NameCensus.

UK surname

Duffie

A Scottish surname derived from a place name containing the Gaelic element dubh meaning "dark" or "black".

In the 1881 census there were 204 people recorded with the Duffie surname, ranking it #12,682 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #12,682 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carse and Grangemouth Old Town, IZ04 and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duffie is 340 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.7%.

1881 census count

204

Ranked #12,682

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1851

340 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duffie had 204 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,682 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 340 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Duffie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duffie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duffie 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 340 #6,905
1861 historical 323 #7,888
1881 historical 204 #12,682
1891 historical 196 #15,163
1901 historical 226 #14,006
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 111 #26,291
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 116 #25,580
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 120 #27,124
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Duffies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carse and Grangemouth Old Town, IZ04, Middlesbrough, West Dorset and IZ03. 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 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carse and Grangemouth Old Town Falkirk
2 IZ04 West Dunbartonshire
3 Middlesbrough 008 Middlesbrough
4 West Dorset 009 West Dorset
5 IZ03 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duffie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duffie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Duffie, 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 Duffie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Duffie 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Duffie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Duffie is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Duffie 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 Duffie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Duffie

The surname Duffie originated in Scotland, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "dubh," meaning "dark" or "black," and is likely to have been a nickname for someone with dark hair or a dark complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Duffie" in this document, suggesting that the spelling had already been established by that time.

In the 14th century, the name Duffie appeared in various historical records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it was often associated with individuals from the counties of Fife and Angus. The name may have originated in one of these regions, although it later spread throughout Scotland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Duffie surname was found in various parts of Scotland, including Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. One notable individual from this period was John Duffie (1555-1622), a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh who was involved in trade with the Netherlands.

In the 18th century, the Duffie surname became more widespread across Scotland, with records indicating families in regions such as Aberdeenshire and the Highlands. One notable figure from this time was James Duffie (1745-1819), a Scottish soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Another prominent individual with the surname Duffie was Robert Duffie (1823-1898), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was known for his support of various educational and charitable causes in his later years.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, individuals with the Duffie surname continued to be found across Scotland, as well as in other parts of the United Kingdom and in countries like the United States and Canada, where Scottish immigrants had settled.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duffie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duffie 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 48 Duffies recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.92x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 48 17.92x
Lanarkshire 47 7.27x
Dunbartonshire 17 31.63x
Angus 14 7.56x
Renfrewshire 13 8.39x
Ayrshire 12 8.02x
Berwickshire 11 45.42x
Wigtownshire 7 26.37x
Aberdeenshire 5 2.70x
Inverness-shire 5 8.37x
Lancashire 5 0.21x
Middlesex 3 0.15x
Sussex 3 0.89x
Durham 2 0.34x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 6.91x
Northumberland 2 0.67x
Perthshire 2 2.23x
Stirlingshire 2 2.71x
Cumberland 1 0.58x
Morayshire 1 3.22x
Royal Navy 1 4.20x
West Lothian 1 3.32x
Yorkshire 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 Canongate in Midlothian leads with 11 Duffies recorded in 1881 and an index of 161.29x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh Canongate 11 161.29x
Glasgow 11 9.58x
Edinburgh Greenside 10 282.49x
Dundee 9 13.01x
New Kilpatrick 9 176.13x
Barony 8 4.89x
Dalziel 8 114.94x
Lauder 8 597.01x
Cambusnethan 7 48.75x
Edinburgh Old Church 7 325.58x
Govan 7 4.38x
Mearns 7 258.30x
Penninghame 7 258.30x
St Quivox 7 138.34x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 5.57x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 115.16x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 14.43x
Edinburgh Tron Church 5 396.83x
Inverness 5 33.29x
Liff Benvie 5 17.78x
Bonhill 4 46.35x
Stevenston 4 102.56x
Cadder 3 62.76x
Coldingham 3 137.61x
Dumbarton 3 40.11x
Eaglesham 3 315.79x
Hastings All Sts 3 94.34x
Bothwell 2 11.40x
Corstorphine 2 135.14x
Manchester 2 1.87x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 12.97x
St George Hanover Square 2 5.68x
Urr 2 53.05x
West Greenock 2 7.19x
Abercorn 1 166.67x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 5.31x
Cockermouth 1 27.62x
Dundonald 1 18.12x
Edinburgh Old 1 61.35x
Edinkillie 1 123.46x
Glassford 1 100.00x
Kensington London 1 0.90x
Kilsyth 1 21.28x
Leeds 1 0.89x
Liverpool 1 0.69x
Monzievaird Strowan 1 208.33x
Paisley Middle Church 1 11.09x
Port Of Monteith 1 123.46x
Roseneath 1 97.09x
Royal Navy 1 4.91x
South Shields 1 18.87x
Stirling 1 10.75x
Stretford 1 7.66x
Tudhoe 1 19.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
William 2
Arthur 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
J. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Duffie households.

FAQ

Duffie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duffie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 204 people were recorded with the Duffie surname. That placed it at #12,682 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duffie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Duffie a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Duffie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name containing the Gaelic element dubh meaning "dark" or "black".

What does the Duffie map show?

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