NameCensus.

UK surname

Delacey

One meaning is a surname transferred from an English place named from Norman French "de la(a)ssi" meaning "of the vent or vent hole".

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Delacey surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, down from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, Kensington and Chelsea and Balornock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Delacey is 141 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 144.9%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

1999

141 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Delacey had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Delacey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Delacey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Delacey 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 125 #26,298
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Delaceys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, Kensington and Chelsea, Balornock, Auchtermuchty and Gateside and Barmulloch. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 004 Winchester
2 Kensington and Chelsea 006 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Balornock Glasgow City
4 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
5 Barmulloch Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Delacey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Delacey

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Delacey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Delacey 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Delacey is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Delacey is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Delacey 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 Delacey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Delacey

The surname Delacey is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from the Old French phrase "de la ce," meaning "from the well" or "from the spring." This suggests that the first bearers of this name lived near a notable well or spring.

The earliest recorded instances of the Delacey surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where it appears as "de la Cee." Over time, the spelling evolved into Delacey, Delacy, and other variations.

One of the earliest notable individuals with this surname was Sir Hugh Delacey, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted lands in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire for his service.

In the 13th century, the Delacey family established themselves in Hertfordshire, where they held the manor of Folly John in the parish of Hitchin. Sir John Delacey, born around 1250, was a prominent member of this branch of the family.

The Delacey name is also associated with the village of Delancey in Normandy, France. It is believed that some members of the Delacey family may have originated from this area before migrating to England.

During the reign of King Edward III (1327-1377), a Sir William Delacey served as a member of the King's Council and held the position of Lord Privy Seal. He was also a renowned soldier and fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable figure was Sir Ralph Delacey, born in 1420, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1478. He was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the city's infrastructure and charitable institutions.

In the 16th century, the Delacey family had a presence in Wiltshire, where they held the manor of Winterbourne Earls. Sir Edward Delacey, born in 1560, was a prominent member of this branch and served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire.

Throughout history, the Delacey surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, soldiers, politicians, merchants, and landowners. While the name may have evolved in spelling over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Old French phrase "de la ce," reflecting the family's connection to a well or spring in their ancestral homeland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Delacey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Delacey 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. Yorkshire leads with 12 Delaceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.10x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 12 3.10x
Northumberland 8 13.79x
Surrey 8 4.21x
Lancashire 6 1.30x
Lincolnshire 3 4.81x
Midlothian 2 3.83x
Middlesex 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westgate in Northumberland leads with 8 Delaceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 222.84x.

Place Total Index
Westgate 8 222.84x
Gate Fulford 6 666.67x
Sculcoates 6 97.88x
Gorton 5 114.94x
Bermondsey 4 34.45x
Croydon 4 37.91x
Morton In Gainsborough 3 2500.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 9.51x
Liverpool 1 3.56x
St Pancras London 1 3.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Louisa 2
Mary 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Ema 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
June 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Saraham 1
Sushannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Henry 3
Augustine 1
Benjamin 1
Caleb 1
Charles 1
Fred 1
Haden 1
Hardill 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

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 Delacey households.

FAQ

Delacey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Delacey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Delacey surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Delacey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Delacey a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Delacey surname mean?

One meaning is a surname transferred from an English place named from Norman French "de la(a)ssi" meaning "of the vent or vent hole".

What does the Delacey map show?

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