NameCensus.

UK surname

Doull

A Scottish surname originating from the region near Wick in Caithness.

In the 1881 census there were 397 people recorded with the Doull surname, ranking it #8,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #8,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wick, Govan Combination and Watten. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wick South, North Mainland and Wick North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Doull is 435 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.6%.

1881 census count

397

Ranked #8,010

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1901

435 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Doull had 397 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 435 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Doull surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Doull surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Doull 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 316 #7,323
1861 historical 364 #7,023
1881 historical 397 #8,010
1891 historical 404 #8,802
1901 historical 435 #8,922
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 299 #13,563
1998 modern 294 #14,060
1999 modern 298 #14,026
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 309 #13,487
2002 modern 311 #13,666
2003 modern 314 #13,419
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 301 #13,812
2006 modern 319 #13,318
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 332 #13,207
2009 modern 324 #13,689
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 317 #14,059
2012 modern 333 #13,468
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Doulls are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Wick South, North Mainland, Wick North, Auchtermuchty and Gateside and Caithness North West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wick Caithness
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Watten Caithness
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Thurso Caithness

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wick South Highland
2 North Mainland Shetland Islands
3 Wick North Highland
4 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
5 Caithness North West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Doull

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Doull

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Doull surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Doull household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Doull 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

Doull 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

Doull falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Doull

The surname Doull has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, where it is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "dubh," meaning black or dark. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where a person named Robert Doul is mentioned. This early spelling variation further supports the Gaelic roots of the surname.

In the 16th century, the Doull family was prominent in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas around Jedburgh and Kelso. Records from this time period show individuals with the surname holding influential positions, such as landowners and local officials.

Notably, in the 17th century, a man named William Doull was a respected minister and scholar who served as the Principal of St. Leonard's College in St. Andrews, Scotland, from 1637 to 1640. His contributions to the academic and religious institutions of his time are well-documented.

Another notable figure was John Doull, a Scottish explorer and surveyor who was born in 1809. He was known for his expeditions in British Columbia, Canada, where he mapped and charted significant portions of the coastline and interior regions.

In the literary realm, the Scottish author and poet James Doull (1822-1900) gained recognition for his works that captured the spirit of rural life in the Highlands. His poetry and prose offered a glimpse into the traditions and culture of his homeland.

As the Doull family dispersed throughout the centuries, the name also found its way to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, where descendants of Scottish immigrants settled and established themselves in various communities.

While the exact origins of the surname Doull may be shrouded in the mists of time, its strong ties to the Scottish Highlands and the Gaelic language remain evident. The name has been carried by individuals who have left their mark in diverse fields, from academia and religion to exploration and literature, further enriching its historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Doull families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Doull 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. Caithness leads with 256 Doulls recorded in 1881 and an index of 481.66x.

County Total Index
Caithness 256 481.66x
Midlothian 44 8.46x
Shetland 23 58.01x
Lanarkshire 12 0.96x
Surrey 10 0.53x
Sutherland 7 23.45x
Yorkshire 7 0.18x
Buteshire 6 25.51x
Argyllshire 5 4.63x
Orkney 5 11.71x
Cumberland 4 1.20x
Middlesex 4 0.10x
Selkirkshire 4 11.39x
Fife 3 1.31x
Durham 2 0.17x
Inverness-shire 2 1.73x
Northumberland 2 0.35x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wick in Caithness leads with 150 Doulls recorded in 1881 and an index of 873.62x.

Place Total Index
Wick 150 873.62x
Thurso 30 361.88x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 28 13.38x
Watten 25 1336.90x
Bower 21 981.31x
Latheron 21 236.22x
Sandsting Aitsting 10 278.55x
Govan 9 2.90x
Walls Sandness 9 1168.83x
Lambeth 8 2.36x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 45.32x
Golspie 6 289.86x
Linthorpe 6 26.13x
Rothesay 6 52.68x
South Leith 6 10.25x
Knapdale South 5 134.77x
South Ronaldshay 5 113.12x
Farlam 4 190.48x
Finchley 4 26.88x
Galashiels 4 30.82x
Reay 4 137.46x
Abdie 3 229.01x
Olrig 3 112.78x
Ardersier 2 71.94x
Barony 2 0.63x
Berwick Upon Tweed 2 16.34x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 16.26x
Lerwick Gulberwick 2 32.57x
Westoe 2 3.05x
Delting 1 44.84x
Dunnet 1 46.73x
Eastwood 1 21.37x
Edinburgh St Andrews 1 23.26x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 9.77x
Glasgow 1 0.45x
Guisbrough 1 11.89x
Halkirk 1 27.78x
Liverpool 1 0.36x
Newington 1 0.70x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.28x
Tongue 1 38.76x
Walls 1 52.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 5
James 2
Alexandr 1
Arthur 1
George 1
Henry 1
Shadrach 1
William 1

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 Doull households.

FAQ

Doull surname: questions and answers

How common was the Doull surname in 1881?

In 1881, 397 people were recorded with the Doull surname. That placed it at #8,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Doull surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Doull a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Doull surname mean?

A Scottish surname originating from the region near Wick in Caithness.

What does the Doull map show?

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