NameCensus.

UK surname

Dudgeon

An archaic word referring to great anger or outraged feelings.

In the 1881 census there were 621 people recorded with the Dudgeon surname, ranking it #5,686 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 766, ranked #7,167, down from #5,686 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Inveresk, Govan Combination and Dollar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ08, Northumberland and IZ10.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dudgeon is 790 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.3%.

1881 census count

621

Ranked #5,686

Modern count

766

2016, ranked #7,167

Peak year

2010

790 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dudgeon had 621 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,686 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 766 in 2016, ranked #7,167.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 739 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dudgeon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dudgeon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dudgeon 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 489 #5,104
1861 historical 509 #5,134
1881 historical 621 #5,686
1891 historical 671 #5,809
1901 historical 739 #6,003
1911 historical 317 #11,011
1997 modern 696 #7,278
1998 modern 737 #7,200
1999 modern 719 #7,369
2000 modern 727 #7,282
2001 modern 696 #7,401
2002 modern 725 #7,308
2003 modern 722 #7,209
2004 modern 715 #7,263
2005 modern 716 #7,196
2006 modern 701 #7,342
2007 modern 727 #7,240
2008 modern 736 #7,214
2009 modern 767 #7,118
2010 modern 790 #7,101
2011 modern 764 #7,200
2012 modern 738 #7,316
2013 modern 743 #7,403
2014 modern 747 #7,403
2015 modern 761 #7,217
2016 modern 766 #7,167

Geography

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Where Dudgeons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Inveresk, Govan Combination, Dollar, Edinburgh and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ08, Northumberland, IZ10 and Bannockburn. 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 Inveresk Edinburgh
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dollar Clackmannan
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ08 East Lothian
2 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
4 IZ10 East Lothian
5 Bannockburn Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dudgeon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dudgeon

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dudgeon 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

Dudgeon 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

Dudgeon falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dudgeon

The surname Dudgeon has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "dudgeon," which referred to a type of wood used for making handles and hilts of swords or daggers. This connection suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for a maker of hilts or sword handles.

The name Dudgeon first appears in written records in the 13th century, with references to individuals bearing this surname in various parts of Scotland. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Robert de Dudingstoune, who is mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England.

In the 15th century, the name Dudgeon can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records of the royal court. One notable mention is of John Dudgein, who was granted lands in the county of Fife in the year 1437.

The Dudgeon surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Dudingston, a village near Edinburgh, and Duddingston Loch, a body of water in the same area. These place names likely share the same etymological root as the surname, further reinforcing its Scottish origins.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Dudgeon. One of the earliest was Sir Andrew Dudgeon (c. 1550-1628), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland. Another prominent figure was William Dudgeon (1753-1813), a Scottish physician and writer who published works on various medical topics.

In the 19th century, Robert Ellis Dudgeon (1820-1904) was a notable English homeopathic physician and author, known for his contributions to the field of homeopathy. Another individual of note was Patrick Dudgeon (1842-1909), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

One of the most recent notable individuals with the surname Dudgeon was Ralph Dudgeon (1909-1997), a British actor and screenwriter who had a successful career in both film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role in the 1951 film "The Man in the White Suit."

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname Dudgeon who have left their mark on history in various fields, from politics and medicine to the arts and entertainment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dudgeon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dudgeon 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. Midlothian leads with 166 Dudgeons recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.36x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 166 20.36x
East Lothian 70 86.83x
Northumberland 43 4.75x
Lanarkshire 42 2.13x
Middlesex 42 0.69x
Fife 31 8.60x
Clackmannanshire 29 57.69x
Leicestershire 29 4.30x
Surrey 24 0.81x
Lancashire 21 0.29x
Durham 19 1.05x
Yorkshire 19 0.32x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 11.35x
Ayrshire 9 1.98x
Renfrewshire 7 1.48x
Norfolk 6 0.64x
Roxburghshire 6 5.44x
Selkirkshire 6 10.90x
Carmarthenshire 4 1.56x
Kent 4 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.49x
Sutherland 4 8.55x
West Lothian 4 4.36x
Berkshire 3 0.66x
Cheshire 3 0.22x
Perthshire 3 1.10x
Angus 2 0.35x
Berwickshire 2 2.71x
Gloucestershire 2 0.17x
Hertfordshire 2 0.48x
Royal Navy 2 2.76x
Stirlingshire 2 0.89x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.27x
Channel Islands 1 0.55x
Morayshire 1 1.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 40 Dudgeons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.19x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 40 12.19x
Dunfermline 23 41.51x
Dollar 22 422.26x
Edinburgh St Georges 21 124.11x
Bermondsey 18 9.93x
Inveresk 18 81.52x
Bishopwearmouth 12 7.72x
Duddingston 12 73.30x
Govan 11 2.26x
Liberton 11 87.37x
Berwick North 10 176.99x
Berwick Upon Tweed 10 52.11x
Gladsmuir 10 278.55x
St Marylebone London 10 3.08x
Aylestone 9 169.17x
Barony 9 1.81x
Hammersmith London 9 6.00x
Troqueer 9 77.85x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 9 409.09x
Glencorse 8 255.59x
Leicester St Margaret 8 4.86x
Pencaitland 8 347.83x
Sharow 8 1012.66x
St George Hanover Square 8 7.46x
Alloa 7 28.71x
Edinburgh New North 7 98.59x
Heaton 7 232.56x
Kilmarnock 7 12.91x
Lasswade 7 37.55x
Leicester St Mary 7 12.84x
North Leith 7 18.55x
South Leith 7 7.63x
Whittinghame 7 522.39x
Cambusnethan 6 13.72x
Carluke 6 33.56x
Cathcart 6 23.51x
Heeley 6 32.73x
Newton In Makerfield 6 27.12x
South Lynn 6 56.82x
Weetslade 6 379.75x
Battersea 5 2.23x
Haddington 5 42.02x
Leslie 5 54.82x
Melrose 5 36.08x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 10.65x
Ratho 5 131.58x
Stockton On Tees 5 5.73x
Temple 5 154.32x
Tranent 5 45.91x
Dunbar 4 35.40x
Edinburgh Greenside 4 37.14x
Everton 4 1.74x
Glasgow 4 1.14x
Hackney London 4 1.17x
Holy Trinity St Mary 4 43.57x
Kensington London 4 1.18x
Liverpool 4 0.91x
Llanelly 4 6.92x
Melrose 4 41.97x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 7.40x
Quorndon 4 105.54x
Aberlady 3 143.54x
Bathgate 3 15.08x
Cheetham 3 5.57x
Edinburgh Canongate 3 14.46x
Folkestone 3 7.45x
Golspie 3 92.59x
Humbie 3 157.89x
Kingston Lisle 3 428.57x
Longbenton 3 7.82x
Morham 3 681.82x
Old Monkland 3 3.84x
Prestonpans 3 55.45x
Ancrum 2 69.93x
Cockpen 2 20.99x
Galston 2 16.05x
Royal Navy 2 3.23x
Rutherglen 2 6.93x
St Andrews 2 12.20x
Teddington London 2 14.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Margaret 9
Elizabeth 8
Alice 7
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Lizzie 3
Caroline 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Anna 1
Bessie 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
E.M. 1
Easter 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Emmaline 1
F.E. 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Herbert 1
Isabelle 1
L. 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Milly 1
Nora 1
Rubey 1
Zoe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
Robert 12
Thomas 12
William 11
James 7
Henry 5
Joseph 4
Andrew 3
Peter 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Gerald 1
Harper 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J.E. 1
Jno.M. 1
Josh. 1
Kenneth 1
Leonard 1
Nathan 1
Norman 1
Patrick 1
Robt. 1
Robt.E. 1
St.Clair 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Dudgeon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dudgeon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 621 people were recorded with the Dudgeon surname. That placed it at #5,686 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dudgeon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 766 in 2016. That gives Dudgeon a modern rank of #7,167.

What does the Dudgeon surname mean?

An archaic word referring to great anger or outraged feelings.

What does the Dudgeon map show?

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