Find out how popular the last name Doughty is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Doughty.

Doughty, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Doughty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Doughty in America

Doughty is the 3019th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Doughty surname appeared 11,880 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Doughty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Doughty to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Doughty

The surname Doughty has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dohtig," meaning "valiant" or "capable." The name was often given as a nickname to someone who displayed these qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where a person named William Dohti is mentioned. The spelling of the name evolved over time, with variations such as Doughty, Doughti, and Dohty appearing in various records.

In the 13th century, the Doughty surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. Some of the earliest recorded examples include Robert Doughty, who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260, and John Doughty, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301.

The name Doughty has also been linked to certain place names in England, such as Doughty Street in London and the village of Doughty in Leicestershire. These place names may have influenced the surname or vice versa.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Doughty. One such person was Thomas Doughty (1545-1578), an English explorer who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous voyage around the world. Doughty was eventually accused of mutiny and executed by Drake.

Another notable figure was John Doughty (1598-1672), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. He was appointed as the rector of Cheam in Surrey in 1625.

In the 19th century, William Doughty (1833-1917) was a prominent British businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Doughty Street Chambers in London, which became a renowned center for legal practice.

The Doughty surname has also been associated with military service. For example, John Doughty (1635-1718) was an English soldier who fought in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession.

Finally, one of the most recent notable individuals with the Doughty surname was Charles Montagu Doughty (1843-1926), an English writer, traveler, and explorer. He is best known for his travels in Arabia and his book "Travels in Arabia Deserta," which provided valuable insights into the region's culture and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Doughty

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Doughty.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Doughty was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Doughty has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Doughty was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Doughty, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!