Dugger
An English surname that is usually understood as a nickname or variant built on the name Dug, a pet form of Douglas or related medieval names.
The #3,869 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 33,691 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Dugger is generally treated as a surname formed from the nickname or pet name Dug, with the suffix -er added in English surname formation. Dug itself is commonly linked to Douglas, a Scottish Gaelic name often explained as meaning something like "dark stream" or "dark water," though the ultimate etymology of Douglas is debated in older scholarship. In this sense, Dugger would originally have meant "son of Dug" or "one associated with Dug."
History
The surname is found in English-speaking records, especially in Britain and later in North America, where it was carried by emigrants and their descendants. In the United States it is now most familiar as a relatively uncommon surname, with concentrations in the South and Appalachia. Like many surnames built from nicknames, it likely arose independently in more than one family line.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Dugger can overlap with the surname Duggar, the two are sometimes confused in records and family research, even though they may have separate family histories.