NameCensus.

UK surname

Dove

An English surname referring to a person who kept doves or lived near a dovecote.

In the 1881 census there were 3,432 people recorded with the Dove surname, ranking it #1,331 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,353, ranked #1,565, down from #1,331 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Scarborough and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dove is 4,644 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.8%.

1881 census count

3,432

Ranked #1,331

Modern count

4,353

2016, ranked #1,565

Peak year

1911

4,644 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dove had 3,432 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,331 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,353 in 2016, ranked #1,565.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,644 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dove 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 2,453 #1,215
1861 historical 2,334 #1,263
1881 historical 3,432 #1,331
1891 historical 3,426 #1,387
1901 historical 4,290 #1,314
1911 historical 4,644 #1,116
1997 modern 4,424 #1,486
1998 modern 4,530 #1,492
1999 modern 4,564 #1,497
2000 modern 4,490 #1,513
2001 modern 4,408 #1,508
2002 modern 4,482 #1,511
2003 modern 4,383 #1,510
2004 modern 4,361 #1,517
2005 modern 4,260 #1,531
2006 modern 4,249 #1,537
2007 modern 4,289 #1,539
2008 modern 4,325 #1,536
2009 modern 4,397 #1,545
2010 modern 4,452 #1,562
2011 modern 4,420 #1,547
2012 modern 4,340 #1,555
2013 modern 4,435 #1,546
2014 modern 4,459 #1,549
2015 modern 4,390 #1,559
2016 modern 4,353 #1,565

Geography

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Where Doves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Scarborough and Isle of Wight. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
3 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 004 Ashfield
2 Ashfield 005 Ashfield
3 Scarborough 007 Scarborough
4 Ashfield 002 Ashfield
5 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dove

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Dove surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dove household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dove 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

Dove 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

Dove falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dove

The surname DOVE is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dufe," which means "dove" or "pigeon." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was associated with these birds, perhaps as a breeder or seller of doves.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for people with variations of the name, such as "Duve" and "Duva." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DOVE is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mention a William Dove. Another early example is John Dove, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

The surname DOVE is also associated with various place names in England, such as Dove Holes in Derbyshire and Dove Bridge in Staffordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the presence of doves or their association with people bearing the surname.

Notable historical figures with the surname DOVE include:

1. Thomas Dove (c. 1555-1630), an English mathematician and scholar at the University of Cambridge. 2. Henry Dove (1640-1695), an English nonconformist minister and author of several religious works. 3. John Dove (1561-1618), an English clergyman and scholar at the University of Cambridge. 4. Richard Dove (c. 1561-1642), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of King James I. 5. Edward Dove (1794-1857), an English author and poet known for his works on rural life and customs.

The surname DOVE has been present in various regions of England for centuries, with concentrations in counties such as Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire, reflecting its early origins and distribution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dove 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. Yorkshire leads with 628 Doves recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 628 1.90x
Middlesex 462 1.38x
Nottinghamshire 274 6.08x
Surrey 263 1.62x
Lincolnshire 165 3.09x
Kent 156 1.37x
Durham 143 1.44x
Norfolk 137 2.67x
Lancashire 129 0.33x
Essex 128 1.94x
Hampshire 112 1.64x
Northamptonshire 85 2.70x
Lanarkshire 77 0.71x
Derbyshire 56 1.07x
Leicestershire 51 1.38x
Northumberland 51 1.03x
Cheshire 44 0.60x
Somerset 44 0.82x
Suffolk 33 0.81x
Dorset 28 1.28x
Wiltshire 26 0.88x
Berkshire 25 1.00x
Roxburghshire 23 3.80x
Worcestershire 23 0.53x
Gloucestershire 22 0.34x
Sussex 21 0.37x
Midlothian 19 0.42x
Cornwall 18 0.48x
Angus 17 0.55x
Westmorland 15 2.04x
Selkirkshire 13 4.30x
Warwickshire 12 0.14x
Glamorgan 11 0.19x
Oxfordshire 9 0.44x
Shropshire 9 0.31x
Staffordshire 9 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.35x
Cumberland 7 0.24x
Radnorshire 7 2.60x
Fife 6 0.30x
Flintshire 6 0.67x
Hertfordshire 6 0.26x
Ayrshire 5 0.20x
Devon 5 0.07x
Kinross-shire 4 4.74x
Argyllshire 3 0.32x
Bedfordshire 3 0.17x
Buteshire 3 1.48x
Monmouthshire 3 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.09x
Royal Navy 2 0.50x
Sutherland 2 0.78x
Berwickshire 1 0.25x
Caithness 1 0.22x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Kincardineshire 1 0.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.21x
Merionethshire 1 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
West Lothian 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton In Ashfield in Nottinghamshire leads with 170 Doves recorded in 1881 and an index of 173.95x.

Place Total Index
Sutton In Ashfield 170 173.95x
Lambeth 58 1.99x
Duston 51 178.82x
Scarborough 43 14.29x
Bethnal Green London 34 2.34x
Islington London 32 0.99x
Kensington London 32 1.72x
Maidstone 31 9.13x
Saxelby With Ingleby 31 227.44x
St George Hanover Square 29 4.93x
Great Clacton 28 124.72x
St George In East London 28 8.91x
Govan 27 1.01x
Hackney London 26 1.39x
Bishopwearmouth 25 2.93x
Middleton On Wolds 24 330.12x
St Marylebone London 24 1.35x
Beverley St Martin 23 41.62x
Bermondsey 22 2.21x
Market Weighton Arras 22 102.28x
Newington 22 1.78x
Shadwell London 22 23.53x
Chelsea London 21 2.09x
St Pancras London 21 0.78x
Leicester St Mary 20 6.68x
Plumstead 20 5.26x
Carisbrooke 19 19.99x
Elswick 19 4.79x
Stranton 19 5.68x
Holy Trinity 18 2.26x
Hucknall Torkard 18 15.76x
Leeds 18 0.96x
Martham 18 143.31x
Reigate Borough 17 45.27x
Southwark Christchurch 17 10.86x
West Ham 17 1.17x
Bletchingley 16 75.33x
Brightside Bierlow 16 2.46x
Cambusnethan 16 6.67x
Croydon 16 1.77x
Gateshead 16 2.15x
Dewsbury 15 4.42x
Liversedge 15 10.18x
Middlesbrough 15 3.48x
Pendleton In Salford 15 3.18x
Barony 14 0.51x
Camberwell 14 0.66x
Mile End Old Town London 14 1.97x
Selston 14 27.83x
St George Martyr London 14 20.69x
Wortwell 14 294.12x
Deptford St Paul 13 1.48x
Great Yarmouth 13 3.06x
Ilkley 13 24.03x
Marske In Guisbrough 13 22.11x
Portsea 13 0.97x
Arnold 12 18.25x
Aston Cum Aughton 12 44.31x
Bridlington 12 15.83x
Cheddar 12 44.35x
Darlington 12 3.13x
Glasgow 12 0.63x
Heigham 12 4.35x
Leicester St Margaret 12 1.33x
Monk Hesleden 12 43.32x
Southampton St Mary 12 2.79x
Whitwood 12 25.52x
Aughton 11 700.64x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 11 9.71x
Galashiels 11 9.84x
Llantwit Vairdre 11 16.82x
Longbenton 11 5.22x
Middleton In Wharfedale 11 635.84x
Oldham 11 0.86x
Poplar London 11 1.74x
Reigate Foreign 11 6.24x
Sunbury 11 27.41x
Bromley London 10 1.36x
Paddington London 10 0.81x
Winfrith Newburgh 10 90.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 205
Sarah 122
Elizabeth 121
Jane 90
Ann 63
Eliza 54
Alice 48
Emma 46
Emily 43
Annie 42
Ellen 40
Hannah 30
Harriet 24
Margaret 24
Ada 23
Martha 23
Fanny 20
Florence 20
Edith 19
Kate 19
Louisa 18
Caroline 17
Clara 17
Charlotte 16
Maria 16
Agnes 13
Isabella 11
Lucy 11
Eleanor 10
Frances 10
Amelia 9
Rebecca 9
Anne 8
Catherine 8
Esther 8
Harriett 8
Susannah 8
Amy 7
Elizth. 7
Ethel 7
Gertrude 7
Jessie 7
Lizzie 7
Lydia 7
Susan 7
Anna 6
Grace 6
Matilda 6
May 6
Minnie 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 200
William 187
George 129
Thomas 111
James 94
Charles 89
Henry 87
Robert 53
Edward 43
Joseph 38
Arthur 35
Alfred 31
Frederick 30
Samuel 27
Walter 27
Richard 24
Albert 21
Harry 19
Ernest 18
Edwin 16
Benjamin 13
Daniel 13
Herbert 12
David 10
Frank 10
Fred 9
Jno. 8
Percy 8
Thos. 8
Christopher 7
Francis 6
Mark 6
Sidney 6
Wm. 6
Edmund 5
Fredrick 4
Isaac 4
Jonathan 4
Saml. 4
Tom 4
Chas. 3
Edgar 3
Ellis 3
Foster 3
G. 3
Geo. 3
Gilbert 3
Matthew 3
Reuben 3
W. 3

FAQ

Dove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,432 people were recorded with the Dove surname. That placed it at #1,331 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,353 in 2016. That gives Dove a modern rank of #1,565.

What does the Dove surname mean?

An English surname referring to a person who kept doves or lived near a dovecote.

What does the Dove map show?

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