NameCensus.

UK surname

Day

Derived from the Old English word "dæg," referring to a person who lived near a significant daytime landmark.

In the 1881 census there were 27,843 people recorded with the Day surname, ranking it #114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38,492, ranked #131, down from #114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Hertfordshire, East Cambridgeshire and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Day is 40,611 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.2%.

1881 census count

27,843

Ranked #114

Modern count

38,492

2016, ranked #131

Peak year

1999

40,611 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Day had 27,843 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 38,492 in 2016, ranked #131.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35,373 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Day surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Day surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Day 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 18,348 #117
1881 historical 27,843 #114
1891 historical 346 #9,920
1901 historical 35,373 #118
1997 modern 38,748 #118
1998 modern 40,350 #120
1999 modern 40,611 #121
2000 modern 40,215 #121
2001 modern 39,169 #121
2002 modern 40,051 #123
2003 modern 38,810 #124
2004 modern 38,753 #124
2005 modern 37,872 #126
2006 modern 37,758 #128
2007 modern 37,986 #128
2008 modern 38,037 #130
2009 modern 38,798 #131
2010 modern 39,506 #132
2011 modern 39,130 #131
2012 modern 38,457 #131
2013 modern 39,132 #131
2014 modern 39,266 #131
2015 modern 38,730 #131
2016 modern 38,492 #131

Geography

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Where Days are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Hertfordshire, East Cambridgeshire, Staffordshire Moorlands and South Holland. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Hertfordshire 012 North Hertfordshire
2 North Hertfordshire 014 North Hertfordshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
4 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands
5 South Holland 008 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Day

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Day

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Day is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Day 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

Day falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Day

The surname Day originated in England and has its roots in the Old English word 'dæg', meaning day or daylight. It was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked during the day or preferred to be active during daylight hours.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Day can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Dae' and 'Dai'. This suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century in various parts of England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Day was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Kent, and Suffolk. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name may have been employed in occupations that required working during the day, such as farmers, tradesmen, or laborers.

As the name spread across England, it took on various spellings, including Daye, Dey, and Deye. These variations are found in historical records from the 13th to the 16th centuries, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling conventions during that time period.

One notable historical figure with the surname Day was John Day, a renowned English Protestant printer who lived from around 1522 to 1584. He played a significant role in the printing and distribution of religious works during the Reformation period.

Another individual of note was Thomas Day, an English author and abolitionist born in 1748. He is best known for his novel "Sandford and Merton," which aimed to educate children on moral principles.

Richard Day, born in 1552, was an English clergyman and an eminent translator of the Geneva Bible. His contributions to the translation and dissemination of the Bible were significant during the Protestant Reformation.

In the realm of literature, John Day, born in 1574, was an English playwright and author who contributed to the development of English drama during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.

Finally, Henry George Day, born in 1837, was a renowned English architect known for his work on various ecclesiastical buildings, including churches and cathedrals, throughout England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Day families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Day 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. Middlesex leads with 4,641 Days recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.69x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4,641 1.69x
Yorkshire 2,380 0.87x
Surrey 2,105 1.57x
Kent 1,782 1.90x
Essex 1,285 2.37x
Lancashire 1,219 0.37x
Somerset 1,166 2.63x
Warwickshire 999 1.44x
Hampshire 919 1.63x
Gloucestershire 900 1.67x
Hertfordshire 869 4.58x
Suffolk 831 2.48x
Staffordshire 810 0.87x
Lincolnshire 633 1.44x
Berkshire 608 2.95x
Cambridgeshire 608 3.49x
Worcestershire 498 1.39x
Bedfordshire 490 3.44x
Norfolk 461 1.09x
Wiltshire 441 1.81x
Sussex 407 0.88x
Oxfordshire 370 2.18x
Nottinghamshire 347 0.94x
Glamorgan 299 0.62x
Cheshire 297 0.49x
Durham 274 0.33x
Derbyshire 269 0.62x
Dorset 253 1.40x
Northamptonshire 252 0.97x
Devon 232 0.41x
Leicestershire 211 0.69x
Huntingdonshire 169 3.09x
Monmouthshire 158 0.79x
Shropshire 153 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 151 0.91x
Lanarkshire 114 0.13x
Northumberland 74 0.18x
Herefordshire 70 0.62x
Midlothian 69 0.19x
Cornwall 38 0.12x
Pembrokeshire 37 0.42x
Aberdeenshire 33 0.13x
Angus 28 0.11x
Channel Islands 28 0.34x
Royal Navy 22 0.67x
Stirlingshire 15 0.15x
Cumberland 14 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 14 0.22x
Carmarthenshire 13 0.11x
Fife 13 0.08x
Anglesey 10 0.21x
Westmorland 10 0.17x
Brecknockshire 9 0.16x
Denbighshire 9 0.09x
Isle of Man 9 0.18x
Morayshire 8 0.19x
Argyllshire 6 0.08x
Clackmannanshire 6 0.26x
Flintshire 6 0.08x
Perthshire 6 0.05x
Renfrewshire 6 0.03x
Berwickshire 5 0.15x
Ayrshire 4 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.04x
Nairnshire 4 0.48x
Banffshire 2 0.04x
Radnorshire 2 0.09x
Rutland 2 0.10x
Selkirkshire 2 0.08x
Sutherland 2 0.09x
Wigtownshire 2 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.01x
Inverness-shire 1 0.01x
Orkney 1 0.03x
Peeblesshire 1 0.08x
West Lothian 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 529 Days recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.98x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 529 1.98x
Lambeth 384 1.60x
St Pancras London 363 1.64x
Aston 331 1.73x
Birmingham 292 1.26x
Camberwell 270 1.54x
Kensington London 267 1.75x
Hackney London 253 1.64x
Luton 247 10.02x
Bethnal Green London 233 1.95x
St Marylebone London 201 1.37x
Shoreditch London 197 1.65x
Croydon 171 2.30x
Portsea 170 1.54x
Paddington London 169 1.67x
Mile End Old Town London 154 2.63x
Clerkenwell London 150 2.31x
West Ham 149 1.24x
Dewsbury 135 4.83x
St George Hanover Square 127 2.62x
Kingston On Thames 123 3.82x
Bromley London 121 2.00x
Chelsea London 121 1.46x
Leeds 121 0.79x
Battersea 120 1.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 117 1.19x
Newington 109 1.07x
Hitchin 107 12.51x
Brighton 104 1.11x
Nottingham St Mary 100 1.04x
Hammersmith London 97 1.43x
Deptford St Paul 94 1.30x
Sculcoates 94 2.18x
Hampstead London 93 2.17x
Manchester 92 0.63x
Northwood 91 11.34x
St George In East London 91 3.52x
St Andrewthe Less 89 4.47x
Bermondsey 86 1.05x
Leicester St Margaret 86 1.16x
Poplar London 86 1.66x
Batley 81 3.13x
Bedminster 80 1.92x
Lewisham 78 1.56x
Lowestoft 77 4.87x
Southwark St George Martyr 77 1.39x
Wolverhampton 77 1.08x
Cheltenham 75 1.80x
Bow London 70 2.00x
Standon 70 35.89x
Stevenage 70 23.82x
Swindon 69 3.66x
Greenwich 68 1.55x
Hornsey 68 1.96x
Reading St Giles 68 3.36x
Walthamstow 68 3.48x
Brightside Bierlow 65 1.22x
Limehouse London 65 2.15x
Tottenham 64 1.46x
Weston Super Mare 64 5.73x
Bradford 63 0.95x
Chelmsford 63 6.76x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 62 8.16x
Sheffield 62 0.71x
West Derby 61 0.64x
Soothill 60 6.09x
Salford 59 0.61x
St Luke London 57 1.29x
Almondbury 55 4.17x
Liverpool 55 0.28x
Fulham London 54 1.35x
Everton 53 0.51x
Melbourn 53 31.22x
Edmonton 52 2.35x
Clapham 51 1.48x
Great Yarmouth 51 1.46x
Walsall Foreign 51 1.06x
Walton On Thames 51 8.29x
Woolwich 51 1.47x
Tonbridge 50 1.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,642
Elizabeth 1,046
Sarah 958
Eliza 522
Ann 500
Emma 498
Ellen 486
Jane 485
Alice 436
Emily 402
Annie 398
Hannah 240
Martha 233
Harriet 213
Florence 211
Louisa 209
Charlotte 199
Edith 191
Caroline 184
Fanny 169
Ada 167
Maria 150
Margaret 141
Kate 137
Lucy 136
Frances 121
Catherine 117
Susan 114
Clara 111
Agnes 107
Amelia 104
Harriett 102
Anne 96
Rose 87
Julia 81
Esther 78
Susannah 77
Matilda 73
Sophia 68
Rebecca 64
Gertrude 57
Minnie 55
Amy 53
Eleanor 50
Elizth. 50
Jessie 49
Isabella 48
Rosa 45
Ruth 45
Anna 44

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,818
John 1,423
George 1,185
Charles 784
Thomas 769
James 767
Henry 674
Joseph 454
Alfred 377
Frederick 324
Arthur 322
Edward 295
Robert 283
Albert 247
Walter 226
Harry 216
Samuel 201
Richard 161
Frank 151
Ernest 135
Edwin 115
David 110
Francis 109
Herbert 88
Daniel 81
Wm. 70
Benjamin 56
Thos. 46
Fred 45
Tom 43
Stephen 41
Geo. 40
Percy 40
Chas. 39
Fredrick 39
Isaac 37
Fredk. 33
Sidney 30
Christopher 26
Peter 24
Edmund 23
Mark 23
Sydney 23
Edgar 22
Jesse 22
Alexander 21
Earnest 20
Michael 19
Horace 18
Job 18

Top occupations

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 Day households.

FAQ

Day surname: questions and answers

How common was the Day surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27,843 people were recorded with the Day surname. That placed it at #114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Day surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 38,492 in 2016. That gives Day a modern rank of #131.

What does the Day surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word "dæg," referring to a person who lived near a significant daytime landmark.

What does the Day map show?

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