NameCensus.

UK surname

Dancer

An English occupational surname for an entertainer who performed dances or for someone who was a dancing teacher.

In the 1881 census there were 643 people recorded with the Dancer surname, ranking it #5,543 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 893, ranked #6,336, down from #5,543 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Grandborough, Upton with Chalvey and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Stratford-on-Avon and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dancer is 916 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.9%.

1881 census count

643

Ranked #5,543

Modern count

893

2016, ranked #6,336

Peak year

2002

916 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dancer had 643 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,543 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 893 in 2016, ranked #6,336.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 873 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dancer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dancer surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dancer 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 421 #5,789
1861 historical 433 #5,944
1881 historical 643 #5,543
1891 historical 697 #5,622
1901 historical 797 #5,671
1911 historical 873 #5,094
1997 modern 804 #6,516
1998 modern 889 #6,218
1999 modern 901 #6,197
2000 modern 915 #6,105
2001 modern 898 #6,102
2002 modern 916 #6,123
2003 modern 877 #6,199
2004 modern 854 #6,328
2005 modern 816 #6,508
2006 modern 816 #6,509
2007 modern 824 #6,532
2008 modern 840 #6,494
2009 modern 864 #6,490
2010 modern 908 #6,348
2011 modern 883 #6,419
2012 modern 877 #6,372
2013 modern 891 #6,384
2014 modern 910 #6,322
2015 modern 888 #6,383
2016 modern 893 #6,336

Geography

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Where Dancers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Grandborough, Upton with Chalvey, London parishes and King's Sutton, Newbottle. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Stratford-on-Avon, Oldham, Aylesbury Vale and South Bucks. 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 Grandborough Buckinghamshire
2 Upton with Chalvey Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 London parishes London 2
5 King's Sutton, Newbottle Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 011 South Northamptonshire
2 Stratford-on-Avon 014 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Oldham 030 Oldham
4 Aylesbury Vale 001 Aylesbury Vale
5 South Bucks 008 South Bucks

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dancer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dancer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dancer, 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 Dancer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dancer 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Dancer is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Dancer is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dancer falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dancer 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dancer

The surname Dancer is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period in England. The name derives from the Old English word "dansere," which means "one who dances." This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who worked as professional dancers or entertainers in the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Dancer can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a John le Dansour is mentioned. The "le" prefix indicates the occupational nature of the surname.

In the 14th century, the surname Dancer appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a Thomas le Dauncer is recorded. This variation in spelling, "Dauncer," highlights the diverse ways the name was written in its early days.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir Thomas Dancer, a 15th-century English soldier and Member of Parliament. He was born around 1430 and served as a member of King Henry VI's privy council during the Wars of the Roses.

Another significant figure with the surname Dancer was Daniel Dancer, a 17th-century English actor and playwright. He was born around 1630 and is best known for his portrayal of various roles in the plays of William Shakespeare and other contemporary dramatists.

In the 18th century, the Dancer name gained prominence through Thomas Dancer, a renowned English landscape architect and garden designer. He was born in 1735 and is credited with designing several notable gardens, including those at Chilworth Manor in Surrey.

During the 19th century, the Dancer surname was carried by notable individuals such as Henry Dancer, a British naval officer and explorer. He was born in 1804 and is known for his explorations of the Arctic regions and his contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Another significant figure from this era was Sir Thomas Dancer, a British politician and colonial administrator. He was born in 1834 and served as the Governor of Newfoundland from 1899 to 1904, playing a crucial role in the development of the colony.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dancer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dancer 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 171 Dancers recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.02x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 171 45.02x
Middlesex 72 1.15x
Staffordshire 58 2.74x
Northamptonshire 46 7.79x
Yorkshire 45 0.72x
Warwickshire 33 2.08x
Worcestershire 28 3.41x
Lancashire 26 0.35x
Bedfordshire 25 7.69x
Gloucestershire 19 1.54x
Hertfordshire 18 4.16x
Kent 17 0.79x
Hampshire 16 1.24x
Oxfordshire 14 3.61x
Surrey 12 0.39x
Berkshire 10 2.12x
Derbyshire 10 1.02x
Essex 7 0.56x
Wiltshire 6 1.08x
Leicestershire 3 0.43x
Monmouthshire 2 0.44x
Cumberland 1 0.18x
Durham 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 1.34x
Rutland 1 2.17x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Sutton in Northamptonshire leads with 42 Dancers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1596.96x.

Place Total Index
Kings Sutton 42 1596.96x
Wendover 33 806.85x
Chalfont St Peter 28 894.57x
Barnsley 19 29.59x
Grandborough 19 2923.08x
West Bromwich 19 15.65x
Heath Reach 17 735.93x
Harborne 14 20.60x
Leamington Priors 13 33.35x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 4.89x
Bray 10 72.15x
Farnham Royal 10 444.44x
Nether Hallam 10 11.87x
Stourbridge 9 42.63x
Watford 9 26.81x
Wycombe 9 31.79x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 6.76x
Deddington 8 190.02x
Hedgerley Dean 8 1818.18x
Hillingdon 8 39.94x
Millbrook 8 24.67x
Gillingham 7 15.84x
Harefield 7 216.72x
Hunslet 7 7.21x
Wednesfield 7 22.43x
Bovingdon 6 264.32x
Cranham 6 714.29x
Ilkeston 6 21.76x
Withington 6 444.44x
Wollaston 6 115.38x
Acton 5 13.58x
Chearsley 5 980.39x
Chelsea London 5 2.64x
Cradley 5 67.39x
Doncaster 5 10.99x
Great Missenden 5 106.84x
Hedgerley 5 1785.71x
Leighton Buzzard 5 35.74x
Leyton Low 5 19.83x
Lye 5 36.63x
Maids Moreton 5 520.83x
Mancetter 5 109.65x
Priors Marston 5 403.23x
St Luke London 5 4.96x
Stoke Poges 5 107.99x
Sutton At Hone 5 112.36x
Temple Guiting 5 438.60x
West Drayton 5 230.41x
Aylesbury 4 23.77x
Barnes 4 30.89x
Chesham 4 28.57x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.70x
Fulmer 4 434.78x
Kirkdale 4 3.19x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.99x
Pitchcott 4 5000.00x
Portsea 4 1.59x
Winshill 4 63.80x
Castle Donnington 3 51.90x
Chiswick 3 8.74x
Ellesborough 3 229.01x
Fugglestone St Peter 3 136.36x
Fulham London 3 3.29x
Hoggeston 3 789.47x
Kingswinford 3 3.90x
Luton 3 5.33x
Malmesbury St Paul 3 62.76x
Manchester 3 0.89x
Napton On Hill 3 157.07x
Penn 3 126.58x
Tutbury 3 58.03x
Eydon 2 206.19x
Hulme 2 1.29x
Lambeth 2 0.37x
Minster In Sheppey 2 5.63x
Pendleton In Salford 2 2.25x
Solihull 2 17.56x
St Anne Soho London 2 5.57x
Templenewsam 2 44.35x
Upper Machen 2 64.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 29
Sarah 28
Ann 15
Emily 15
Emma 11
Eliza 10
Ellen 10
Jane 10
Louisa 9
Alice 8
Hannah 8
Maria 7
Martha 7
Annie 6
Florence 6
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Kate 4
Rose 4
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Harriett 3
Helen 3
Margaret 3
Ruth 3
Selina 3
Susan 3
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Henrietta 2
Maud 2
Bythiah 1
C. 1
Emly 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Everelda 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Joyce 1
Julia 1
K. 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 52
John 31
Thomas 25
George 24
James 16
Joseph 16
Charles 14
Alfred 12
Henry 11
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
Albert 6
David 6
Edward 6
Harry 6
Richard 5
Frank 4
Walter 4
Cornelius 3
Francis 3
Robert 3
A. 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Gregory 2
L. 2
Oliver 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Infant 1
Levi 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
S. 1
Sam 1

FAQ

Dancer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dancer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 643 people were recorded with the Dancer surname. That placed it at #5,543 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dancer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 893 in 2016. That gives Dancer a modern rank of #6,336.

What does the Dancer surname mean?

An English occupational surname for an entertainer who performed dances or for someone who was a dancing teacher.

What does the Dancer map show?

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