NameCensus.

UK surname

Douglas

A surname of Scottish origin referring to a place near water or derived from the Gaelic term for "dark water."

In the 1881 census there were 14,546 people recorded with the Douglas surname, ranking it #277 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25,979, ranked #217, up from #277 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick Central, Northumberland and Selkirk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Douglas is 26,279 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.6%.

1881 census count

14,546

Ranked #277

Modern count

25,979

2016, ranked #217

Peak year

2010

26,279 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Douglas had 14,546 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #277 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 25,979 in 2016, ranked #217.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,586 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Douglas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Douglas surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Douglas 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 9,336 #279
1861 historical 10,398 #246
1881 historical 14,546 #277
1891 historical 16,324 #251
1901 historical 18,586 #267
1911 historical 11,249 #433
1997 modern 23,615 #238
1998 modern 24,576 #235
1999 modern 24,745 #237
2000 modern 24,770 #232
2001 modern 24,084 #234
2002 modern 24,784 #230
2003 modern 24,278 #228
2004 modern 24,299 #229
2005 modern 24,327 #226
2006 modern 24,429 #225
2007 modern 24,674 #224
2008 modern 24,788 #225
2009 modern 25,585 #224
2010 modern 26,279 #223
2011 modern 25,632 #225
2012 modern 25,240 #223
2013 modern 25,852 #222
2014 modern 26,071 #222
2015 modern 25,932 #220
2016 modern 25,979 #217

Geography

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Where Douglas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick Central, Northumberland and Selkirk. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
2 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
3 Selkirk Scottish Borders
4 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 006 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Douglas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Douglas

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

Douglas is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Douglas 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 Douglas 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 Douglas, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Douglas

The surname Douglas is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words 'dubh' meaning 'dark' and 'glas' meaning 'green' or 'stream'. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century in the area of Douglas Water in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

The name Douglas is first recorded in the late 12th century, with one of the earliest known references being to a William de Douglas in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. These rolls were a collection of instruments recording the submission of Scottish nobles and landowners to Edward I of England.

The Douglas family became one of the most powerful and influential families in Scotland during the Middle Ages. Notable members include Sir James Douglas, a Scottish knight and companion of Robert the Bruce, who lived from around 1286 to 1330. He was known for carrying the heart of Robert the Bruce on a crusade to the Holy Land after the king's death.

Another prominent figure was Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas, who lived from around 1369 to 1424. He was a Scottish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the conflict between Scotland and England during the late 14th and early 15th centuries.

In the 16th century, the Douglas family split into two main branches, the Red Douglases and the Black Douglases, named after the color of their hair. A notable member from this period was James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, who lived from 1516 to 1581. He was a Scottish nobleman and regent of Scotland during the minority of King James VI.

The name Douglas also has connections to place names in Scotland, such as the town of Douglas in South Lanarkshire and the Douglas Water, a river that flows through the region. The earliest recorded spelling of the place name is 'Douglasdale' in the 12th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Douglas throughout history include Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, a Scottish philanthropist and founder of the Red River Colony in Canada, who lived from 1771 to 1820, and Stephen A. Douglas, an American politician and lawyer who lived from 1813 to 1861 and was a prominent figure in the debates over slavery and the lead-up to the American Civil War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Douglas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Douglas 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 1,474 Douglas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.22x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,474 3.22x
Midlothian 985 5.20x
Northumberland 904 4.29x
Lancashire 896 0.53x
Yorkshire 817 0.58x
Middlesex 813 0.57x
Durham 694 1.65x
Roxburghshire 484 18.88x
Perthshire 408 6.42x
Angus 407 3.10x
Ayrshire 402 3.80x
Renfrewshire 398 3.63x
Surrey 352 0.51x
Cumberland 351 2.88x
Selkirkshire 303 23.66x
Fife 279 3.33x
Dumfriesshire 256 8.19x
Argyllshire 232 5.89x
Aberdeenshire 223 1.70x
Cheshire 211 0.68x
Kirkcudbrightshire 210 10.25x
Kent 200 0.41x
Wigtownshire 187 9.95x
Warwickshire 178 0.50x
Northamptonshire 170 1.28x
Hampshire 160 0.55x
Stirlingshire 146 2.80x
Berkshire 122 1.15x
Dunbartonshire 116 3.05x
Staffordshire 113 0.24x
Essex 110 0.39x
Kincardineshire 110 6.38x
Morayshire 110 5.00x
Inverness-shire 108 2.56x
Berwickshire 106 6.19x
Ross-shire 96 2.47x
Oxfordshire 95 1.09x
Sussex 87 0.36x
East Lothian 78 4.16x
Worcestershire 75 0.41x
West Lothian 72 3.38x
Norfolk 61 0.28x
Devon 59 0.20x
Caithness 52 2.68x
Peeblesshire 52 7.81x
Nottinghamshire 48 0.25x
Glamorgan 43 0.17x
Gloucestershire 42 0.15x
Sutherland 40 3.68x
Denbighshire 34 0.64x
Lincolnshire 34 0.15x
Hertfordshire 31 0.32x
Leicestershire 31 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 29 0.34x
Bedfordshire 28 0.38x
Westmorland 26 0.84x
Royal Navy 25 1.48x
Buteshire 24 2.80x
Derbyshire 22 0.10x
Shetland 22 1.52x
Shropshire 22 0.18x
Dorset 21 0.23x
Somerset 20 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 19 0.21x
Caernarfonshire 18 0.31x
Isle of Man 17 0.65x
Monmouthshire 14 0.14x
Nairnshire 14 3.24x
Wiltshire 14 0.11x
Banffshire 13 0.44x
Clackmannanshire 13 1.11x
Herefordshire 11 0.19x
Channel Islands 10 0.24x
Orkney 10 0.64x
Cornwall 9 0.06x
Flintshire 9 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.20x
Brecknockshire 6 0.21x
Kinross-shire 6 1.68x
Rutland 6 0.58x
Suffolk 4 0.02x
Cardiganshire 1 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 465 Douglas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.10x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 465 6.10x
Barony 463 4.00x
Govan 353 3.12x
Glasgow 230 2.83x
Dundee 149 3.04x
Hawick 140 24.40x
Selkirk 136 37.70x
Bishopwearmouth 102 2.82x
South Leith 100 4.69x
Gateshead 95 3.01x
Galashiels 94 19.86x
Lambeth 87 0.71x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 81 3.30x
West Greenock 81 4.11x
Camberwell 71 0.79x
Kensington London 66 0.84x
Liverpool 63 0.62x
Hamilton 59 4.62x
Aberdeen Old Machar 58 2.12x
Kilmarnock 56 4.44x
Old Monkland 53 2.92x
Toxteth Park 53 0.93x
Berwick Upon Tweed 52 11.65x
Elswick 52 3.09x
Islington London 52 0.38x
Jedburgh 52 20.70x
Melrose 52 16.14x
Hackney London 51 0.64x
Barrow In Furness 50 2.19x
Abbey 49 2.93x
Kirkdale 49 1.73x
Montrose 49 6.17x
St Marylebone London 49 0.65x
Falkirk 48 3.93x
St Andrews 48 12.59x
St George Hanover Square 48 1.93x
Birmingham 47 0.40x
Everton 47 0.88x
Liff Benvie 47 2.36x
Preston 47 1.05x
Sculcoates 46 2.07x
Newcastle On Tyne St 45 4.12x
West Derby 45 0.92x
Bothwell 44 3.54x
Dunoon Kilmun 43 14.00x
St Pancras London 43 0.38x
Blackburn 42 0.94x
Westoe 42 1.76x
Middlesbrough 41 2.25x
Paddington London 41 0.79x
Portsea 41 0.72x
Tweedmouth 40 15.24x
Wootton 40 101.06x
Closeburn 39 53.49x
Edinburgh St Marys 39 10.58x
Leeds 39 0.49x
Aston 38 0.39x
Birkenhead 38 1.53x
Dunfermline 38 2.95x
Kilfinan 38 36.15x
St Quivox 38 10.61x
Salford 37 0.75x
Workington 37 5.30x
Holy Trinity 36 1.07x
Inverness 36 3.39x
Dalserf 35 7.66x
Whitehaven 35 5.39x
Brighton 34 0.71x
Chatton 34 52.62x
Dumfries 34 11.02x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 34 1.86x
Manchester 34 0.45x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 34 2.70x
North Leith 34 3.88x
Benholm 33 44.58x
Kilbarchan 33 9.91x
Maryhill 33 3.68x
Monkwearmouth 33 8.19x
Westgate 33 2.53x
Wilton 33 11.73x
Edinburgh Canongate 32 6.63x
Knapdale South 32 23.64x
Troqueer 32 11.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 475
Elizabeth 292
Jane 202
Margaret 186
Sarah 170
Ann 143
Annie 104
Ellen 104
Isabella 94
Alice 75
Hannah 72
Emma 69
Eliza 66
Catherine 62
Emily 55
Agnes 43
Martha 43
Harriet 39
Louisa 37
Florence 36
Maria 36
Charlotte 34
Frances 34
Jessie 34
Caroline 32
Edith 31
Ada 30
Clara 28
Kate 27
Helen 26
Janet 26
Fanny 24
Eleanor 23
Esther 21
Anne 20
Matilda 19
Margt. 18
Grace 17
Lucy 16
Rose 16
Ethel 15
Julia 15
Minnie 13
Rachel 13
Georgina 12
Harriett 12
Rebecca 12
Susan 12
Beatrice 11
Susannah 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 468
William 448
James 289
George 251
Thomas 216
Robert 183
Henry 116
Charles 99
Joseph 91
Edward 59
Arthur 53
Walter 51
David 45
Richard 43
Archibald 37
Alexander 36
Alfred 36
Frederick 32
Samuel 28
Wm. 26
Andrew 22
Frank 22
Albert 21
Harry 21
Francis 20
Thos. 20
Daniel 17
Ernest 16
Fred 16
Ralph 16
Hugh 15
Peter 15
Mark 14
Geo. 13
Matthew 13
Sholto 13
Edwin 12
Michael 11
Percy 11
Christopher 9
Herbert 9
Robt. 9
Donald 7
Fredrick 7
Jno. 7
Jonathan 7
Kenneth 7
Jas. 6
Stephen 6
Tom 6

Top occupations

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 Douglas households.

FAQ

Douglas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Douglas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14,546 people were recorded with the Douglas surname. That placed it at #277 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Douglas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 25,979 in 2016. That gives Douglas a modern rank of #217.

What does the Douglas surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin referring to a place near water or derived from the Gaelic term for "dark water."

What does the Douglas map show?

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