NameCensus.

UK surname

Duxbury

A habitational name from any of various places called Duxbury in southern England.

In the 1881 census there were 2,014 people recorded with the Duxbury surname, ranking it #2,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,900, ranked #3,343, down from #2,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bolton-le-Moors and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duxbury is 2,644 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.7%.

1881 census count

2,014

Ranked #2,183

Modern count

1,900

2016, ranked #3,343

Peak year

1901

2,644 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duxbury had 2,014 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,900 in 2016, ranked #3,343.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,644 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Duxbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duxbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duxbury 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 1,105 #2,543
1861 historical 954 #2,905
1881 historical 2,014 #2,183
1891 historical 2,282 #2,048
1901 historical 2,644 #2,088
1911 historical 2,595 #1,975
1997 modern 2,070 #2,971
1998 modern 2,095 #3,045
1999 modern 2,107 #3,049
2000 modern 2,092 #3,057
2001 modern 2,060 #3,031
2002 modern 2,106 #3,039
2003 modern 2,061 #3,042
2004 modern 2,022 #3,088
2005 modern 1,963 #3,140
2006 modern 1,970 #3,138
2007 modern 1,960 #3,177
2008 modern 1,964 #3,186
2009 modern 2,025 #3,179
2010 modern 2,038 #3,226
2011 modern 2,014 #3,221
2012 modern 1,923 #3,293
2013 modern 1,956 #3,304
2014 modern 1,951 #3,326
2015 modern 1,926 #3,327
2016 modern 1,900 #3,343

Geography

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Where Duxburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bolton-le-Moors, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
3 Blackburn with Darwen 011 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Hyndburn 006 Hyndburn
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duxbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duxbury

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Duxbury surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Duxbury household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Duxbury 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

Duxbury 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

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

Meaning and origin of Duxbury

The surname Duxbury has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name "Duxbury" which is found in various locations across the country, particularly in Lancashire and Cheshire.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Duxeberie" and "Duxeberge." The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dux" meaning "duke" or "leader," and "burg" meaning "fortified place" or "town."

The earliest recorded bearer of the name was William de Duxbury, who was mentioned in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls in 1176. Another early mention is that of Henricus de Duxburi, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various spellings such as Duxbery, Duxbury, and Duxberie. One notable bearer was Roger de Duxbury, who was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Cheshire in 1297.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name spread to other parts of England, and bearers of the name can be found in various historical records. One example is John Duxbury, who was born in Chorley, Lancashire, in 1570 and served as a Member of Parliament for Liverpool in 1624.

Another notable figure was Thomas Duxbury (1679-1738), a prominent English Quaker and author from Lancashire. He wrote several religious works, including "A Compendious View of the Truth as it is in Jesus."

In the 19th century, the name continued to be prominent in Lancashire, with individuals such as James Duxbury (1801-1879), a cotton manufacturer and philanthropist from Bolton. He founded the Duxbury Park in Bolton, which was later renamed Queen's Park.

Other notable bearers of the Duxbury surname include William Duxbury (1824-1898), an English cricketer who played for Lancashire and England, and John Neville Duxbury (1857-1920), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Chorley.

The name Duxbury has also been found in various parts of the world, particularly in countries with strong British colonial ties, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, where it was carried by English settlers and immigrants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duxbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duxbury 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. Lancashire leads with 1,690 Duxburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,690 7.26x
Yorkshire 271 1.39x
Cheshire 11 0.25x
Leicestershire 7 0.32x
Durham 4 0.07x
Essex 4 0.10x
Middlesex 3 0.02x
Westmorland 3 0.70x
Devon 2 0.05x
Hampshire 2 0.05x
Kent 2 0.03x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Surrey 2 0.02x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Flintshire 1 0.19x
Isle of Man 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 0.43x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 332 Duxburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.63x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 332 53.63x
Over Darwen 252 135.60x
Padiham 91 161.89x
Accrington 82 38.77x
Little Bolton 64 21.39x
Colne 50 72.14x
Oswaldtwistle 48 58.39x
Beeston 46 234.10x
Church 43 130.90x
Halliwell 39 46.06x
Lower Darwen 39 127.70x
Hunslet 37 12.21x
Oldham 36 4.79x
Salford 34 4.97x
Chorley 31 23.74x
Bingley 30 24.24x
Preston 28 4.50x
Withnell 28 196.08x
Simonstone 23 812.72x
Wortley In Bramley 22 14.30x
Royton 20 28.10x
Castleton 17 7.32x
Thornton In Craven 17 109.04x
Great Harwood 15 35.66x
Sharples 15 59.43x
Tottington Lower End 15 13.57x
Witton 15 51.25x
Leeds 14 1.28x
Clayton Le Moors 13 28.80x
Burnley 12 6.12x
Bury 12 4.52x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 3.25x
Great Little Marsden 12 11.26x
Habergham Eaves 12 5.64x
Little Harwood 12 285.04x
Butterworth 11 19.40x
Farnworth 11 7.89x
Ribchester 11 125.14x
Bolton In Bradford 10 80.26x
Tonge With Haulgh 10 22.08x
Walton Le Dale 10 15.99x
Bradshaw 9 177.51x
Hapton 9 61.90x
Hopwood 9 29.59x
Horton In Bradford 9 2.97x
Liverpool 9 0.64x
Manningham 9 3.76x
Rishton 9 32.98x
Wuerdle Wardle 9 12.74x
Churwell 8 60.38x
Garston 8 11.65x
Gildersome 8 34.25x
Great Bolton 8 2.60x
Wooldale 8 24.28x
Barrow In Furness 7 2.21x
Entwistle 7 305.68x
Leicester St Margaret 7 1.32x
Medlar With Wesham 7 100.29x
Radcliffe 7 6.24x
Ashton In Makerfield 6 9.06x
Billington 6 63.16x
Grimsargh With 6 241.94x
Manchester 6 0.57x
Paythorne 6 895.52x
Blatchinworth 5 9.44x
Broughton In Salford 5 2.35x
Dinckley 5 602.41x
Droylsden 5 6.59x
Elton 5 6.22x
Newchurch 5 2.63x
Newton In Ashton Under 5 11.71x
Shipley 5 4.96x
West Derby 5 0.73x
Westhoughton 5 8.05x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 0.79x
Great Lever 4 16.20x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 3.20x
Levenshulme 4 16.70x
Leyton 4 6.00x
Spotland 4 1.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 180
Elizabeth 92
Sarah 87
Alice 66
Jane 51
Margaret 43
Ellen 40
Ann 37
Martha 26
Hannah 22
Emma 19
Nancy 19
Annie 17
Betsy 14
Maria 14
Emily 13
Isabella 13
Betty 12
Agnes 11
Catherine 11
Ada 10
Eliza 9
Susannah 9
Edith 7
Lucy 7
Rachel 7
Clara 6
Frances 6
Grace 6
Harriet 6
Elizth. 5
Minnie 5
Esther 4
Louisa 4
Maud 4
Amy 3
Bertha 3
Caroline 3
Dinah 3
Eleanor 3
Fanny 3
Kate 3
Lydia 3
Margret 3
Matilda 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Selina 3
Susan 3
Susanah 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 173
William 102
James 93
Thomas 78
George 43
Robert 37
Joseph 31
Henry 27
Richard 25
Edward 21
Oliver 18
Samuel 16
Peter 12
Albert 11
Andrew 10
Walter 10
Arthur 9
Charles 7
David 7
Frederick 7
Alfred 6
Daniel 6
Frank 6
Michael 6
Ernest 5
Fred 5
Mark 5
Wm. 5
Alexander 4
Christopher 4
Roger 4
Thos. 4
Timothy 4
Allen 3
Emanuel 3
Ezra 3
Harry 3
Humphrey 3
Ichabod 3
Levi 3
Moses 3
Ralph 3
Tom 3
Yates 3
Abraham 2
Anyon 2
Duxbury 2
Luther 2
Nathan 2
Nicholas 2

FAQ

Duxbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duxbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,014 people were recorded with the Duxbury surname. That placed it at #2,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duxbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,900 in 2016. That gives Duxbury a modern rank of #3,343.

What does the Duxbury surname mean?

A habitational name from any of various places called Duxbury in southern England.

What does the Duxbury map show?

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