NameCensus.

UK surname

Delf

A surname of French origin derived from the word "delf" meaning a miner or quarry worker.

In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Delf surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, down from #15,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Holton, Blythford, Beccles and Henstead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Waveney and East Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Delf is 260 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.1%.

1881 census count

153

Ranked #15,320

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

2010

260 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Delf had 153 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Delf surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Delf surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Delf 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 153 #15,320
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 165 #17,085
1911 historical 188 #15,550
1997 modern 237 #15,809
1998 modern 259 #15,320
1999 modern 256 #15,557
2000 modern 255 #15,538
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 246 #15,988
2003 modern 243 #15,911
2004 modern 228 #16,723
2005 modern 223 #16,938
2006 modern 225 #16,941
2007 modern 231 #16,835
2008 modern 234 #16,827
2009 modern 254 #16,230
2010 modern 260 #16,343
2011 modern 247 #16,783
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 252 #16,822
2015 modern 246 #16,994
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Delfs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Holton, Blythford, Beccles, Henstead, Worstead and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Waveney and East Staffordshire. 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 Holton, Blythford Suffolk
2 Beccles Suffolk
3 Henstead Suffolk
4 Worstead Norfolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 012 South Norfolk
2 Waveney 011 Waveney
3 East Staffordshire 001 East Staffordshire
4 Waveney 006 Waveney
5 Waveney 012 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Delf

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Delf

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Delf is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Delf is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Delf 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 Delf 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 Delf, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Delf

The surname DELF originated in England during the late 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word 'delf', meaning a quarry or mine. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a quarry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DELF can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1196, which mention a Richard Delf. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, listing a Henry Delf.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name such as Delfe, Delf, and Delff were common in areas like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. These regions had numerous quarries and mines, which may explain the prevalence of the surname in those areas.

In the 15th century, the surname DELF can be found in the Calendars of the Proceedings in Chancery, which include references to individuals like John Delf (1419) and William Delf (1438).

One notable individual with the surname DELF was Thomas Delf (1490-1558), a wealthy merchant and member of the Grocers' Company in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1551.

Another prominent figure was Sir Ralph Delf (1535-1600), a military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his service in the Dutch Revolt against Spain.

In the 17th century, the surname DELF appears in various parish records and tax rolls, such as the Hearth Tax records of Yorkshire, which list families like the Delfs of Doncaster.

A notable DELF from this period was Edward Delf (1630-1695), a English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Hilgay in Norfolk.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several DELF families in different parts of England, including the Delfs of Staffordshire and the Delfs of Warwickshire.

One notable individual from this time was James Delf (1745-1816), a renowned architect who designed numerous buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Delf families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Delf 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. Norfolk leads with 66 Delfs recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.58x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 66 28.58x
Suffolk 36 19.68x
Middlesex 9 0.60x
Essex 8 2.70x
Surrey 8 1.09x
Cheshire 7 2.11x
Durham 7 1.57x
Yorkshire 7 0.47x
Warwickshire 3 0.79x
Devon 1 0.32x
Kent 1 0.20x
Sussex 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heigham in Norfolk leads with 17 Delfs recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.10x.

Place Total Index
Heigham 17 137.10x
Beccles 15 510.20x
Worstead 10 2500.00x
Great Yarmouth 9 47.05x
Birkenhead 7 26.49x
Great Bentley 7 1489.36x
Haswell 7 218.75x
Hockham 7 2692.31x
Willingham 7 8750.00x
Thornhill 6 138.25x
Holton 5 2173.91x
Norwich St Giles 5 675.68x
Kensington London 4 4.79x
Sutton 4 75.47x
Topcroft 4 2222.22x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 26.53x
Henstead 3 1071.43x
Lakenham 3 91.46x
Lambeth 3 2.29x
Norwich St Benedict 3 291.26x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 32.21x
Sotterley 2 1428.57x
Wereham 2 625.00x
Aylsham 1 72.99x
Beeston Regis 1 1000.00x
Bungay Holy Trinity 1 106.38x
Chelsea London 1 2.21x
Cheriton 1 47.85x
Ellough 1 1250.00x
Hackney London 1 1.19x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 18.52x
Highweek 1 90.09x
Honing 1 588.24x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 84.03x
Loddon 1 169.49x
Mountnessing 1 222.22x
Newington 1 1.80x
Norwich All Sts 1 526.32x
Norwich St Simon St Jude 1 555.56x
Norwood 1 29.15x
Old Tower Without London 1 1666.67x
St Lawrence Jewry London 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Harriet 6
Mary 5
Annie 4
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Elizebeth 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
Sophia 2
Susanna 2
Sydney 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annice 1
Charlotte 1
Edwina 1
Elizh. 1
Francis 1
Hanna 1
Isa. 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Margaretha 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Mgt. 1
Nora 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
James 7
John 7
Henry 5
George 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Percy 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Beecher 1
Bertie 1
Danl.W. 1
Edwadd 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.R. 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1

FAQ

Delf surname: questions and answers

How common was the Delf surname in 1881?

In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Delf surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Delf surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Delf a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Delf surname mean?

A surname of French origin derived from the word "delf" meaning a miner or quarry worker.

What does the Delf map show?

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