NameCensus.

UK surname

Dovey

An English surname derived from the Old English word "dufe" meaning dove.

In the 1881 census there were 1,144 people recorded with the Dovey surname, ranking it #3,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,471, ranked #4,188, down from #3,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Dudley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Test Valley, Shropshire and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dovey is 1,813 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.6%.

1881 census count

1,144

Ranked #3,500

Modern count

1,471

2016, ranked #4,188

Peak year

1911

1,813 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dovey had 1,144 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,471 in 2016, ranked #4,188.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,813 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dovey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dovey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dovey 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 769 #3,476
1861 historical 795 #3,460
1881 historical 1,144 #3,500
1891 historical 1,374 #3,161
1901 historical 1,641 #3,145
1911 historical 1,813 #2,712
1997 modern 1,552 #3,799
1998 modern 1,624 #3,785
1999 modern 1,629 #3,804
2000 modern 1,630 #3,784
2001 modern 1,584 #3,812
2002 modern 1,623 #3,796
2003 modern 1,578 #3,819
2004 modern 1,573 #3,837
2005 modern 1,571 #3,792
2006 modern 1,540 #3,862
2007 modern 1,517 #3,960
2008 modern 1,516 #3,985
2009 modern 1,535 #4,033
2010 modern 1,547 #4,089
2011 modern 1,534 #4,074
2012 modern 1,479 #4,137
2013 modern 1,496 #4,167
2014 modern 1,513 #4,150
2015 modern 1,473 #4,200
2016 modern 1,471 #4,188

Geography

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Where Doveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Dudley, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Test Valley, Shropshire, New Forest, Wiltshire and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Test Valley 013 Test Valley
2 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
3 New Forest 017 New Forest
4 Wiltshire 060 Wiltshire
5 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dovey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dovey

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dovey is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Dovey is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dovey

The surname Dovey is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dufe," meaning "dove," and was likely an occupational name for someone who kept or traded in doves. Alternatively, it could have been a nickname given to someone with a gentle or peaceful demeanor, akin to a dove.

The name Dovey first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, with one of the earliest documented instances being Robert Dove, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, which lists a Nicholas Dovey as a resident of the county.

During the 14th century, the Dovey surname began to spread across various regions of England. The Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327 record a John Dovey, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 mention a Thomas Dovey.

The name Dovey is also associated with several place names in England, such as Dovey Valley in Montgomeryshire, Wales, and Dovey Hill in Shropshire. These locations likely took their names from individuals bearing the Dovey surname who resided in or were associated with those areas.

One notable figure in history with the Dovey surname was Sir William Dovey (c. 1520-1609), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Radnorshire, Wales. He served as the High Sheriff of Radnorshire and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592.

Another prominent individual was John Dovey (1590-1652), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of St John's College, Oxford, from 1637 until his death in 1652.

In the 18th century, John Dovey (1718-1805) was a renowned clockmaker from Shropshire, known for his work on longcase clocks and other timepieces.

During the Victorian era, Edward Oram Dovey (1820-1891) was a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings, including St Mary's Church in Battersea and the Church of St John the Baptist in Putney.

In the 20th century, one of the most well-known individuals with the Dovey surname was Reverend Benjamin Dovey (1887-1965), a Welsh Baptist minister and author who wrote extensively on religious and theological topics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dovey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dovey 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. Worcestershire leads with 243 Doveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.63x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 243 16.63x
Middlesex 172 1.54x
Staffordshire 126 3.34x
Warwickshire 116 4.11x
Surrey 84 1.54x
Shropshire 71 7.34x
Gloucestershire 45 2.05x
Hampshire 37 1.61x
Nottinghamshire 36 2.39x
Lancashire 31 0.23x
Herefordshire 26 5.67x
Kent 21 0.55x
Sussex 21 1.11x
Wiltshire 16 1.62x
Essex 15 0.68x
Yorkshire 14 0.13x
Dorset 8 1.09x
Hertfordshire 7 0.91x
Somerset 7 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.89x
Cheshire 6 0.24x
Lincolnshire 6 0.34x
Cornwall 5 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.56x
Cumberland 4 0.42x
Berkshire 3 0.36x
Devon 3 0.13x
Midlothian 3 0.20x
Durham 2 0.06x
Glamorgan 2 0.10x
Cardiganshire 1 0.37x
Channel Islands 1 0.30x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.28x
Radnorshire 1 1.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.75x
Suffolk 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 72 Doveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.66x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 72 7.66x
Aston 38 4.89x
Kings Norton 31 23.66x
St Pancras London 31 3.44x
Sedgley 25 17.82x
Wolverhampton 25 8.61x
Worcester St Clement 25 269.11x
Worcester St Peter 25 90.38x
Islington London 24 2.21x
Dudley 21 11.82x
Hanley Castle 21 240.27x
Lambeth 18 1.85x
Kirkby In Ashfield 16 99.19x
Newland 16 86.77x
Claines 15 37.41x
Cleobury Mortimer 13 213.46x
Tipton 13 11.24x
Hindlip 12 1200.00x
Kingswinford 12 8.75x
St George Hanover Square 12 6.09x
Alveley 11 287.21x
Annesley 11 193.66x
Battersea 10 2.43x
Burford 10 606.06x
Camberwell 10 1.40x
Kingston On Thames 10 7.64x
Mile End Old Town London 10 4.20x
Alfrick 9 523.26x
Burley 9 370.37x
Hammersmith London 9 3.27x
Kirkdale 9 4.03x
Martley 9 214.80x
Portsea 9 2.00x
Shrewsbury St Julian 9 37.64x
St Giles In Fields London 9 16.40x
Bilston 8 10.93x
Brighton 8 2.10x
Great Malvern 8 26.24x
Kidderminster Borough 8 9.35x
Melcombe Regis 8 26.29x
Stratton St Margaret 8 52.70x
West Wellow 8 361.99x
Batley 7 6.64x
Cheltenham 7 4.13x
Edgmond 7 65.79x
Godalming 7 20.40x
Newcastle Under Lyme 7 10.47x
South Hamlet 7 51.55x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.11x
St Marylebone London 7 1.17x
Westminster St John 7 5.14x
Wick Abson 7 208.33x
Wollescote 7 59.47x
Worcester St Nicholas 7 101.16x
Cliffe 6 69.69x
Eccleshall 6 41.90x
Great Grimsby 6 5.28x
Linton In Bromyard 6 300.00x
Minstead 6 181.82x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 12.39x
St Martin In Fields 6 8.96x
West Ham 6 1.23x
Bermondsey 5 1.50x
Bushbury 5 73.75x
Bushey 5 27.23x
Camborne 5 9.58x
Chaddesley Corbett 5 91.24x
Clerkenwell London 5 1.89x
Egham 5 14.94x
Everton 5 1.18x
Felstead 5 66.05x
Ledbury 5 31.73x
Liscard 5 11.24x
Paddington London 5 1.22x
Plumstead 5 3.93x
St Sepulchre London 5 30.53x
Stoke Mandeville 5 263.16x
Upton On Severn 5 52.25x
Wardleworth 5 6.59x
Wolstanton 5 4.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 74
Thomas 47
John 45
George 40
James 36
Charles 35
Henry 29
Alfred 19
Joseph 18
Frederick 15
Frank 14
Samuel 12
Walter 12
Arthur 10
Edward 10
Edwin 8
Albert 6
Harry 6
Richard 6
Robert 6
Ernest 5
Mark 5
Sidney 5
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Wm. 4
Edmund 3
Thos. 3
Allen 2
David 2
Fredrick 2
Hugh 2
Jonathan 2
Luke 2
Noah 2
Alexr 1
Allwin 1
Bertram 1
Binnie 1
C. 1
Caleb 1
Edwd. 1
Effie 1
Eli 1
Elizabeth 1
Hy. 1
Jno.M. 1
Job 1

FAQ

Dovey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dovey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,144 people were recorded with the Dovey surname. That placed it at #3,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dovey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,471 in 2016. That gives Dovey a modern rank of #4,188.

What does the Dovey surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "dufe" meaning dove.

What does the Dovey map show?

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