NameCensus.

UK surname

Dowdle

Derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dubhdáleithe," meaning "descendant of the dark and blind one."

In the 1881 census there were 156 people recorded with the Dowdle surname, ranking it #15,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, down from #15,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Columb Major and Colan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Wiltshire and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dowdle is 244 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.5%.

1881 census count

156

Ranked #15,114

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

1998

244 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dowdle had 156 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 201 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Dowdle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dowdle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dowdle 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 101 #20,955
1881 historical 156 #15,114
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 201 #14,905
1997 modern 220 #16,607
1998 modern 244 #15,947
1999 modern 232 #16,594
2000 modern 233 #16,524
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 230 #16,730
2003 modern 239 #16,093
2004 modern 223 #16,965
2005 modern 211 #17,520
2006 modern 206 #17,945
2007 modern 205 #18,194
2008 modern 212 #17,950
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 200 #19,207
2013 modern 201 #19,454
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 199 #19,640
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

Back to top

Where Dowdles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Columb Major, Colan, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Wiltshire, Bristol, St. Helens and Cornwall. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 St Columb Major Cornwall
3 Colan Cornwall
4 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 017 Swansea
2 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire
3 Bristol 049 Bristol, City of
4 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
5 Cornwall 002 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dowdle

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dowdle

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Dowdle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dowdle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dowdle is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Dowdle is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dowdle 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 Dowdle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dowdle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dowdle

The surname DOWDLE has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "dol," meaning a meadow or valley, and the suffix "-del," indicating a portion or share. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or owned a meadow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DOWDLE can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a John Dowdle was baptized in 1587. The name also appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662 for Staffordshire, indicating its presence in that county during the 17th century.

The DOWDLE surname has its roots in various parts of England, including Suffolk, Staffordshire, and Lancashire. It is possible that the name originated independently in different regions, with similar derivations from local place names or descriptions of the landscape.

One notable individual with the surname DOWDLE was Sir John Dowdle (1642-1718), a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for Aldborough in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Another notable bearer of the name was William Dowdle (1766-1831), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was commended for his bravery in several battles.

In the 19th century, the DOWDLE name gained recognition through the works of the English author and poet Edward Dowdle (1811-1879), whose poems and essays were widely published in literary journals of the time. Another figure of note was Sarah Dowdle (1856-1932), a pioneering suffragette and campaigner for women's rights in the early 20th century.

The DOWDLE surname can also be traced to Ireland, where it is believed to have been adopted by families of English descent who settled in the country during the 17th and 18th centuries. One such individual was Patrick Dowdle (1732-1807), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of the Irish Parliament for County Fermanagh.

Throughout its history, the DOWDLE name has been subject to various spellings, including Dowdell, Dowdall, and Dowdle, reflecting regional variations and changes over time. However, the core meaning and origins of the surname remain rooted in the English countryside and its connection to meadows and valleys.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dowdle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dowdle 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. Devon leads with 27 Dowdles recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.52x.

County Total Index
Devon 27 8.52x
Glamorgan 27 10.19x
Cornwall 21 12.19x
Durham 18 3.98x
Wiltshire 16 11.89x
Middlesex 14 0.92x
Lancashire 9 0.50x
Hampshire 6 1.92x
Gloucestershire 5 1.68x
Derbyshire 3 1.26x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.46x
Lanarkshire 2 0.41x
West Lothian 2 8.73x
Angus 1 0.71x
Kent 1 0.19x
Surrey 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 22 Dowdles recorded in 1881 and an index of 101.29x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 22 101.29x
Barnstaple 13 261.57x
St Columb Major 10 699.30x
Shoreditch London 9 13.64x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 40.80x
Bradford On Avon 7 162.41x
Ladock 7 1428.57x
Alton 6 255.32x
Stranton 6 39.37x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 5 183.82x
Eastdown 5 2631.58x
Steeple Langford 5 1851.85x
St Columb Minor 4 275.86x
Bishopwearmouth 3 7.72x
Bolsover 3 252.10x
Buckland West 3 1578.95x
Melksham 3 128.21x
Neath 3 55.66x
Nottingham St Mary 3 5.66x
Ormskirk 3 86.71x
Bratton Fleming 2 740.74x
Bromley London 2 5.97x
Govan 2 1.64x
Kentisbury 2 1111.11x
Llangyfelach 2 202.02x
St Marylebone London 2 2.46x
West Derby 2 3.79x
Whitburn 2 60.42x
Worsley 2 17.97x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 7.36x
Corsley 1 188.68x
Dundee 1 1.90x
Eltham 1 32.89x
Hackney London 1 1.17x
Ilfracombe 1 30.67x
Newington 1 1.78x
Norton 1 60.24x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 4.10x
Withington 1 17.18x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Dowdle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dowdle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 156 people were recorded with the Dowdle surname. That placed it at #15,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dowdle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Dowdle a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Dowdle surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dubhdáleithe," meaning "descendant of the dark and blind one."

What does the Dowdle map show?

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