NameCensus.

UK surname

Dawber

Derived from the Old French "daubeur" meaning a plasterer or builder.

In the 1881 census there were 665 people recorded with the Dawber surname, ranking it #5,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 990, ranked #5,847, down from #5,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Standish and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dawber is 1,074 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.9%.

1881 census count

665

Ranked #5,412

Modern count

990

2016, ranked #5,847

Peak year

2002

1,074 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dawber had 665 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 990 in 2016, ranked #5,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 980 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Dawber surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dawber surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dawber 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 315 #7,347
1861 historical 421 #6,096
1881 historical 665 #5,412
1891 historical 795 #5,059
1901 historical 882 #5,211
1911 historical 980 #4,616
1997 modern 1,029 #5,355
1998 modern 993 #5,707
1999 modern 1,047 #5,497
2000 modern 1,069 #5,381
2001 modern 1,062 #5,318
2002 modern 1,074 #5,375
2003 modern 1,049 #5,381
2004 modern 1,019 #5,511
2005 modern 1,021 #5,456
2006 modern 994 #5,591
2007 modern 999 #5,614
2008 modern 1,005 #5,630
2009 modern 1,041 #5,593
2010 modern 1,066 #5,578
2011 modern 1,037 #5,645
2012 modern 994 #5,764
2013 modern 1,025 #5,712
2014 modern 1,027 #5,727
2015 modern 1,014 #5,743
2016 modern 990 #5,847

Geography

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Where Dawbers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Standish, Liverpool, Eccleston and Leyland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Standish Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Eccleston Lancashire
5 Leyland Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 026 Wigan
2 Wigan 001 Wigan
3 Wigan 021 Wigan
4 Wigan 008 Wigan
5 Wigan 011 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dawber

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dawber

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Dawber surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dawber 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dawber 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

Dawber 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

Dawber 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 Dawber is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dawber

The surname Dawber originates from England, specifically from the northern English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name derives from the Old English word "daubere," which referred to a plasterer or someone who applied daub or plaster to timber-framed buildings, a common construction method in those times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dawber can be found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311, where a Richard le Daubere is mentioned. This suggests the name was already in use by the early 14th century. The surname also appears in various tax rolls and parish records from the 15th and 16th centuries, often spelled as Dauber, Dawber, or Daubor, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions of the time.

The Dawber surname is closely linked to the village of Dawbers, located in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire. This place name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "daubere" and "byrig," meaning "the dwelling place of the plasterers." It is likely that the Dawber family established themselves in this area and adopted the name based on their occupation or association with the village.

One notable historical figure with the surname Dawber was Thomas Dawber (1679-1767), an English architect and surveyor who worked extensively in Yorkshire and Lancashire. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including Underley Hall in Cumbria and the Leeds Parish Church.

Another prominent individual was William Dawber (1853-1928), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in the Arts and Crafts style, including St. Mary's Church in Wimbledon and the chapel at Southlands College in London.

In the realm of literature, John Dawber (1920-2003) was an English author and playwright best known for his novels "The Unquiet Grave" and "The Upright Corpse."

Edward Guy Dawber (1830-1917) was a British artist and illustrator who specialized in portraiture and landscape paintings, and his works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries.

Robert Dawber (1867-1945) was a British civil engineer and surveyor who made significant contributions to the development of infrastructure in India, serving as the Chief Engineer of the Bombay Port Trust and overseeing major harbor construction projects.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Dawber throughout history, reflecting its origins and connections to various professions and areas of expertise.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dawber families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dawber 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 516 Dawbers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.71x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 516 6.71x
Lincolnshire 68 6.57x
Yorkshire 20 0.31x
Kent 10 0.45x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.15x
Cheshire 9 0.63x
Channel Islands 6 3.13x
Shropshire 5 0.89x
Norfolk 4 0.40x
Durham 3 0.16x
Middlesex 3 0.05x
Derbyshire 2 0.20x
Suffolk 2 0.25x
Warwickshire 2 0.12x
Devon 1 0.07x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Surrey 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 171 Dawbers recorded in 1881 and an index of 159.20x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 171 159.20x
Pemberton 70 228.39x
Standish With Langtree 37 390.71x
Wrightington 30 895.52x
Leyland 24 179.51x
Orrell 21 219.67x
Ince In Makerfield 17 47.54x
West Derby 15 6.67x
Liverpool 12 2.57x
Ashton In Makerfield 10 45.68x
Charlton Next Woolwich 10 43.38x
Pendleton In Salford 10 10.92x
Birkdale 9 46.27x
Hindley 9 27.46x
Westleigh 9 51.58x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 6.55x
Louth 8 33.70x
Garston 7 30.86x
Radford 7 15.78x
Witton 7 72.39x
St Martin 6 51.02x
Warrington 6 6.58x
Whaplode 6 169.97x
Blyborough 5 909.09x
Bowling 5 7.87x
Castleton 5 6.51x
Claverley 5 132.28x
Cold Hanworth 5 2500.00x
Gainsborough 5 20.48x
Hawerby With Beesby 5 2777.78x
Knutsford Nether 5 57.87x
Ormskirk 5 33.99x
Welton 5 331.13x
Blackburn 4 1.96x
Butterworth 4 21.36x
Croston 4 100.76x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 13.38x
Mottram 4 61.73x
Scarborough 4 6.86x
Stickney 4 261.44x
Falsgrave 3 31.71x
Holy Trinity 3 1.94x
Kearsley 3 18.55x
Newark Upon Trent 3 9.56x
North Meols 3 3.99x
Shevington 3 85.47x
St Martin Lincoln 3 31.22x
St Nicholas Lincoln 3 30.30x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 18.43x
Sutton In Marsh 3 375.00x
Tunstall 3 31.28x
Aston 2 0.44x
Bracebridge 2 42.46x
Hapton 2 41.67x
Market Rasen 2 34.54x
Scarisbrick 2 22.42x
St Maryle Wigford 2 24.84x
St Pancras London 2 0.38x
Toxteth Park 2 0.77x
Walsham Le Willows 2 76.05x
Aspull 1 5.53x
Atherton 1 3.57x
Beverley St Mary 1 10.67x
Bridlington 1 6.80x
Burgh In Marsh 1 39.68x
Clifton Upon Ure 1 714.29x
Dodworth 1 14.99x
Great Crosby 1 4.77x
Great Grimsby 1 1.52x
Horncastle 1 9.35x
Lambeth 1 0.18x
Lidford 1 16.50x
Northfield 1 6.23x
Scotter 1 42.19x
Sculcoates 1 0.98x
St George Bloomsbury 1 2.69x
Waddingham 1 62.89x
Welsh Whittle 1 400.00x
Widnes 1 1.80x
Winstanley 1 82.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Elizabeth 34
Ann 27
Margaret 23
Sarah 23
Ellen 21
Alice 19
Jane 18
Emma 8
Martha 8
Annie 6
Catherine 6
Margeret 5
Eliza 4
Esther 4
Eleanor 3
Isabella 3
Agnes 2
Eliz. 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Lucy 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Angelina 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Clarice 1
Dorothy 1
Eda 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizeth. 1
Ellin 1
Frances 1
Hellen 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 57
William 38
Thomas 37
James 36
George 13
Edward 11
Henry 11
Joseph 11
Robert 11
Charles 10
Samuel 7
Wm. 5
Peter 4
Ralph 4
Richard 4
Daniel 3
Mathew 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Ansell 2
Arthur 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Schofield 2
Sidney 2
Willie 2
Alfred 1
Ancell 1
Barnett 1
Bertram 1
Calverin 1
Cudberth 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Harry 1
Jonathan 1
Levi 1
Lucius 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Parlow 1
Philip 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Dawber surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dawber surname in 1881?

In 1881, 665 people were recorded with the Dawber surname. That placed it at #5,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dawber surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 990 in 2016. That gives Dawber a modern rank of #5,847.

What does the Dawber surname mean?

Derived from the Old French "daubeur" meaning a plasterer or builder.

What does the Dawber map show?

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