NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunwoodie

From a wooded hill or valley.

In the 1881 census there were 151 people recorded with the Dunwoodie surname, ranking it #15,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 242, ranked #17,177, down from #15,419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Gateshead and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Stevenston North West and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunwoodie is 273 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.3%.

1881 census count

151

Ranked #15,419

Modern count

242

2016, ranked #17,177

Peak year

2002

273 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunwoodie had 151 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016, ranked #17,177.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dunwoodie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunwoodie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunwoodie 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 64 #21,914
1861 historical 101 #20,955
1881 historical 151 #15,419
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 262 #14,814
1998 modern 271 #14,883
1999 modern 258 #15,467
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 260 #15,113
2002 modern 273 #14,892
2003 modern 265 #15,025
2004 modern 268 #14,995
2005 modern 261 #15,216
2006 modern 250 #15,749
2007 modern 246 #16,086
2008 modern 254 #15,903
2009 modern 257 #16,099
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 264 #16,016
2012 modern 257 #16,212
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 245 #17,140
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 242 #17,177

Geography

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Where Dunwoodies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Stevenston North West, Newcastle upon Tyne, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall and Trafford. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 026 Northumberland
2 Stevenston North West North Ayrshire
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 014 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall East Renfrewshire
5 Trafford 013 Trafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunwoodie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunwoodie

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Dunwoodie is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Dunwoodie 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

Dunwoodie 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 Dunwoodie 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 Dunwoodie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dunwoodie

The surname Dunwoodie originates from Scotland, tracing its roots back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Scots Gaelic "dùn" meaning hill or fort, and "codaidh" meaning a wood or forest. Essentially, Dunwoodie refers to someone who lived near a wooded hill or fortified area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1456, where a John Dunwoddy is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time, with other early forms including Dunwoddy, Dunwoody, and Dunwody.

The Dunwoodie name is closely linked to the historic lands of Dunwoodie in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. This area likely gave rise to the surname, as families often adopted toponymic names derived from the places they inhabited.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir James Dunwoodie, who lived in the 16th century and served as a Scottish knight and landowner. His descendants continued to hold influence in the region for generations.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Dunwoodie (1619-1677), a Scottish minister and academic who served as Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1668 until his death.

In the 18th century, William Dunwoodie (1734-1819) was a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow through his charitable endeavors.

The Dunwoodie surname also has ties to Ireland, as many Scottish families migrated and settled there over the centuries. One notable Irish bearer was Robert Dunwoodie (1802-1871), a Presbyterian minister and educator who played a role in the establishment of higher education institutions in the country.

John Dunwoodie (1825-1893) was a Scottish-born Canadian manufacturer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the late 19th century.

Throughout its history, the Dunwoodie surname has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, Ireland, and the broader Scottish diaspora, reflecting the cultural and geographical roots from which it emerged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunwoodie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunwoodie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 44 Dunwoodies recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.18x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 44 9.18x
Northumberland 30 13.60x
Ayrshire 16 14.42x
Stirlingshire 16 29.26x
Kirkcudbrightshire 13 60.58x
Lancashire 8 0.45x
Renfrewshire 7 6.09x
Cumberland 6 4.70x
Hampshire 3 0.99x
Durham 2 0.45x
Surrey 2 0.28x
Angus 1 0.73x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.51x
Midlothian 1 0.50x
Royal Navy 1 5.66x
Yorkshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hexham in Northumberland leads with 20 Dunwoodies recorded in 1881 and an index of 586.51x.

Place Total Index
Hexham 20 586.51x
New Monkland 17 119.97x
Campsie 16 533.33x
Govan 13 10.96x
Urr 7 250.90x
Auckinleck 5 145.77x
Barony 5 4.12x
Corsenside 5 1428.57x
Crossmichael 5 735.29x
Glasgow 5 5.87x
Paisley High Church 5 54.64x
Carmichael 4 1000.00x
Kilbirnie 4 150.38x
Kilwinning 4 111.73x
Low Holme 4 555.56x
Acomb 3 555.56x
Ardrossan 3 78.13x
Moss Side 3 32.40x
Portsea 3 5.04x
Toxteth Park 3 5.04x
Lambeth 2 1.55x
Abbey 1 5.70x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.64x
Corbridge 1 123.46x
Darlington 1 5.87x
East Greenock 1 9.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.25x
Elswick 1 5.68x
Everton 1 1.78x
Kelton 1 56.82x
Kirkdale 1 3.38x
Rescobie 1 285.71x
Rickergate 1 37.04x
Row 1 19.42x
Royal Navy 1 6.62x
Sedbergh 1 185.19x
St Mary Within 1 62.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 4
Ann 1
Annie 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Lallah 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Matilda 1
Rosanna 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Wm. 2
Daniel 1
David 1
Frederick 1
George 1
James 1
Matthew 1
W.Edward 1
William 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 Dunwoodie households.

FAQ

Dunwoodie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunwoodie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 151 people were recorded with the Dunwoodie surname. That placed it at #15,419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunwoodie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016. That gives Dunwoodie a modern rank of #17,177.

What does the Dunwoodie surname mean?

From a wooded hill or valley.

What does the Dunwoodie map show?

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