NameCensus.

UK surname

Dal

Likely derived from an Old Norse personal name or place name referring to a valley or dale.

In the 1881 census there were 21 people recorded with the Dal surname, ranking it #30,609 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, up from #30,609 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, Bolton and Northampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dal is 127 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 504.8%.

1881 census count

21

Ranked #30,609

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

2016

127 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dal had 21 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,609 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 21 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Dal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dal 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 6 #32,278
1881 historical 21 #30,609
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1997 modern 30 #34,701
1998 modern 25 #35,365
1999 modern 28 #35,127
2000 modern 24 #35,498
2001 modern 24 #35,357
2002 modern 35 #34,554
2003 modern 47 #33,619
2004 modern 41 #34,306
2005 modern 54 #33,433
2006 modern 55 #33,688
2007 modern 62 #33,346
2008 modern 86 #31,114
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 122 #26,647
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Dals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Preston, Bolton, Northampton and Enfield. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Preston 011 Preston
2 Preston 015 Preston
3 Bolton 025 Bolton
4 Northampton 012 Northampton
5 Enfield 002 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dal

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dal

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Dal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Dal household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dal is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dal 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

Dal falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dal is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Dal

The surname DAL is of Scandinavian origin, specifically from Denmark and Norway, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "dalr," which means "valley" or "dale." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in or came from a particular valley or dale.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Danish Census of 1645, where a person named Jens Dal is listed as residing in the village of Sønderborg. The spelling variations "Dahl" and "Daal" were also common in historical records from the same period.

In Norway, the name DAL has a long and distinguished history, with several notable figures bearing this surname. One of the earliest was Peder Dal, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in the city of Bergen in the late 16th century. Another notable Norwegian with this surname was Hans Dal, a renowned painter and artist born in 1764, known for his landscape paintings depicting the rugged Norwegian countryside.

The name DAL also appears in historical records from other parts of Scandinavia, including Sweden and Iceland. For example, a Viking chieftain named Thorvald Dal is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas, which recount events from the 9th and 10th centuries. In Sweden, there is a reference to a landowner named Erik Dal in a land deed from the year 1487.

Throughout history, the name DAL has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly those that include the word "dal" or a variation of it. For instance, the town of Dalsland in western Sweden is believed to have derived its name from the abundance of valleys or dales in the region.

Other notable individuals with the surname DAL include:

1. Niels Henrik Abel (1802-1829), a Norwegian mathematician renowned for his pioneering work in algebraic equations and elliptic functions. 2. Carl Frederik Dal (1765-1820), a Danish painter and engraver known for his portraits and historical scenes. 3. Nicolaus Steno (Niels Stensen) (1638-1686), a Danish scientist and theologian, considered a pioneer in the field of stratigraphy and the study of fossils. 4. Olav Dal (1938-2021), a Norwegian politician and member of the Labour Party, who served as a member of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) for several terms. 5. Claus Dal (1824-1897), a Danish landscape painter and a member of the Danish Golden Age of Painting.

While the surname DAL has its roots in Scandinavia, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange, making it a name with a rich and diverse history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dal 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. Essex leads with 4 Dals recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.80x.

County Total Index
Essex 4 41.80x
Kent 1 6.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Navestock in Essex leads with 4 Dals recorded in 1881 and an index of 40000.00x.

Place Total Index
Navestock 4 40000.00x
Gravesend 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 1
Emma 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 1
John 1

Top occupations

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 Dal households.

FAQ

Dal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21 people were recorded with the Dal surname. That placed it at #30,609 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Dal a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Dal surname mean?

Likely derived from an Old Norse personal name or place name referring to a valley or dale.

What does the Dal map show?

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