NameCensus.

UK surname

Dady

A nickname surname derived from the Middle English term "dadde" meaning father or male head of household.

In the 1881 census there were 265 people recorded with the Dady surname, ranking it #10,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 472, ranked #10,433, up from #10,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Filby and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, Swale and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dady is 497 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.1%.

1881 census count

265

Ranked #10,612

Modern count

472

2016, ranked #10,433

Peak year

2000

497 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dady had 265 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 472 in 2016, ranked #10,433.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 378 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dady surname distribution map

The map shows where the Dady surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Dady surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dady over time

The 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 164 #12,116
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 265 #10,612
1891 historical 347 #9,894
1901 historical 366 #10,099
1911 historical 378 #9,698
1997 modern 480 #9,602
1998 modern 489 #9,760
1999 modern 488 #9,846
2000 modern 497 #9,675
2001 modern 482 #9,717
2002 modern 492 #9,741
2003 modern 479 #9,793
2004 modern 467 #10,013
2005 modern 449 #10,230
2006 modern 457 #10,127
2007 modern 456 #10,221
2008 modern 465 #10,178
2009 modern 468 #10,354
2010 modern 485 #10,277
2011 modern 472 #10,400
2012 modern 467 #10,384
2013 modern 472 #10,450
2014 modern 483 #10,354
2015 modern 473 #10,440
2016 modern 472 #10,433

Geography

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Where Dadys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Filby, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, St John Hackney and Welton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, Swale, Bath and North East Somerset, Hyndburn and Shropshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Filby Norfolk
3 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Welton Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 008 Broadland
2 Swale 016 Swale
3 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Hyndburn 008 Hyndburn
5 Shropshire 034 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dady

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dady surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dady

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dady, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Dady surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dady household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dady is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dady is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dady falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dady is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dady, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dady

The surname Dady has its origins in the Norman French language, derived from the Old French word "dadé" or "dade," which means "a fool" or "a simpleton." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, when this term was commonly used as a nickname or descriptive surname, referring to someone who was perceived as foolish or simple-minded.

The surname can be traced back to the regions of Normandy and Brittany in France, where it first appeared in historical records during the 11th and 12th centuries. One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records a person named Radulfus Dade residing in Somerset, England.

In the 13th century, the surname took on various spellings, such as Dadee, Dadye, and Dadi, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. One notable individual bearing this name was John Dady, a prominent merchant and alderman of London, who lived in the late 14th century.

During the 16th century, the surname Dady gained prominence in several regions of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Dorset. Records from this period include references to families such as the Dadys of Tiverton, Devon, and the Dadys of Sherborne, Dorset.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Dady was Sir William Dady (1604-1675), an English jurist and Member of Parliament for Somerset. He served as a judge during the Commonwealth period and was known for his legal expertise.

Another individual worth mentioning is Thomas Dady (1617-1672), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Oriel College, Oxford, from 1661 until his death.

Moving into the 18th century, one notable bearer of the surname was John Dady (1730-1806), a renowned English engraver and artist who specialized in creating illustrations for books and publications.

Throughout the centuries, the Dady surname has remained relatively uncommon, but it has maintained a presence across various regions of England, particularly in the southwestern counties. While the name has evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its origins as a descriptive nickname from the Norman French language have been preserved.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dady families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dady surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 74 Dadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.95x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 74 2.95x
Norfolk 68 17.64x
Surrey 42 3.44x
Lincolnshire 19 4.74x
Northumberland 14 3.75x
Nottinghamshire 12 3.55x
Kent 8 0.94x
Lancashire 6 0.20x
Dorset 2 1.22x
Essex 2 0.40x
Gloucestershire 2 0.41x
Suffolk 2 0.66x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.63x
Hampshire 1 0.19x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Monmouthshire 1 0.55x
Somerset 1 0.25x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 20 Dadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.23x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 20 14.23x
Lambeth 16 7.32x
Welton 14 2372.88x
Clapham 13 41.48x
Newark Upon Trent 12 98.85x
Filby 11 2200.00x
Norwich St Margaret 11 1833.33x
St Marylebone London 9 6.72x
Heaton 8 645.16x
Heigham 8 38.67x
Weybourne 8 4000.00x
Islington London 7 2.88x
Chiswick 6 43.80x
Holt 6 454.55x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 31.04x
Tottenham 6 15.03x
Battersea 5 5.42x
Bracebridge 5 274.73x
Hemsby 5 892.86x
Newington 5 5.40x
North Meols 5 17.17x
Norwich St Stephen 5 141.24x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.67x
East Dereham 4 82.14x
Heston 4 48.02x
Kensington London 4 2.87x
Harefield 3 232.56x
Plumstead 3 10.52x
Ratcliffe London 3 21.68x
Bristol St Augustine 2 25.22x
Canterbury St Mary 2 34.84x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 22.42x
Fordington 2 56.50x
Norwich St Clement 2 44.74x
Rotherhithe 2 6.46x
West Ham 2 1.83x
Aldershot 1 5.81x
Bedminster 1 2.64x
Chesterton 1 20.41x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.69x
Darsham 1 270.27x
Eston 1 18.48x
Fakenham Alethorpe 1 208.33x
Folkestone 1 6.03x
Govan 1 0.50x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.13x
Hillingdon 1 12.52x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 9.65x
Isleworth 1 8.97x
Lakenham 1 18.25x
Mile End New Town London 1 20.20x
Norwich St Gregory 1 147.06x
Norwich St James 1 33.11x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 1 40.00x
Norwich St Paul 1 43.29x
Norwood 1 17.45x
Parr 1 9.40x
Shoreditch London 1 0.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.98x
St Pancras London 1 0.50x
Thetford St Peter 1 99.01x
Trevethin 1 5.84x
Westminster St James 1 3.88x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dady surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 16
Emily 7
Emma 7
Sarah 7
Charlotte 6
Eliza 6
Alice 4
Amelia 4
Jane 4
Susannah 4
Agnes 3
Frances 3
Matilda 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Polly 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Easther 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
George 1
Hester 1
Isabel 1
Isla 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margaretta 1
Maryann 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Selena 1
Sophia 1
Sussanan 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dady surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 15
William 15
Henry 13
George 9
James 7
David 6
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Herbert 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Jacob 2
Patrick 2
Samuel 2
Abraham 1
Agustine 1
Austin 1
C.T. 1
Daddy 1
Davy 1
Dick 1
Ebenezer 1
Eward 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Hezekiah 1
Hy. 1
Jhonny 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Dady surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dady surname in 1881?

In 1881, 265 people were recorded with the Dady surname. That placed it at #10,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dady surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 472 in 2016. That gives Dady a modern rank of #10,433.

What does the Dady surname mean?

A nickname surname derived from the Middle English term "dadde" meaning father or male head of household.

What does the Dady map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dady bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.