NameCensus.

UK surname

Dain

An English surname derived from the Middle English "deyn" meaning a chief servant or steward.

In the 1881 census there were 270 people recorded with the Dain surname, ranking it #10,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, down from #10,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Ashley and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Breckland and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dain is 306 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.8%.

1881 census count

270

Ranked #10,484

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

1901

306 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dain had 270 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 306 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dain 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 270 #8,275
1861 historical 277 #9,025
1881 historical 270 #10,484
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 306 #11,494
1911 historical 298 #11,505
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 256 #15,436
1999 modern 254 #15,638
2000 modern 249 #15,787
2001 modern 222 #16,806
2002 modern 230 #16,730
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 236 #16,335
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 213 #17,563
2007 modern 218 #17,477
2008 modern 214 #17,854
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 214 #18,601
2011 modern 210 #18,677
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 215 #18,598
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Dains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Ashley, Manchester, Cheadle and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Breckland, South Norfolk, Bolton and Birmingham. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Ashley Shropshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Cheadle Cheshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 002 Wealden
2 Breckland 014 Breckland
3 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk
4 Bolton 010 Bolton
5 Birmingham 111 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dain

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Dain is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dain is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dain 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 Dain is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dain

The surname Dain originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "dàna," which means "bold" or "daring." The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 14th century, with references to individuals named Dain appearing in various Scottish records and documents.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dain can be found in the Registry of the Great Seal of Scotland, which mentions a Robert Dain from the county of Perthshire in the year 1375. Additionally, the name is mentioned in the Black Book of Taymouth, a historic manuscript from the late 15th century that contains records of land transactions in the region of Breadalbane, Scotland.

In the 16th century, the Dain surname was particularly prominent in the Scottish Highlands, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such example is John Dain, a laird (landowner) from the district of Glenorchy, who was involved in various feuds and conflicts with neighboring clans during the turbulent period of the Scottish clan wars.

As the centuries passed, the Dain surname spread to other parts of Scotland and beyond. In the 17th century, a branch of the family settled in the Scottish Lowlands, where they became known as the Dains of Dykehead. One notable figure from this lineage was James Dain (1630-1698), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Glasgow.

Another significant individual with the Dain surname was Sir William Dain (1752-1829), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He distinguished himself in several battles and was knighted for his bravery and leadership.

In the 19th century, the Dain surname was also found in various parts of England, likely due to migration from Scotland. One notable English figure with this surname was Charles Dain (1815-1889), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London and other cities.

Throughout its history, the Dain surname has been associated with various place names and locations in Scotland, such as Dainholm, Daintown, and Dainfield. These places likely derived their names from the presence of Dain families in the area or were named after individuals with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dain 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. Staffordshire leads with 63 Dains recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.09x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 63 7.09x
Lancashire 41 1.31x
Cheshire 36 6.19x
Middlesex 29 1.10x
Leicestershire 16 5.48x
Lincolnshire 15 3.56x
Surrey 13 1.01x
Yorkshire 12 0.46x
Warwickshire 11 1.66x
Derbyshire 10 2.43x
Northamptonshire 5 2.02x
Sussex 5 1.13x
Durham 3 0.38x
Northumberland 3 0.77x
Banffshire 2 3.66x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.63x
Cornwall 1 0.34x
Flintshire 1 1.41x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.28x
Rutland 1 5.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 28 Dains recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.97x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 28 40.97x
Pickwell Leesthorpe 12 5454.55x
Ashley 11 1506.85x
St Pancras London 10 4.72x
Withington 10 99.30x
Camberwell 9 5.35x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 11.71x
Birmingham 8 3.61x
Chester St Oswald 8 75.97x
Hartington Nether 8 2352.94x
Headingley Cum Burley 8 47.62x
Ardwick 7 24.83x
Burslem 7 27.48x
Islington London 6 2.35x
Prestwich 6 76.92x
Stroxton 6 6000.00x
Twickenham 6 53.14x
Alpraham 5 1250.00x
Chester St John Baptist 5 47.85x
Chester St Olave 5 961.54x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 10.07x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 5.30x
Winterton 5 344.83x
Castle Church 4 74.91x
Claughton With Grange 4 150.94x
Croydon 4 5.62x
Heathfield 4 222.22x
Kings Cliffe 4 347.83x
West Bromwich 4 7.86x
Hetton Le Hole 3 30.21x
North Shields 3 38.36x
Sibsey 3 315.79x
St Anne Soho London 3 19.95x
Alsop Le Dale 2 4000.00x
Aston 2 1.09x
Bowling 2 7.74x
Dodcott Cum Wilkesley 2 338.98x
Dukinfield 2 7.45x
Gumley 2 952.38x
Leicester St Margaret 2 2.81x
Macclesfield 2 7.74x
Mottram 2 76.05x
Oldham 2 1.98x
Rathven 2 19.49x
Tipton 2 7.35x
Brighton 1 1.12x
Corby 1 147.06x
Elsham 1 222.22x
Hornsey 1 3.00x
Nash 1 322.58x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 6.36x
Newchurch 1 3.91x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.09x
Oakham Lordshold 1 49.51x
Paddington London 1 1.03x
Padstow 1 50.51x
Rhuddlan 1 16.05x
Rutherglen 1 8.00x
Sheffield 1 1.20x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.62x
Sutton Coldfield 1 14.33x
Tamworth 1 21.05x
Upton In Chester 1 153.85x
Wakefield 1 4.99x
Warrington 1 2.70x
Westminster St Margaret 1 7.87x
Whittingham 1 72.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 12
Margaret 6
Jane 5
Agnes 4
Eliza 4
Frances 4
Alice 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Jessie 3
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Apaline 1
Augusta 1
Betty 1
Chas. 1
Christabella 1
Constance 1
Delia 1
Diana 1
Emilie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eveline 1
Gerty 1
Heneretta 1
Hester 1
Jesse 1
Lidia 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Nelly 1
T.C.A. 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Dain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 270 people were recorded with the Dain surname. That placed it at #10,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Dain a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Dain surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Middle English "deyn" meaning a chief servant or steward.

What does the Dain map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dain 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.