NameCensus.

UK surname

Dales

A surname derived from the word "dale," referring to people who lived in or came from a valley.

In the 1881 census there were 936 people recorded with the Dales surname, ranking it #4,116 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 994, ranked #5,829, down from #4,116 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Louth, Hull Holy Trinity and Clee. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Redcar and Cleveland and Boston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dales is 1,133 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.2%.

1881 census count

936

Ranked #4,116

Modern count

994

2016, ranked #5,829

Peak year

1911

1,133 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dales had 936 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,116 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 994 in 2016, ranked #5,829.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,133 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dales surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dales surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dales 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 708 #3,689
1861 historical 860 #3,218
1881 historical 936 #4,116
1891 historical 1,031 #4,045
1901 historical 1,005 #4,741
1911 historical 1,133 #4,111
1997 modern 1,017 #5,415
1998 modern 1,040 #5,487
1999 modern 1,044 #5,514
2000 modern 1,041 #5,502
2001 modern 998 #5,591
2002 modern 1,052 #5,463
2003 modern 1,038 #5,434
2004 modern 1,017 #5,519
2005 modern 999 #5,555
2006 modern 1,000 #5,567
2007 modern 1,000 #5,609
2008 modern 987 #5,710
2009 modern 1,005 #5,741
2010 modern 1,024 #5,767
2011 modern 990 #5,865
2012 modern 977 #5,847
2013 modern 1,004 #5,805
2014 modern 1,011 #5,804
2015 modern 1,001 #5,802
2016 modern 994 #5,829

Geography

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Where Dales' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Louth, Hull Holy Trinity, Clee, Alford and Grimsby, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, Redcar and Cleveland and Boston. 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 Louth Lincolnshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Clee Lincolnshire
4 Alford Lincolnshire
5 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
2 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland
3 East Lindsey 009 East Lindsey
4 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey
5 Boston 001 Boston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dales

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dales

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dales, 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 Dales surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dales 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dales is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Dales is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dales falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dales

The surname Dales is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the Old English word "dæl," meaning "valley" or "dale." This suggests that the name was initially given to people who resided in or near a valley or dale.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de la Dale." This spelling variation indicates that the name was initially a descriptive phrase referring to someone's place of residence or origin.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Dales appeared in various records and documents across different regions of England. For instance, in the 13th century, a Robert de Dales was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 listed a John atte Dale.

As time passed, the name evolved and took on different spellings, such as Dale, Dales, and Deale. This was a common occurrence during the medieval period when spelling standards were not yet established, and names were often recorded phonetically.

Some notable individuals who bore the surname Dales throughout history include:

1. Sir William Dales (c. 1570-1639), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1636. 2. John Dales (1604-1669), an English clergyman and theologian known for his work "The Doctrine of the Perseverance of Saints." 3. Samuel Dales (1615-1675), an English nonconformist minister and author of several religious works. 4. Richard Dales (1638-1720), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Rochester Cathedral. 5. John Dales (1793-1872), an English farmer and landowner from Yorkshire, known for his philanthropic endeavors.

The name Dales was also associated with various place names throughout England, such as Dale Abbey in Derbyshire and Dalegarth in Cumbria, further reinforcing its connection to valleys and dales.

While the surname Dales may have evolved over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "dæl," reflecting the close relationship between surnames and the geographic locations or features associated with their bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dales families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dales 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. Lincolnshire leads with 358 Dales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.58x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 358 24.58x
Yorkshire 339 3.75x
Lancashire 38 0.35x
Middlesex 35 0.38x
Surrey 23 0.52x
Warwickshire 16 0.70x
Staffordshire 15 0.49x
Essex 10 0.56x
Shropshire 10 1.27x
Northamptonshire 9 1.05x
Derbyshire 8 0.56x
Durham 7 0.26x
Hertfordshire 7 1.11x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.57x
West Lothian 7 5.10x
Cumberland 5 0.64x
Hampshire 5 0.27x
Lanarkshire 5 0.17x
Norfolk 4 0.29x
Northumberland 4 0.30x
Suffolk 4 0.36x
Worcestershire 4 0.34x
Cheshire 2 0.10x
Devon 2 0.11x
Glamorgan 2 0.13x
Kent 2 0.06x
Leicestershire 2 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.17x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Louth in Lincolnshire leads with 76 Dales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 227.61x.

Place Total Index
Louth 76 227.61x
Alford 67 741.97x
Holy Trinity 41 18.88x
Mumby 22 1094.53x
Great Grimsby 20 21.63x
Newington 19 76.43x
Bishop Wilton Cum 16 919.54x
Kearby Cum Netherby 14 3181.82x
Clee With Weelsby 13 40.77x
Cottingham 13 66.80x
Leeds 13 2.55x
East Wykeham 11 9166.67x
Mablethorpe 11 550.00x
Middlesbrough 11 9.36x
Sculcoates 11 7.68x
Bermondsey 10 3.69x
Brotton 10 84.89x
Croydon 10 4.06x
Barnsley 9 9.66x
Manchester 9 1.85x
Bellasize 8 2222.22x
Derby St Alkmund 8 18.71x
Fangfoss 8 1481.48x
Farlesthorpe 8 2500.00x
Melbourne 8 555.56x
Northampton St Sepulchre 8 18.35x
Routh 8 1568.63x
Wainfleet All Sts 8 188.68x
Bradford 7 13.83x
Branston 7 156.95x
Bridlington 7 33.87x
Gateshead 7 3.45x
Linlithgow 7 39.77x
Rugeley 7 31.72x
Scarborough 7 8.53x
Theddlethorpe All Sts 7 679.61x
Westminster St John 7 6.31x
Wortley In Bramley 7 9.79x
Belchford 6 394.74x
Bracebridge 6 90.50x
Hatfield 6 47.13x
Lebberston 6 1224.49x
Lund 6 419.58x
Moss Side 6 10.55x
Oswestry Town 6 23.80x
St Pancras London 6 0.82x
Stickford 6 394.74x
Ashby By Partney 5 1282.05x
Birmingham 5 0.65x
Broughton In Salford 5 5.06x
Harbury 5 134.05x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 8.60x
Hibaldstow 5 200.80x
Kirby Under Dale 5 537.63x
Little Carlton 5 943.40x
Whitehaven 5 11.96x
Wressell 5 427.35x
Asselby 4 481.93x
Beverley St Martin 4 26.54x
Bilsby 4 251.57x
Castleford 4 12.17x
Chelsea London 4 1.46x
Edgbaston 4 5.61x
Felstead 4 64.94x
Glasgow 4 0.76x
Holdenhurst 4 8.17x
Holme On Spalding Moor 4 67.57x
Holy Trinity St Mary 4 29.11x
Keyingham 4 203.05x
Kings Norton 4 3.75x
Langton By Wragby 4 434.78x
Linthorpe 4 7.42x
Prudhoe 4 42.42x
Seaton Ross 4 270.27x
Shrewsbury St Julian 4 20.54x
Smallthorne 4 35.06x
Spilsby 4 86.39x
St George Bloomsbury 4 7.65x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 19.52x
Upwell 4 61.35x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 64
William 50
George 41
Thomas 27
Charles 24
James 23
Henry 18
Robert 17
Joseph 12
Alfred 11
Frederick 9
Herbert 9
Richard 9
Samuel 9
Arthur 8
Edward 6
Harry 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Christopher 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Thos. 4
Isaac 3
Tom 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Eardley 2
Edwin 2
Harold 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Cook 1
E.J. 1
Elijah 1
Elisha 1
Emmanuel 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Hugh 1
Jim 1
Joe 1

FAQ

Dales surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dales surname in 1881?

In 1881, 936 people were recorded with the Dales surname. That placed it at #4,116 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dales surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 994 in 2016. That gives Dales a modern rank of #5,829.

What does the Dales surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "dale," referring to people who lived in or came from a valley.

What does the Dales map show?

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