NameCensus.

UK surname

Dalby

A place name for someone from Dalby, a town in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 2,426 people recorded with the Dalby surname, ranking it #1,828 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,884, ranked #2,330, down from #1,828 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rutland and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dalby is 3,051 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.9%.

1881 census count

2,426

Ranked #1,828

Modern count

2,884

2016, ranked #2,330

Peak year

1998

3,051 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dalby had 2,426 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,828 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,884 in 2016, ranked #2,330.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,951 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dalby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dalby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dalby 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 1,603 #1,797
1861 historical 1,522 #1,855
1881 historical 2,426 #1,828
1891 historical 2,413 #1,945
1901 historical 2,745 #2,022
1911 historical 2,951 #1,759
1997 modern 2,981 #2,171
1998 modern 3,051 #2,207
1999 modern 3,036 #2,232
2000 modern 3,014 #2,236
2001 modern 2,980 #2,213
2002 modern 2,990 #2,248
2003 modern 2,918 #2,248
2004 modern 2,931 #2,240
2005 modern 2,826 #2,301
2006 modern 2,837 #2,292
2007 modern 2,844 #2,305
2008 modern 2,877 #2,299
2009 modern 2,935 #2,307
2010 modern 2,961 #2,330
2011 modern 2,942 #2,317
2012 modern 2,871 #2,327
2013 modern 2,975 #2,292
2014 modern 2,985 #2,297
2015 modern 2,893 #2,332
2016 modern 2,884 #2,330

Geography

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Where Dalbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Bradford and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rutland and Bradford. 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 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rutland 005 Rutland
2 Rutland 001 Rutland
3 Rutland 003 Rutland
4 Rutland 002 Rutland
5 Bradford 047 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dalby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dalby

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Dalby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dalby 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dalby is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dalby is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dalby falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dalby 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 Dalby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dalby

The surname DALBY has its origins in England, tracing back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "dæl" meaning "valley" and "by" meaning "farmstead" or "village". The name likely referred to someone who lived in a valley or near a farmstead in a valley.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name DALBY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

The name DALBY is closely associated with various place names in England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Leicestershire. These include villages such as Dalby, Dalby Parva, and Dalby Chalcombe, among others. The spellings of these place names likely evolved over time, reflecting the variations in the surname DALBY itself.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the surname DALBY. One of the earliest recorded was John de Dalby, a 13th-century English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Richmond from 1265 to 1284. Another prominent figure was Thomas Dalby (1575-1654), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham during the reign of Charles I.

In the 18th century, James Dalby (1742-1823) was a renowned English engraver and artist, known for his intricate bookplate designs and illustrations. A contemporary of his was Isaac Dalby (1744-1824), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Moving into the 19th century, we encounter the influential English architect Sir William Dalby (1801-1868), whose notable works include the design of several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

These examples illustrate the rich history and geographical diversity associated with the surname DALBY, which has its roots firmly planted in the fertile valleys and agricultural settlements of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dalby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dalby 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. Yorkshire leads with 979 Dalbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.18x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 979 4.18x
Leicestershire 236 9.00x
Middlesex 175 0.74x
Lancashire 154 0.55x
Nottinghamshire 88 2.76x
Surrey 77 0.67x
Suffolk 75 2.60x
Gloucestershire 68 1.47x
Kent 68 0.84x
Warwickshire 64 1.07x
Rutland 55 31.67x
Lincolnshire 40 1.06x
Essex 39 0.84x
Durham 33 0.47x
Derbyshire 27 0.73x
Northamptonshire 26 1.17x
Staffordshire 24 0.30x
Hampshire 23 0.47x
Worcestershire 21 0.68x
Cambridgeshire 17 1.13x
Glamorgan 17 0.41x
Northumberland 16 0.45x
Devon 15 0.30x
Lanarkshire 12 0.16x
Norfolk 12 0.33x
Cornwall 7 0.26x
Herefordshire 7 0.72x
Monmouthshire 7 0.41x
Sussex 6 0.15x
Hertfordshire 5 0.31x
Bedfordshire 4 0.33x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.40x
Oxfordshire 4 0.27x
Somerset 4 0.11x
Berkshire 3 0.17x
Isle of Man 2 0.46x
Perthshire 2 0.19x
Renfrewshire 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.05x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Flintshire 1 0.16x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 0.35x
Shropshire 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 70 Dalbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.94x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 70 10.94x
North Bierley 68 53.73x
Leeds 58 4.38x
Bradford 56 9.87x
Hunslet 38 10.40x
Blaby 34 321.97x
Clayton 30 52.29x
Eccleshill 29 50.83x
Bethnal Green London 27 2.63x
Horton In Bradford 27 7.38x
St Pancras London 26 1.37x
Thorner 24 315.79x
Holy Trinity 23 4.08x
Leicester St Mary 22 10.38x
Headingley Cum Burley 21 13.92x
Aston 20 1.22x
Colne 20 23.92x
Manchester 20 1.58x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 19 8.70x
Cottingham 19 37.61x
Clifford Cum Boston 18 85.39x
Manningham 18 6.23x
Morcott 18 462.72x
Quorndon 18 122.28x
Thornton In Bradford 18 23.07x
Birmingham 16 0.80x
Exton 16 302.46x
Folkestone 16 10.22x
Ipswich St Clement 16 21.85x
Newent 16 67.85x
Nottingham St Mary 16 1.94x
Sculcoates 16 4.31x
Islington London 15 0.65x
Salford 15 1.82x
West Ham 15 1.46x
Loughborough 14 11.76x
Wyke In Bradford 14 33.40x
Gloucester St John Baptist 13 43.39x
Guisbrough 13 25.38x
Northorpe 13 884.35x
Seamer In Scarborough 13 171.96x
Adel Cum Eccup 12 123.97x
Arnold 12 25.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 2.69x
Ilkley 12 31.32x
Roundhay 12 182.37x
Scarborough 12 5.63x
Stockton On Forest 12 332.41x
Wimbledon 12 9.27x
York St Maurice 12 27.19x
Byker 11 6.32x
Camberwell 11 0.73x
Hulme 11 1.88x
Newton Nottage 11 97.35x
North Meols 11 4.00x
West Derby 11 1.34x
York St Michael 11 325.44x
Yoxford 11 128.06x
Bowling 10 4.31x
Burley In Wharfdale 10 48.31x
Croydon 10 1.56x
Eltham 10 21.14x
Ipswich St Helen 10 29.28x
Langham 10 181.16x
Portsea 10 1.05x
Shoreditch London 10 0.98x
Sicklinghall 10 543.48x
Southwick 10 15.00x
St Marylebone London 10 0.79x
Whittlesey St Mary St 10 19.11x
Battersea 9 1.03x
Bradmore 9 398.23x
Bridlington 9 16.77x
Canterbury St Paul 9 62.11x
Everton 9 1.01x
Glasgow 9 0.66x
Huby 9 223.88x
Linton In Wetherby 9 692.31x
Willesden 9 4.04x
Woolwich 9 3.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 161
Elizabeth 92
Sarah 86
Ann 51
Emma 47
Annie 44
Alice 34
Eliza 33
Jane 32
Ellen 30
Hannah 29
Emily 27
Martha 22
Fanny 21
Edith 19
Louisa 18
Ada 16
Charlotte 16
Clara 16
Margaret 16
Florence 15
Anne 14
Harriet 14
Frances 11
Maria 11
Lucy 9
Caroline 8
Isabella 8
Elizth. 7
Lydia 7
Ruth 7
Sophia 7
Ethel 6
Harriett 6
Matilda 6
Selina 6
Amelia 5
Beatrice 5
Eleanor 5
Kate 5
Maud 5
Rebecca 5
Rose 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Flora 4
Francis 4
Gertrude 4
Lilian 4
Mabel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 139
John 138
Thomas 76
George 71
James 70
Charles 56
Joseph 54
Henry 38
Arthur 34
Robert 31
Alfred 30
Edward 29
Frederick 24
Richard 22
Edwin 20
Frank 19
Fred 19
Samuel 18
Ernest 17
Walter 15
Harry 13
Francis 12
Albert 10
Wm. 10
Benjamin 8
Herbert 8
David 6
Geo. 6
Daniel 5
Isaac 5
Jonathan 5
Earnest 4
Peter 4
Tom 4
Allen 3
Amos 3
Chas. 3
Jas. 3
Jerry 3
Josh. 3
Percy 3
Richd. 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Andrew 2
Leonard 2
Ralph 2
Rd. 2
Reuben 2
Wm.Hy. 2

FAQ

Dalby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dalby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,426 people were recorded with the Dalby surname. That placed it at #1,828 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dalby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,884 in 2016. That gives Dalby a modern rank of #2,330.

What does the Dalby surname mean?

A place name for someone from Dalby, a town in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Dalby map show?

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