NameCensus.

UK surname

Dowbiggin

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Dowbiggin surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 82, ranked #32,895, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Bentham and Tatham, Thornton-in-Ireby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Powys and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dowbiggin is 145 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.3%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

82

2016, ranked #32,895

Peak year

1901

145 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 1911

Key insights

  • Dowbiggin had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016, ranked #32,895.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dowbiggin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dowbiggin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dowbiggin 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 143 #18,920
1901 historical 145 #18,426
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 99 #27,906
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 92 #29,929
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 88 #32,495
2015 modern 81 #32,975
2016 modern 82 #32,895

Geography

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Where Dowbiggins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Bentham, Tatham, Thornton-in-Ireby, Toxteth Park and Millom, Muncaster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Powys, Bath and North East Somerset, Cambridge and Pendle. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Bentham Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Tatham, Thornton-in-Ireby Lancashire
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Millom, Muncaster Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 008 Copeland
2 Powys 007 Powys
3 Bath and North East Somerset 008 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Cambridge 004 Cambridge
5 Pendle 003 Pendle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dowbiggin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dowbiggin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dowbiggin, 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 Dowbiggin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dowbiggin 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dowbiggin 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

Dowbiggin 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

Dowbiggin falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Dowbiggin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dowbiggin 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. Lancashire leads with 64 Dowbiggins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 64 4.94x
Yorkshire 22 2.03x
Westmorland 16 66.64x
Cheshire 6 2.49x
Cumberland 2 2.13x
Gloucestershire 1 0.47x
Worcestershire 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 24 Dowbiggins recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.68x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 24 54.68x
Preston 10 28.84x
Lupton 6 7500.00x
Stockport 6 48.35x
Tatham 6 3000.00x
Warton With Lindeth 6 1111.11x
Garsdale 5 2173.91x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 5 862.07x
Holbeck 5 69.74x
Ingleton 5 819.67x
Kendal 5 113.90x
Quernmore 5 2272.73x
Halton 4 1481.48x
Bentham 3 365.85x
Lower Booths 3 129.31x
Castleford 2 50.76x
Lancaster 2 25.94x
Yealand Conyers 2 1666.67x
Austwick 1 555.56x
Cleator 1 25.58x
Hillhampton 1 2000.00x
Hook 1 42.02x
Penrith 1 28.82x
Silverdale 1 555.56x
Ulverston 1 26.46x
Westbury On Trym 1 13.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 13
Thomas 9
James 4
Richard 3
William 3
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Christopher 1
F. 1
Ferdinand 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Isabella 1
Joshua 1
Lawrence 1
Moses 1
Ormanby 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Dowbiggin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dowbiggin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Dowbiggin surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dowbiggin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016. That gives Dowbiggin a modern rank of #32,895.

What does the Dowbiggin map show?

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