NameCensus.

UK surname

Dufty

A surname originating from the Middle English word 'doughty', meaning brave or formidable.

In the 1881 census there were 207 people recorded with the Dufty surname, ranking it #12,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 293, ranked #14,981, down from #12,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Caerphilly and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dufty is 400 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.5%.

1881 census count

207

Ranked #12,555

Modern count

293

2016, ranked #14,981

Peak year

1911

400 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dufty had 207 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 293 in 2016, ranked #14,981.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 400 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dufty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dufty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dufty 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 204 #10,250
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 207 #12,555
1891 historical 302 #11,058
1901 historical 371 #9,997
1911 historical 400 #9,280
1997 modern 286 #13,942
1998 modern 299 #13,908
1999 modern 307 #13,757
2000 modern 292 #14,165
2001 modern 290 #14,033
2002 modern 296 #14,110
2003 modern 299 #13,850
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 304 #13,724
2006 modern 307 #13,695
2007 modern 300 #14,048
2008 modern 299 #14,177
2009 modern 302 #14,353
2010 modern 305 #14,561
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 294 #14,705
2013 modern 307 #14,522
2014 modern 306 #14,647
2015 modern 292 #15,046
2016 modern 293 #14,981

Geography

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Where Duftys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew and Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Caerphilly, Wychavon, South Staffordshire and Tewkesbury. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
4 Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew Worcestershire
5 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 001 West Devon
2 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
3 Wychavon 012 Wychavon
4 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
5 Tewkesbury 003 Tewkesbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dufty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dufty

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dufty 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

Dufty is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dufty falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dufty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dufty

The surname Dufty is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "duffi," which means "dove." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a nickname to someone with a gentle, dove-like demeanor or possibly a keeper of doves.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Duffi." This ancient survey, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames and their variations across different regions of England during the 11th century.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into its more modern spelling of "Dufty." In 1273, a record in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire mentions a person named John Dufty, indicating the widespread use of the surname in that county.

Throughout the centuries, the Dufty name has been associated with various places and families across England. For instance, in the 16th century, there were records of the Dufty family residing in the village of Coverham, located in the Yorkshire Dales.

One notable bearer of the Dufty surname was Sir Thomas Dufty (1552-1616), a prominent English jurist and Member of Parliament who served as the Solicitor General during the reign of King James I. Another distinguished individual was Reverend William Dufty (1675-1743), a renowned Anglican clergyman and author who published several theological works.

In the 18th century, the Dufty name gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of writer and poet Elizabeth Dufty (1738-1816). Her published works, which included poetry and novels, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.

The 19th century saw the rise of Charles Dufty (1821-1898), an influential industrialist and entrepreneur who established several successful manufacturing businesses in the north of England. His contributions to the local economy and employment opportunities were significant.

As the centuries progressed, the Dufty surname continued to be carried by individuals across various professions and walks of life, further solidifying its place in the annals of English history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dufty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dufty 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 56 Duftys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.32x.

County Total Index
Devon 56 13.32x
Yorkshire 33 1.65x
Somerset 32 9.84x
Surrey 25 2.54x
Nottinghamshire 23 8.45x
Worcestershire 17 6.45x
Gloucestershire 7 1.77x
Herefordshire 7 8.45x
Warwickshire 2 0.39x
Berwickshire 1 4.09x
Flintshire 1 1.84x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Middlesex 1 0.05x
Staffordshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 32 Duftys recorded in 1881 and an index of 104.78x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 32 104.78x
Sheffield 19 29.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 29.53x
Northlew 10 1886.79x
Hatherleigh 9 857.14x
Camberwell 7 5.43x
Pershore Holy Cross 7 414.20x
Broadwoodwidger 6 1250.00x
Lowdham 6 1176.47x
Winkleigh 6 714.29x
Egg Buckland 5 694.44x
Linthorpe 5 41.88x
Much Cowarne 5 1470.59x
Newington 5 6.70x
Tuxford 5 746.27x
Beeston 4 127.80x
Bradford 4 8.26x
Lifton 4 396.04x
Pershore St Andrew 4 275.86x
Stoke 4 235.29x
West Worlington 4 3076.92x
Clifton 3 14.99x
Sheepwash 3 1034.48x
West Dean 3 46.66x
Berkswell 2 198.02x
Dawlish 2 63.69x
Dudley 2 6.24x
Epperstone 2 666.67x
Marden 2 344.83x
Middlesbrough 2 7.67x
Okehampton 2 126.58x
Ordsall 2 96.15x
Snenton 2 18.71x
Tickhill 2 156.25x
Upton On Severn 2 115.61x
Birkdale 1 16.50x
Bromsgrove 1 11.26x
Claines 1 13.81x
Crediton 1 25.13x
Doncaster 1 6.84x
Dunse 1 43.10x
Holy Trinity Less London 1 196.08x
Lambeth 1 0.57x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.42x
Rowley Regis 1 5.27x
St Asaph 1 92.59x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 16.92x
Tewkesbury 1 28.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 7
Jane 6
Ann 5
Emily 4
Kate 4
Alice 3
Emma 3
Lydia 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Iset 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Frederick 1
Grace 1
Hanna 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lilian 1
Margaret 1
Margarite 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Penelope 1
Penlopey 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
Thomas 11
James 8
William 8
Samuel 6
Alfred 5
Henry 4
Richard 4
Andrew 3
Bryan 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Patrick 2
Aaron 1
Bryant 1
Carolus 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
George 1
Laurence 1
Noel 1
Perry 1
Peter 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Thos.E. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Dufty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dufty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 207 people were recorded with the Dufty surname. That placed it at #12,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dufty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 293 in 2016. That gives Dufty a modern rank of #14,981.

What does the Dufty surname mean?

A surname originating from the Middle English word 'doughty', meaning brave or formidable.

What does the Dufty map show?

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