Duguid ancestors

[sandal1]

Hi again
An ancestor of mine was Martha Duguid, born approx 1794 at Fyfie, married at Chapel of Garioch in 1826 and buried at Keithhall, Aberdeenshire in 1887. I am wondering if anyone knows the history or meaning of this surname. You all gave me great help last year when I was researching my Greig ancestors so now I am back to researching another ancestor - g.g.g. g'mother Milne nee Duguid. I haven't heard the name before so would I be correct in thinking that it is not a common Scottish surname?
Many thanks

[WilmaM]

I'd never heard of it before but there are over 1,000 records on the IGI and a surname search on Scotlands People gives an ever increasing total as the years pass - from 470 in 1841 to 1134 in 1901.

I'd say it was a version of 'Do-Good' so sounds of pretty ancient origin.

Is this them in 1841?
Piece: SCT1841/206 Place: Keithhall & Kinkell -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 3
Civil Parish: Keithhall & Kinkell Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -Folio: 3 Page: 4
Address: Rashiebottom
Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MILNE James M 35 Farmer Aberdeenshire
MILNE Martha F 45 Aberdeenshire
MILNE Martha F 13 Aberdeenshire
MILNE Mary F 10 Aberdeenshire
MILNE Isabel F 7 Aberdeenshire
MILNE Helen F 5 Aberdeenshire

Freecen has them in 1851, with a 21 yearold James who wasn't there in 1841

And thier marriage on the IGI;
MARTHA DUGUID
Spouse: JAMES MILN
Marriage: 09 DEC 1826 Chapel Of Garioch, Aberdeen, Scotland
Messages: Extracted marriage record for locality listed in the record

[LesleyB]

Blacks "Surnames of Scotland" has it as surname of Aberdeenshire origin. Lots of spelling variants are I'm sure you can imagine:
Dogod 1365, Dogud 1531, Doucatt 1680, Dougatt 1630, Ducat 1603, Dugait 1544, Dugat 1669, Dugate 1546, Duged 1597, Duget 1631, Duiged and Duiget 1633.

I know of a few folk with that surname.

Best wishes
Lesley

[AnneM]

Hi

Duguid is not uncommon in the north east and normally pronounced dookit or dewkit or similar. I live near Keithhall so if you want me to have a look in the graveyard once the snow has cleared (which has to happen eventually!!) let me know.

Anne

[LesleyB]

Hi Anne
I'd agree on the pronunciation, though a bit further south of Aberdeenshire it tends to be more like Doogut.

As I was typing up those spelling vars. I was beginning to wonder if the name perhaps had more to do with Doocots (buildings, very often of interesting shape and construction, to house "doves", often found in country estates and the grounds of large houses ..as a way of having fresh meat to hand when required, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dovecote ) than "doing guid". Pronunciation of Duguid and Doocot is very simmilar.

Best wishes
Lesley

[AnneM]

I reckon that's right Lesley. It's not a name I had come across much before I came up here but you get used to hearing these odd local names. I also assumed it was a corruption of do good but I have occasionally wondered if someone of that name maybe lived near a dove cot or doocot as they call them in this part of the world.

Anne

Hey we were typing up the bit about dove cots simultaneously!!!

[LesleyB]

Anne
I've added a link at the same time you were replying - some nice images there which give a good idea of the vary wide variations in styles. Good to know it is not just me who was thinking Doocots!!

Best wishes
Lesley

[LesleyB]

Even better if you were thinking it quite independently - proves I'm not cracking up!

[AnneM]

Indeed Lesley. Just further proof if any were needed that the great minds of the mods and admin on TS often think alike!! If I'm cracking up it is due to the cold seeping in to my brain from sitting in the station for almost an hour this morning waiting for an Aberdeen train that did not come. Well they can't say I did not try to get to work!

Further to the Martha Duguid story I notice that she and James are buried beneath stone 125 in Keithhall churchyard according to ANEFHS website and as said above if sandal wants a wee photie I'd be happy to trot in to look for it. Keithhall Churchyard is not enormous so it should not be a big problem to find........once the road is more navigable and anything is actually visible.

Anne

[LesleyB]

Just out of interest, on the broad surname seach on the opening page of SP there were, for Duguid (spelt that way, so not counting any spelling variations):

Census 1841 470 matches
Census 1851 559 matches
Census 1861 633 matches
Census 1871 686 matches
Census 1881 927 matches
Census 1891 1065 matches
Census 1901 1134 matches

Old Parish Records Births & Christenings 1538 - 1854 959 matches
Old Parish Records Banns & Marriages 1538 - 1854 561 matches
Old Parish Records Deaths & Burials 1538 - 1854 259 matches

Statutory Register Births 1855 - 2006 4183 matches
Statutory Register Marriages 1855 - 2006 1454 matches
Statutory Register Deaths 1855 - 2006 3269 matches

Which gives some idea of the number of persons with the surname in Scotland.
And I also should have said that Mr Black is not forthcoming at all on the meaning of the name, just that it is from Aberdeenshire as mentioned.

Best wishes
Lesley