NameCensus.

UK surname

Date

A locational surname derived from place names containing the word "date" referring to a fruit or tree.

In the 1881 census there were 450 people recorded with the Date surname, ranking it #7,321 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 457, ranked #10,690, down from #7,321 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, Copeland and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Date is 534 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.6%.

1881 census count

450

Ranked #7,321

Modern count

457

2016, ranked #10,690

Peak year

1911

534 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Date had 450 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,321 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 457 in 2016, ranked #10,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 534 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Date surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Date surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Date 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 242 #9,001
1861 historical 345 #7,398
1881 historical 450 #7,321
1891 historical 450 #8,074
1901 historical 484 #8,244
1911 historical 534 #7,458
1997 modern 491 #9,425
1998 modern 495 #9,678
1999 modern 499 #9,674
2000 modern 494 #9,717
2001 modern 472 #9,873
2002 modern 499 #9,648
2003 modern 463 #10,026
2004 modern 454 #10,229
2005 modern 451 #10,197
2006 modern 445 #10,319
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 439 #10,640
2009 modern 457 #10,532
2010 modern 472 #10,488
2011 modern 465 #10,511
2012 modern 432 #11,015
2013 modern 452 #10,795
2014 modern 456 #10,781
2015 modern 449 #10,836
2016 modern 457 #10,690

Geography

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Where Dates are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford, Millom, Muncaster and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, Copeland, Sedgemoor and Monmouthshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber Somerset
3 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
4 Millom, Muncaster Cumberland
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 003 West Somerset
2 Copeland 008 Copeland
3 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor
4 Sedgemoor 011 Sedgemoor
5 Monmouthshire 001 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Date

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Date

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Date is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Date is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Date falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Date

The surname DATE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "dæt," which means "valley" or "dale." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a particular valley or dale.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DATE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The surname appears in various spellings, such as "de la Date" and "atte Date," indicating that it was likely a locative name referring to a specific place.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname DATE began to appear more frequently in historical records across various regions of England. For instance, Richard Date was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, while John de la Date was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327.

Renowned figures throughout history who bore the surname DATE include Sir John Date (c. 1480-1543), an English courtier and diplomat who served under King Henry VIII. Another notable individual was Richard Date (1618-1668), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts.

In the 18th century, John Date (1742-1805) was a prominent English engraver and painter, known for his exceptional skills in mezzotint engraving. Additionally, George Date (1798-1868) was a respected English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the iconic St. George's Hall in Liverpool.

A more recent figure was Emily Date (1837-1912), a British novelist and children's author who wrote under the pen name "Constance Garvey." Her works were popular during the Victorian era and explored themes of family life and social issues.

While the surname DATE has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural interchanges. However, it remains most prevalent in its country of origin, where it continues to carry the historical significance of its early locative origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Date families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Date 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. Somerset leads with 123 Dates recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.22x.

County Total Index
Somerset 123 18.22x
Cornwall 84 17.69x
Middlesex 70 1.67x
Devon 41 4.70x
Glamorgan 23 3.15x
Gloucestershire 20 2.43x
Surrey 14 0.69x
Cumberland 11 3.05x
Kent 8 0.56x
Monmouthshire 7 2.31x
Leicestershire 6 1.29x
Denbighshire 4 2.52x
Lancashire 4 0.08x
Sussex 3 0.42x
Durham 2 0.16x
Hampshire 2 0.23x
Norfolk 2 0.31x
Worcestershire 2 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.39x
Dorset 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 2.00x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crowan in Cornwall leads with 16 Dates recorded in 1881 and an index of 425.53x.

Place Total Index
Crowan 16 425.53x
Kensington London 15 6.43x
Williton 15 663.72x
St Pancras London 13 3.85x
Wendron 13 197.27x
Camborne 12 61.32x
Malborough 12 345.82x
St Decumans 12 1846.15x
Millom 11 99.37x
Llanfabon 10 261.78x
Stoke Damerel 10 16.36x
Sampford Brett 9 2903.23x
St Ives 9 96.88x
Clerkenwell London 8 8.08x
Hackney London 8 3.40x
Swansea Town 8 13.36x
Teddington London 8 84.21x
West Quantoxhead 8 2000.00x
Chilton Trinity 7 2916.67x
Combe Florey 7 1521.74x
Ludgvan 7 185.19x
Nettlecombe 7 1627.91x
Old Cleeve 7 290.46x
Probus 7 358.97x
Woolwich 7 13.24x
Bristol St James In 6 49.59x
Englishcombe 6 800.00x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 33.94x
Sithney 6 125.00x
Stoke 6 169.97x
Abergavenny 5 44.01x
Corfe 5 909.09x
Dodbrooke 5 289.02x
Kingston Seymour 5 1190.48x
Lambeth 5 1.37x
Bristol St Peter 4 136.05x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 5.16x
Leicester St Mary 4 10.65x
Liverpool 4 1.32x
Ruabon 4 18.36x
South Huish 4 930.23x
Bathwick 3 40.16x
Brighton 3 2.10x
Cardiff St John 3 12.57x
East Quantoxhead 3 882.35x
Helston 3 60.73x
Kilve 3 937.50x
Kingston On Thames 3 6.11x
Mawgan In Meneage 3 241.94x
Paddington London 3 1.95x
Porlock 3 272.73x
St Anne Soho London 3 12.53x
St Marylebone London 3 1.34x
Stratton 3 300.00x
Willesden 3 7.59x
Battersea 2 1.30x
Chelsea London 2 1.58x
Kings Norton 2 4.07x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.76x
Mattishall 2 155.04x
St Agnes 2 30.08x
Streatham 2 6.43x
Topsham 2 48.54x
Weston Super Mare 2 11.73x
Westonsuper Mare 2 144.93x
Wiveliscombe 2 53.19x
Bedwellty 1 1.87x
Bicknoller 1 212.77x
Camberwell 1 0.37x
Cannington 1 49.75x
Clifton 1 2.40x
Edgware 1 85.47x
Holford 1 434.78x
Islington London 1 0.25x
Madron Penzance 1 5.79x
Neath 1 6.73x
Royal Navy 1 2.34x
Tanfield 1 6.74x
Walcot 1 2.78x
Withycombe 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 19
Jane 16
Sarah 15
Ann 9
Emily 8
Susan 8
Eliza 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Emma 5
Louisa 5
Annie 4
Bessie 4
Florence 4
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Martha 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Elsie 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Lily 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bessy 1
Constance 1
Eliz.G. 1
Eliz.J. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Elsa 1
Gwendoline 1
Isabella 1
Jeanie 1
Joan 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Kezia 1
Lavinia 1
Sussana 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
John 28
Thomas 18
George 14
Henry 10
Samuel 9
Charles 7
James 7
Walter 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Nicholas 2
Adolphus 1
Alec 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Fredr. 1
Fredrick 1
Hubert 1
Jas. 1
Johnathan 1
Jonathan 1
Montague 1
Randolph 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Tom 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Date surname: questions and answers

How common was the Date surname in 1881?

In 1881, 450 people were recorded with the Date surname. That placed it at #7,321 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Date surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 457 in 2016. That gives Date a modern rank of #10,690.

What does the Date surname mean?

A locational surname derived from place names containing the word "date" referring to a fruit or tree.

What does the Date map show?

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