This unusual and interesting surname, recorded in the spellings of Dog, Doig, Duhig, Doog, Doogue, and Doohig, is of Gaelic-Scottish origins, although also recorded in Northern Ireland. It derives from the Olde Scots "Mac gille Doig" - a compound of the elements "mac" meaning "son of", "gille", a follower, plus the personal name Doig, a short form of Cadog, and specifically the 6th century Saint Cadog. The name therefore translates as the "son of St. Cadog's follower", and is therefore of religious origins. In Scotland, the surname appears most often in places where St. Cadog is or was commemorated, and is first recorded in the latter half of the 14th century (see below). Early examples of the surname recording taken from authentic charters and registers of the post medieval period include Alexander Dog, who was cannon of Inchmahome in Menteith in 1491, John Dogue who was a charter wiutness in Banff in 1533, and Thomas Doig, who held land at Craigmakerone in 1644. Amongst the many interesting namebearers was Dr. David Doig (1719-1800), the rector of Stirling Grammar School, whom Robbie Burns met on his famous Highland tour. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alexander Doge, vicar of Dunnychtyne, which was dated 1372, in the "Registrum Episcopatus Brechinensis", Edinburgh, during the reign of King Robert 11 of Scotland 1371-1390. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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