NameCensus.

UK surname

Darbyshire

A locational surname referring to someone from Derbyshire county, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,602 people recorded with the Darbyshire surname, ranking it #2,663 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,428, ranked #2,713, down from #2,663 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Darbyshire is 2,604 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.6%.

1881 census count

1,602

Ranked #2,663

Modern count

2,428

2016, ranked #2,713

Peak year

2002

2,604 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Darbyshire had 1,602 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,663 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,428 in 2016, ranked #2,713.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,508 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Darbyshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Darbyshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Darbyshire 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 1,007 #2,772
1861 historical 1,021 #2,745
1881 historical 1,602 #2,663
1891 historical 1,827 #2,515
1901 historical 2,259 #2,399
1911 historical 2,508 #2,047
1997 modern 2,579 #2,458
1998 modern 2,543 #2,569
1999 modern 2,578 #2,550
2000 modern 2,562 #2,556
2001 modern 2,532 #2,531
2002 modern 2,604 #2,530
2003 modern 2,549 #2,524
2004 modern 2,534 #2,537
2005 modern 2,481 #2,554
2006 modern 2,429 #2,604
2007 modern 2,442 #2,617
2008 modern 2,474 #2,613
2009 modern 2,506 #2,636
2010 modern 2,547 #2,656
2011 modern 2,503 #2,671
2012 modern 2,410 #2,701
2013 modern 2,451 #2,713
2014 modern 2,492 #2,691
2015 modern 2,442 #2,708
2016 modern 2,428 #2,713

Geography

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Where Darbyshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, Wigan, Manchester and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and Barnsley. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 018 Wigan
2 Wigan 011 Wigan
3 Wigan 024 Wigan
4 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
5 Wigan 012 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Darbyshire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Darbyshire

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Darbyshire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Darbyshire household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Darbyshire is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Darbyshire is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Darbyshire 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 Darbyshire 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 Darbyshire, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Darbyshire

The surname Darbyshire is of English origin and is derived from the place name Derbyshire, which refers to the county of Derbyshire in England. It is a locational surname, indicating that the original bearer of the name hailed from that region.

The name Derbyshire itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "Deor" meaning "deer" and "byr" meaning "town" or "settlement." The county was historically known for its abundance of deer, hence the name "Deor-byr" or "Deer Town."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Darbyshire can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire, a record of financial accounts from the 12th century. The name appeared as "de Derbyshire," indicating a person from the county of Derbyshire.

In the 13th century, the surname was recorded in various forms, such as "de Derbishire" and "de Derbeshire," reflecting the evolving spellings of the time. The place name Derbyshire itself has undergone various spellings over the centuries, including "Derbeie," "Derbeysire," and "Darbeshire."

One notable person with the surname Darbyshire was John Darbyshire (1594-1667), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Botolph's Church in Lincolnshire. His work, "The Glory of Christ Unveiled," was published in 1652.

Another individual of note was Sir John Darbyshire (1686-1765), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1752. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers.

In the late 18th century, Samuel Darbyshire (1753-1832) was a renowned English architect and builder who designed and constructed several notable buildings in Manchester and the surrounding areas.

During the 19th century, William Darbyshire (1801-1872) was a prominent English industrialist and manufacturer of cotton machinery. He played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the North West of England.

Lastly, William Darbyshire (1844-1911) was a British botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of New Guinea and the Pacific islands. He made significant contributions to the field of botany and published several works on the subject.

While the surname Darbyshire has its roots in the county of Derbyshire, it has since spread across England and beyond, carried by individuals and families who migrated from the region over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Darbyshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Darbyshire 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. Lancashire leads with 1,012 Darbyshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.50x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,012 5.50x
Yorkshire 235 1.53x
Cheshire 134 3.91x
Middlesex 33 0.21x
Staffordshire 24 0.46x
Durham 19 0.41x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.81x
Shropshire 15 1.12x
Derbyshire 14 0.58x
Warwickshire 11 0.28x
Kent 10 0.19x
Surrey 9 0.12x
Denbighshire 8 1.37x
Carmarthenshire 7 1.07x
Devon 7 0.22x
Flintshire 7 1.68x
Norfolk 5 0.21x
Bedfordshire 4 0.50x
Leicestershire 4 0.23x
Oxfordshire 4 0.42x
Glamorgan 3 0.11x
Sussex 3 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.15x
Essex 1 0.03x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Merionethshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pemberton in Lancashire leads with 135 Darbyshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 183.97x.

Place Total Index
Pemberton 135 183.97x
Wigan 87 33.83x
Hindley 41 52.25x
Manchester 41 4.95x
Salford 34 6.28x
Ashton In Makerfield 33 62.97x
Blackrod 32 139.92x
Pendleton In Salford 32 14.59x
Orrell 31 135.49x
Adlington 27 156.70x
Warrington 25 11.46x
Westleigh 25 59.82x
Standish With Langtree 23 101.50x
Ince In Makerfield 22 25.69x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 22 41.53x
Haigh 20 312.01x
Aspull 18 41.58x
Great Bolton 18 7.38x
Hulme 18 4.68x
Runcorn 18 22.80x
Barton Upon Irwell 17 12.27x
Worsley 17 14.98x
Wortley In Bramley 17 13.97x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 10.48x
Westhoughton 15 30.54x
Drayton In Hales 14 50.69x
Green Hammerton 14 891.72x
Nottingham St Mary 14 2.59x
Kirkdale 13 4.20x
Baguley 12 306.91x
Chelsea London 12 2.57x
West Derby 12 2.23x
Whittle Le Woods 12 196.72x
Great Budworth 11 181.22x
Liverpool 11 0.98x
Sutton 11 62.79x
Accrington 10 5.98x
Armley 10 14.75x
Cheetham 10 7.28x
Horton In Bradford 10 4.17x
Little Bolton 10 4.23x
Newton 10 7.05x
North Meols 10 5.55x
Rumworth 10 38.02x
Timperley 10 84.03x
Chorley 9 8.72x
Everton 9 1.53x
Halliwell 9 13.44x
Houghton Middleton 9 703.13x
Leeds 9 1.04x
Nether Hallam 9 4.33x
Romiley 9 93.17x
Sheffield 9 1.84x
Blackburn 8 1.63x
Broughton In Salford 8 4.75x
Witton Le Wear 8 61.12x
York St Maurice 8 27.64x
Breightmet 7 86.42x
Carmarthen St Peter 7 12.53x
Farnworth 7 6.35x
Monks Coppenhall 7 5.42x
Much Woolton 7 28.03x
Newton By Daresbury 7 700.00x
Openshaw 7 8.12x
Shoreditch London 7 1.04x
Spotland 7 3.42x
Tranmere 7 5.56x
Abergele 6 35.61x
Askham Richard 6 483.87x
Aston 6 0.56x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 1.92x
Farnley In Bramley 6 31.27x
Great Little Marsden 6 7.12x
Heaton 6 77.32x
Middlesbrough 6 3.00x
Putney 6 8.49x
Stretford 6 5.93x
Sutton 6 9.72x
Wednesfield 6 7.79x
Wombwell 6 13.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 133
Elizabeth 80
Sarah 50
Jane 44
Ellen 39
Ann 38
Margaret 38
Alice 32
Annie 26
Hannah 25
Emma 17
Eliza 15
Martha 13
Harriet 11
Edith 10
Maria 9
Ada 8
Esther 8
Grace 8
Anne 7
Beatrice 6
Betsy 6
Clara 6
Eleanor 6
Louisa 6
Caroline 5
Dorothy 5
Emily 5
Florence 5
Lucy 5
Nancy 5
Phoebe 5
Catherine 4
Elizth. 4
Ethel 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Anna 3
Betty 3
Fanny 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Charlotte 2
Elzth. 2
Margery 2
Margt. 2
Matilda 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 138
William 94
James 91
Thomas 64
George 35
Henry 25
Joseph 22
Peter 22
Alfred 17
Richard 17
Robert 17
Walter 13
Charles 12
Samuel 12
Edward 11
Francis 7
Arthur 6
Philip 6
Wm. 6
Harry 5
Ralph 5
Thos. 5
Abraham 4
Albert 4
David 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Isaac 4
Joshua 4
Banister 3
Jno. 3
Matthew 3
Percy 3
Aaron 2
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Egerton 2
Frances 2
Leonard 2
Mathew 2
Nathan 2
Ricd. 2
Tom. 2
Bryan 1
Edw. 1
Egbert 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Darbyshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Darbyshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,602 people were recorded with the Darbyshire surname. That placed it at #2,663 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Darbyshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,428 in 2016. That gives Darbyshire a modern rank of #2,713.

What does the Darbyshire surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Derbyshire county, England.

What does the Darbyshire map show?

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