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

Dudgeon, 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 Dudgeon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dudgeon in America

Dudgeon is the 16917th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dudgeon surname appeared 1,683 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dudgeon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dudgeon 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 Dudgeon

The surname Dudgeon has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "dudgeon," which referred to a type of wood used for making handles and hilts of swords or daggers. This connection suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for a maker of hilts or sword handles.

The name Dudgeon first appears in written records in the 13th century, with references to individuals bearing this surname in various parts of Scotland. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Robert de Dudingstoune, who is mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England.

In the 15th century, the name Dudgeon can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records of the royal court. One notable mention is of John Dudgein, who was granted lands in the county of Fife in the year 1437.

The Dudgeon surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Dudingston, a village near Edinburgh, and Duddingston Loch, a body of water in the same area. These place names likely share the same etymological root as the surname, further reinforcing its Scottish origins.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Dudgeon. One of the earliest was Sir Andrew Dudgeon (c. 1550-1628), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland. Another prominent figure was William Dudgeon (1753-1813), a Scottish physician and writer who published works on various medical topics.

In the 19th century, Robert Ellis Dudgeon (1820-1904) was a notable English homeopathic physician and author, known for his contributions to the field of homeopathy. Another individual of note was Patrick Dudgeon (1842-1909), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

One of the most recent notable individuals with the surname Dudgeon was Ralph Dudgeon (1909-1997), a British actor and screenwriter who had a successful career in both film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role in the 1951 film "The Man in the White Suit."

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname Dudgeon who have left their mark on history in various fields, from politics and medicine to the arts and entertainment.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dudgeon

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

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 Dudgeon 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 Dudgeon 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 Dudgeon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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