NameCensus.

UK surname

Delbridge

An English locational surname originating from a place called Delbrig or Delbrige.

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Delbridge surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 301, ranked #14,696, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, Illogan and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, West Somerset and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Delbridge is 367 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.6%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

301

2016, ranked #14,696

Peak year

1911

367 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Delbridge had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016, ranked #14,696.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 367 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Delbridge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Delbridge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Delbridge 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 251 #8,761
1861 historical 238 #10,321
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 325 #10,426
1901 historical 317 #11,213
1911 historical 367 #9,914
1997 modern 300 #13,530
1998 modern 314 #13,483
1999 modern 321 #13,362
2000 modern 316 #13,460
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 317 #13,506
2003 modern 313 #13,443
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 298 #13,895
2006 modern 294 #14,092
2007 modern 301 #14,022
2008 modern 306 #13,943
2009 modern 295 #14,594
2010 modern 298 #14,812
2011 modern 299 #14,631
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 307 #14,522
2014 modern 309 #14,533
2015 modern 307 #14,504
2016 modern 301 #14,696

Geography

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Where Delbridges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, Illogan, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, St Ive and Atherington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, West Somerset, South Lakeland and Bridgend. 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 St Agnes Cornwall
2 Illogan Cornwall
3 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
4 St Ive Cornwall
5 Atherington Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 023 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
3 West Somerset 002 West Somerset
4 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland
5 Bridgend 008 Bridgend

Forenames

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First names often paired with Delbridge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Delbridge

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Delbridge is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Delbridge is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Delbridge 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 Delbridge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Delbridge

The surname DELBRIDGE is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the town of Dellbridge in Kent, England. This place name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "dell" meaning a small valley or hollow, and "brycg" meaning a bridge, suggesting the name referred to a bridge over a small valley or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1182, where it appears as "de Dellebrig." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273 also mention a certain "Walter de Delebrugge," demonstrating the name's presence in different regions of England during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379 as "Johannes Delbrygge." This record provides insight into the potential occupation of this individual, as the name could also have referred to someone who lived or worked near a small bridge.

Notable individuals with the surname DELBRIDGE include:

1. John Delbridge (c.1590-1662), an English Protestant clergyman and author, known for his work "The Catholick's Supplication to the King's Most Excellent Majesty."

2. Thomas Delbridge (1671-1738), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and attained the rank of Rear Admiral.

3. William Delbridge (1779-1853), a British architect and civil engineer, best known for his work on the construction of the Menai Suspension Bridge in Wales, completed in 1826.

4. Emily Delbridge (1834-1901), a British author and poet, renowned for her collection of poems titled "Wildflowers of the Meadow."

5. Henry Delbridge (1870-1946), a Australian politician and member of the House of Representatives, serving as the Member for Wimmera from 1913 to 1919.

The surname DELBRIDGE has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Delbridge Grange in Warwickshire, and Delbridge Farm in Oxfordshire, further solidifying its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Delbridge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Delbridge 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. Devon leads with 130 Delbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.65x.

County Total Index
Devon 130 20.65x
Cornwall 92 26.87x
Lancashire 14 0.39x
Glamorgan 13 2.47x
Gloucestershire 10 1.69x
Surrey 10 0.68x
Durham 7 0.78x
Yorkshire 7 0.23x
Staffordshire 6 0.59x
Cumberland 5 1.92x
Kent 5 0.48x
Royal Navy 4 11.10x
Shropshire 3 1.15x
Somerset 2 0.41x
Herefordshire 1 0.81x
Middlesex 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Agnes in Cornwall leads with 28 Delbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 584.55x.

Place Total Index
St Agnes 28 584.55x
Lynton 26 2063.49x
Martinhoe 15 7500.00x
Atherington 13 2407.41x
Camborne 11 77.96x
Newton Abbot St Mary 11 208.33x
Bishops Tawton 10 510.20x
Rotherhithe 10 26.77x
St Ive 10 454.55x
Illogan 9 99.34x
Berrynarbor 8 1111.11x
Wear Gifford 8 1739.13x
Bradfield 7 60.61x
Callington 7 351.76x
Haswell 7 108.53x
Swansea Town 7 16.22x
Toxteth Park 7 5.76x
Westbury On Trym 7 34.84x
Barnstaple 6 60.73x
Cubert 6 1538.46x
Dalton In Furness 6 43.32x
Penkridge 6 228.14x
Sithney 5 144.51x
St Cuthbert W O 5 39.40x
Tormoham 5 18.78x
Twitchen 5 2380.95x
Dawlish 4 85.11x
Kentisbury 4 1111.11x
Llanrhidian Higher 4 119.76x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 8.25x
Royal Navy 4 12.99x
St Columb Minor 4 139.37x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.77x
Kenwyn 3 33.52x
Minsterley 3 312.50x
Gwennap 2 30.96x
Ilfracombe 2 30.86x
Linkinhorne 2 84.03x
Llandyfodwg 2 66.89x
Minster In Sheppey 2 11.70x
North Molton 2 162.60x
South Molton 2 57.80x
Almondsbury 1 44.25x
Arlington 1 416.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.79x
Clifton 1 3.34x
Combmartin 1 72.99x
Crowan 1 36.90x
Ealing 1 3.70x
Eastdown 1 270.27x
Exeter Heavitree 1 21.32x
Great Crosby 1 10.22x
Gwinear 1 61.73x
Hereford All Sts 1 17.61x
Marwood 1 119.05x
Perranarworthal 1 87.72x
Phillack 1 22.62x
Shepton Mallet 1 18.32x
St Clement 1 28.01x
Wellington 1 15.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 14
Ellen 8
Sarah 8
Emily 6
Ann 5
Caroline 5
Emma 5
Jane 5
Eliza 4
Louisa 4
Annie 3
Beatrice 3
Frances 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Susan 2
Thirza 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elen 1
Elth. 1
Esther 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Janey 1
Jecoliah 1
Joan 1
Joanna 1
Lea 1
Leah 1
Lucey 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minne 1
Phillippa 1
Prudence 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
William 25
Thomas 15
Richard 11
George 10
Edward 7
James 7
Alfred 5
Ernest 4
Fred 3
Joseph 3
Abraham 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Lewis 2
Mattw. 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Charlie 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Jabez 1
Josh.S. 1
Matthew 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Rob.J. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Delbridge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Delbridge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Delbridge surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Delbridge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016. That gives Delbridge a modern rank of #14,696.

What does the Delbridge surname mean?

An English locational surname originating from a place called Delbrig or Delbrige.

What does the Delbridge map show?

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