

In the literary world, the name Dougherty is associated with Michael Dougherty (1844-1922), an Irish-American writer and poet who is best known for his works celebrating the Irish-American experience, such as "The Bard of Erin" and "Songs of the Gael."

Moving across the Atlantic, one cannot overlook the significance of the Dougherty name in American history. One notable figure was Daniel Dougherty (1865-1938), a renowned lawyer and orator from Philadelphia. He gained national recognition for his passionate defense of civil liberties and his eloquent speeches on various political and social issues.

Finally, a more recent historical figure with the Dougherty name is Michael Dougherty (born 1974), an American filmmaker and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the critically acclaimed horror films "Trick 'r Treat" and "Krampus," as well as co-writing the superhero film "X-Men: Apocalypse."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dougherty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dougherty 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. Lanarkshire leads with 290 Doughertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.94x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 290 7.94x
Lancashire 230 1.72x
Yorkshire 100 0.89x
Renfrewshire 89 10.17x
Durham 76 2.26x
Middlesex 35 0.31x
Cumberland 33 3.39x
Isle of Man 33 15.73x
Cheshire 32 1.28x
Staffordshire 30 0.79x
Surrey 24 0.44x
Northumberland 22 1.31x
Kent 17 0.44x
Hampshire 16 0.69x
Dunbartonshire 13 4.28x
Stirlingshire 12 2.88x
Caernarfonshire 10 2.19x
Midlothian 9 0.59x
Warwickshire 9 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.53x
Westmorland 8 3.22x
Devon 6 0.26x
Buteshire 5 7.31x
Denbighshire 5 1.17x
Roxburghshire 5 2.44x
Shropshire 5 0.51x
Ayrshire 4 0.47x
Leicestershire 4 0.32x
Lincolnshire 4 0.22x
Sussex 4 0.21x
Derbyshire 3 0.17x
Dorset 3 0.40x
Fife 3 0.45x
Royal Navy 2 1.49x
Suffolk 2 0.15x
West Lothian 2 1.18x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.40x
Essex 1 0.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.61x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 114 Doughertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.57x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 114 17.57x
Barony 89 9.63x
Liverpool 77 9.46x
Govan 56 6.20x
West Greenock 32 20.37x
Huddersfield 31 19.01x
Erskine 20 314.47x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 16 10.99x
Leeds 16 2.53x
Toxteth Park 16 3.53x
Kensington London 14 2.23x
Preston 13 3.63x
Bishopwearmouth 12 4.16x
Bury 12 7.84x
Maughold 12 74.12x
Salford 12 3.04x
West Derby 12 3.06x
Bangor 10 22.70x
East Greenock 10 12.10x
Hook 10 40.62x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 9.96x
Walton On Hill 10 13.77x
Barnsley 9 7.79x
Battersea 9 2.17x
Birkenhead 9 4.53x
Burslem 9 8.24x
Eastwood 9 16.69x
New Monkland 9 8.33x
Chester St Mary On Hill 8 37.40x
Everton 8 1.87x
Haswell 8 33.21x
Holy Trinity 8 2.97x
Kendal 8 17.60x
Middle Greenock 8 33.49x
Nottingham St Mary 8 2.03x
Port Glasgow 8 18.90x
Uttoxeter 8 40.98x
Wolverhampton 8 2.73x
Allerton 7 218.07x
Hamilton 7 6.87x
Millbrook 7 12.00x
Onchan 7 11.59x
Usworth 7 39.24x
Birmingham 6 0.63x
Dukinfield 6 5.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 0.99x
Eshott 6 1111.11x
Folkestone 6 8.03x
German 6 52.45x
Hackney London 6 0.95x
Halliwell 6 12.30x
Iveston 6 38.76x
Lanark 6 20.42x
Stockton On Tees 6 3.70x
Whitehaven 6 11.57x
Andreas 5 87.87x
Cardross 5 13.72x
Castleton 5 3.74x
Distington 5 100.00x
Dunipace 5 68.59x
Kilsyth 5 18.83x
Kirkdale 5 2.22x
Lambeth 5 0.51x
Minto 5 299.40x
Rothesay 5 15.08x
Southowram 5 14.63x
Stoke Damerel 5 3.04x
Thornaby 5 11.95x
Whalley 5 25.60x
Wigan 5 2.67x
Brighton 4 1.04x
Carstairs 4 52.84x
Chester St Oswald 4 8.86x
Cleator 4 9.88x
Dumbarton 4 9.47x
Heworth 4 6.04x
Westminster St John 4 2.91x
Wigston Magna 4 24.08x
Workington 4 7.18x
Wrexham Regis 4 12.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 75
Catherine 31
Ann 18
Jane 18
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 16
Ellen 15
Margaret 14
Alice 13
Annie 11
Bridget 7
Hannah 7
Kate 7
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Maria 5
Rose 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Phoebe 3
Agnes 2
Cathrine 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Minnie 2
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Catcham 1
Eleaner 1
Eliz.Annie 1
Elizth. 1
Emmie 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Hortensia 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Joanna 1
Litita 1
M. 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Margt 1
Winnfred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 78
James 39
Thomas 28
William 28
Patrick 26
Michael 20
Charles 16
Henry 12
Edward 11
Peter 10
George 8
Joseph 8
Robert 7
Daniel 6
Hugh 6
Martin 5
Albert 4
Jno. 4
Philip 4
Thos. 4
Alfred 3
Bernard 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Dan 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Matthew 2
Owen 2
Percy 2
Samuel 2
Christopher 1
Claude 1
Edwd. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Hamilton 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Joe 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Michal 1
Mick 1
Neil 1
Pat 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Dougherty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dougherty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,125 people were recorded with the Dougherty surname. That placed it at #3,544 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dougherty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,541 in 2016. That gives Dougherty a modern rank of #4,013.

What does the Dougherty surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach," a personal name meaning "hurtful" or "obstructive."

What does the Dougherty map show?

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