UK surname
An English toponymic surname indicating someone from a locale called Dalmer.
In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Dalmer surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10, ranked #37,599, down from #29,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dalmer is 105 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 68.8%.
1881 census count
32
Ranked #29,082
Modern count
10
2016, ranked #37,599
Peak year
1861
105 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Dalmer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Dalmer surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 26 | #28,667 |
| 1861 | historical | 105 | #20,298 |
| 1881 | historical | 32 | #29,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 68 | #28,300 |
| 1901 | historical | 27 | #31,057 |
| 1911 | historical | 22 | #31,030 |
| 1997 | modern | 9 | #37,214 |
| 1998 | modern | 12 | #36,790 |
| 1999 | modern | 12 | #36,806 |
| 2000 | modern | 8 | #37,264 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 10 | #36,902 |
| 2003 | modern | 6 | #37,586 |
| 2004 | modern | 6 | #37,655 |
| 2005 | modern | 7 | #37,581 |
| 2006 | modern | 7 | #37,634 |
| 2007 | modern | 7 | #37,687 |
| 2008 | modern | 7 | #37,735 |
| 2009 | modern | 9 | #37,573 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 8 | #37,737 |
| 2012 | modern | 6 | #38,008 |
| 2013 | modern | 8 | #37,767 |
| 2014 | modern | 8 | #37,806 |
| 2015 | modern | 8 | #37,797 |
| 2016 | modern | 10 | #37,599 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, West Derby, Sheffield and Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | West Derby | Lancashire |
| 4 | Sheffield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 5 | Bromley | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Dalmer surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dalmer, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Dalmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Dalmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Dalmer is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dalmer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Dalmer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname DALMER is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, possibly derived from the Old English words "dæl" meaning "valley" and "mere" meaning "a pool or a lake". This suggests that the name may have been borne by individuals who resided near a valley with a small body of water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and estates in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Richard de Dalmer, who held lands in the county of Wiltshire.
In the 13th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Dalmare", appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a collection of records pertaining to landholdings and taxation. This document mentions a William de Dalmare, who was a tenant in the village of Steeple Aston.
During the 14th century, the name underwent another spelling variation, appearing as "Dalmere" in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire. These records document a John Dalmere, who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership in the year 1348.
One notable individual bearing the DALMER surname was Sir Thomas Dalmer, a prominent English politician and military commander who lived during the 15th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for Kent and fought in the Wars of the Roses on the Lancastrian side. Sir Thomas Dalmer was born around 1420 and died in 1491.
Another historical figure with the DALMER surname was William Dalmer, a 16th-century English clergyman and scholar. He was born in 1532 and served as the Archdeacon of Lewes and Rector of Wilmington in Sussex. Dalmer was renowned for his linguistic abilities and authored several works on grammar and rhetoric.
In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records and legal documents across England. One such instance is the baptismal record of John Dalmer, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Dalmer, in the parish of St. Mary's in Islington, London, in 1635.
The 18th century saw the emergence of a notable literary figure named George Dalmer. Born in 1752 in Northamptonshire, he was a poet and essayist whose works explored themes of nature and rural life. Dalmer's most celebrated work, "The Shepherd's Calendar," was published in 1785 and earned him widespread acclaim.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dalmer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 14 Dalmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 14 | 3.78x |
| Yorkshire | 12 | 3.88x |
| Cumberland | 2 | 7.45x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.64x |
| Devon | 1 | 1.54x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.95x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 8 Dalmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.80x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Toxteth Park | 8 | 63.80x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 7 | 115.51x |
| Liverpool | 6 | 26.68x |
| Wortley In Bramley | 5 | 204.08x |
| Kirkbampton | 2 | 5000.00x |
| Hampstead London | 1 | 20.58x |
| Ottery St Mary | 1 | 232.56x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 3.98x |
| Wolverhampton | 1 | 12.35x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dalmer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dalmer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Dalmer households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Cook Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Domestic Servant Out Of Place | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| Knife Buffer | 1 |
| Mechanic In Ironworks | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Provision Dealer | 1 |
| Shoeing Smith ((Farrier)) | 1 |
| Tin Plate Worker | 1 |
| Tinsmith | 1 |
| Waggon Fitter | 1 |
| Wife Of Tinsmith | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Dalmer surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 10 in 2016. That gives Dalmer a modern rank of #37,599.
An English toponymic surname indicating someone from a locale called Dalmer.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dalmer bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.