UK surname
A surname possibly derived from a place name or nickname.
In the 1881 census there were 56 people recorded with the Dacy surname, ranking it #25,733 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #25,733 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Felkirk, St George in the East and Barking. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dacy is 116 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 92.9%.
1881 census count
56
Ranked #25,733
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1891
116 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Dacy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Dacy surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 42 | #25,706 |
| 1861 | historical | 82 | #23,321 |
| 1881 | historical | 56 | #25,733 |
| 1891 | historical | 116 | #21,766 |
| 1901 | historical | 46 | #29,047 |
| 1911 | historical | 12 | #32,302 |
| 1997 | modern | 6 | #37,704 |
| 1998 | modern | 6 | #37,703 |
| 1999 | modern | 6 | #37,696 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2003 | modern | 2 | #38,424 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 8 | #37,689 |
| 2010 | modern | 5 | #38,186 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Felkirk, St George in the East, Barking, Dunston and Merthyr Tydfil. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felkirk | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Barking | Essex |
| 4 | Dunston | Norfolk |
| 5 | Merthyr Tydfil | Glamorganshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Dacy surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dacy, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Dacy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Dacy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Dacy is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dacy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Dacy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Dacy has its origins in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy, where it first emerged in the early Middle Ages, around the 11th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old French word "Dacier," which referred to a maker or trader of daggers or other bladed weapons.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "de Acie," which likely referred to a Norman family from the region of Aci, near Argentan in Normandy.
During the 12th century, the name took on various spellings, such as "Dacie," "Dacy," and "Dassie," as it spread across different regions of France and England. One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Dacy, a prominent knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France in the mid-14th century.
In the 15th century, the Dacy family established themselves in the county of Somerset, England, where they acquired lands and estates. A notable member of this branch was Sir William Dacy (1470-1543), who served as Sheriff of Somerset and was knighted by King Henry VIII.
Another prominent figure with the surname Dacy was Jean Dacy (1530-1592), a French Protestant pastor and theologian who played a significant role in the Reformation in France. He was a renowned preacher and author, known for his works on church discipline and Christian doctrine.
In the 17th century, the Dacy name found its way to the American colonies, with several individuals bearing the surname settling in Virginia and Maryland. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of John Dacy, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and later acquired land in Northumberland County.
Over the centuries, the Dacy surname has been associated with various place names, such as Dacy's Ville, a small town in Virginia named after an early settler, and Dacy's Creek, a waterway in Tennessee. The name has also been spelled in various ways, including Dacey, Dassy, and Dassey, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals and historical references associated with the surname Dacy, which has a rich heritage spanning several centuries and multiple countries, reflecting the diverse origins and migrations of families throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dacy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 13 Dacys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.97x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 13 | 1.97x |
| Kent | 8 | 4.22x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 1.26x |
| Devon | 6 | 5.18x |
| Staffordshire | 6 | 3.20x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 1.09x |
| Essex | 5 | 4.56x |
| Monmouthshire | 4 | 9.95x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 1.03x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.37x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greenwich in Kent leads with 7 Dacys recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.10x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Greenwich | 7 | 79.10x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 6 | 67.34x |
| Walsall Foreign | 6 | 61.92x |
| Clayton Le Moors | 5 | 390.63x |
| Dagenham | 5 | 769.23x |
| Burnley | 3 | 53.96x |
| Caerleon | 3 | 1428.57x |
| St George Hanover Square | 3 | 30.61x |
| Leeds | 2 | 6.43x |
| Liverpool | 2 | 4.99x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 1 | 19.08x |
| Bowling | 1 | 18.32x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 2.82x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 1 | 18.76x |
| Deptford St Paul | 1 | 6.84x |
| Ecclesfield | 1 | 24.75x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.86x |
| Newport | 1 | 52.08x |
| Ormesby | 1 | 67.57x |
| Preston | 1 | 5.67x |
| Snaith Cowick | 1 | 303.03x |
| St George In East London | 1 | 19.12x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 2.23x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 4.48x |
| Whitechapel London | 1 | 18.25x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dacy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dacy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dacy households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| Labourer | 5 |
| Charwoman | 2 |
| Cotton Weaver | 2 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| Ag Labourer | 1 |
| Assistant Chemist | 1 |
| Brick Layer Lab | 1 |
| Bricklayers Laborer | 1 |
| Cloth Finisher | 1 |
| Confectioner | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Cotton Warper | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Feild Work | 1 |
| Flax Spinner | 1 |
| Furnace Man (Iron) (Fac Lab) | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| Gravy Biscuit Baker | 1 |
| Housework | 1 |
| Labr | 1 |
| Sailors Wife | 1 |
| Seamstress | 1 |
| Servant at Home | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 56 people were recorded with the Dacy surname. That placed it at #25,733 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Dacy a modern rank of #38,419.
A surname possibly derived from a place name or nickname.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dacy bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.