NameCensus.

UK surname

Dearing

Derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the deer enclosure" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 561 people recorded with the Dearing surname, ranking it #6,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,325, ranked #4,530, up from #6,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Matthew Bethnal Green and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dearing is 1,338 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.2%.

1881 census count

561

Ranked #6,174

Modern count

1,325

2016, ranked #4,530

Peak year

2013

1,338 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dearing had 561 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,325 in 2016, ranked #4,530.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 962 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dearing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dearing surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dearing 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 411 #6,248
1881 historical 561 #6,174
1891 historical 626 #6,177
1901 historical 821 #5,503
1911 historical 962 #4,695
1997 modern 1,274 #4,473
1998 modern 1,294 #4,590
1999 modern 1,330 #4,499
2000 modern 1,329 #4,482
2001 modern 1,292 #4,506
2002 modern 1,302 #4,561
2003 modern 1,269 #4,576
2004 modern 1,260 #4,614
2005 modern 1,212 #4,724
2006 modern 1,215 #4,732
2007 modern 1,229 #4,729
2008 modern 1,220 #4,782
2009 modern 1,268 #4,723
2010 modern 1,285 #4,747
2011 modern 1,254 #4,801
2012 modern 1,285 #4,621
2013 modern 1,338 #4,533
2014 modern 1,327 #4,594
2015 modern 1,317 #4,577
2016 modern 1,325 #4,530

Geography

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Where Dearings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Matthew Bethnal Green, St Mary Islington and Sevenoaks. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and Rotherham. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Sevenoaks Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 012 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Kingston upon Hull 007 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 031 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Rotherham 009 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dearing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dearing

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Dearing 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

Dearing 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

Dearing falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dearing

The surname Dearing has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dere," which means "deer," and was likely an occupational name for a hunter or someone who worked with deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dearing can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Robert Deringg is mentioned. This suggests that variations of the spelling, such as Deringg or Dering, were common in the early days.

The name Dearing may also have been influenced by place names, particularly the village of Deringhall in Kent, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. This may indicate that some individuals bearing the name Dearing were once residents or landowners in this area.

In the 14th century, records show individuals named John Dering and Thomas Dering living in Kent, suggesting that the name had spread and taken root in that region by that time.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the surname Dearing. One of the most prominent was Sir Edward Dering (1598-1644), an English politician and member of Parliament who played a significant role in the English Civil War. Another notable figure was John Dearing (1759-1837), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Other historical figures with the surname Dearing include Richard Dearing (1670-1738), an English clergyman and author, and James Dearing (1840-1865), a Confederate cavalry officer during the American Civil War who was killed in action at the Battle of High Bridge.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Dearing also appeared in various records and documents in Ireland, suggesting that some individuals with this surname may have migrated from England to Ireland during that time period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dearing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dearing 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 130 Dearings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 130 2.38x
Yorkshire 126 2.32x
Kent 71 3.80x
Sussex 45 4.88x
Surrey 43 1.61x
Essex 22 2.04x
Norfolk 20 2.38x
Devon 19 1.67x
Suffolk 15 2.25x
Buckinghamshire 10 3.02x
Staffordshire 10 0.54x
Hertfordshire 8 2.12x
Cheshire 7 0.58x
Durham 7 0.43x
Lancashire 6 0.09x
Oxfordshire 6 1.78x
Cumberland 3 0.64x
Worcestershire 3 0.42x
Gloucestershire 2 0.19x
Hampshire 2 0.18x
Warwickshire 2 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.92x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 60 Dearings recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.24x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 60 25.24x
Islington London 24 4.52x
Sevenoaks 18 118.89x
Rotherhithe 14 20.71x
Southcoates 12 39.87x
Hastings St Leonards 11 81.12x
Garton Cum Grimstone 10 3448.28x
Hessle In Sculcoates 10 208.77x
Loughton 10 187.27x
Tonbridge 10 14.85x
Worlingworth 10 833.33x
Okehampton 9 209.30x
Rotherham 9 29.44x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 8 146.52x
Abbots Langley 7 125.00x
Aylesford 7 135.40x
Chelsea London 7 4.25x
Ellerby In Skirlaugh 7 1093.75x
Newington 7 3.46x
Portslade 7 124.11x
Alne 6 652.17x
Aylesbury 6 40.93x
Checkley 6 125.00x
Cottingham 6 51.33x
Cranbrook 6 75.85x
Hellingly 6 194.17x
Heston 6 33.02x
Maidstone 6 10.79x
Shoreditch London 6 2.53x
Walkington 6 326.09x
Wooldale 6 65.22x
Bradfield 5 23.92x
Cliffe 5 118.76x
North Frodingham 5 390.63x
Norwich St Stephen 5 64.77x
Patrington 5 194.55x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 32.22x
West Ham 5 2.10x
Westminster St John 5 7.50x
Wrotham 5 80.78x
Bermondsey 4 2.46x
Colchester St Giles 4 37.49x
Hailsham 4 71.68x
Holy Trinity 4 3.07x
Lower Beeding 4 163.27x
Merrow 4 360.36x
North Skirlaugh 4 754.72x
Sculcoates 4 4.65x
St Pancras London 4 0.91x
Staplehurst 4 130.29x
Sutton 4 64.72x
Wouldham 4 168.07x
Bielby 3 731.71x
Brighton 3 1.61x
Clapham 3 4.39x
Dickleburgh 3 193.55x
Fifield 3 652.17x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 4.25x
Kings Norton 3 4.68x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.58x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 3.42x
Slaugham 3 100.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.72x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.53x
Stow Wood 3 10000.00x
Wandsworth 3 5.69x
Willesden 3 5.82x
Worminghall 3 526.32x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.43x
Camberwell 2 0.57x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.55x
Ellerton Priory 2 377.36x
Hampstead London 2 2.35x
Lakenham 2 16.74x
Norwich St Peter 2 36.23x
Portsea 2 0.91x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 14.40x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.51x
Tottenham 2 2.29x
Upminster 2 89.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 14
Annie 12
Jane 11
Ann 10
Eliza 10
Emma 8
Louisa 8
Emily 7
Ada 6
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Catherine 4
Esther 4
Fanny 4
Hannah 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Gertrude 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Rhoda 2
Sabina 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Bartha 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Elanor 1
Eleaner 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellice 1
Isabella 1
Thyrza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 30
George 27
Thomas 19
Henry 15
James 14
Charles 12
Frederick 9
Alfred 8
Edward 8
Harry 7
Walter 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Joseph 5
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Francis 3
Fred 3
Edwin 2
Frederic 2
Jesse 2
Louie 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Augustus 1
Benjamin 1
Caleb 1
Chas 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edgor 1
Frances 1
Fredk.C. 1
Geo. 1
Habers 1
Hardon 1
Hayle 1
Hedley 1
Isiac 1
Jabes 1
Jams. 1
Louisa 1
Luther 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Reuben 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dearing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dearing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 561 people were recorded with the Dearing surname. That placed it at #6,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dearing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,325 in 2016. That gives Dearing a modern rank of #4,530.

What does the Dearing surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the deer enclosure" in Old English.

What does the Dearing map show?

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