NameCensus.

UK surname

Delia

Derived from a Greek place name meaning "Delos," referring to a person who came from the island of Delos.

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Delia surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mole Valley, Cotswold and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Delia is 165 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 931.3%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

2016

165 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Delia had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 37 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Delia surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Delia surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Delia 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 14 #33,037
1901 historical 15 #32,383
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 93 #28,701
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 148 #23,697
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Delias 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 Mole Valley, Cotswold, Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Mole Valley 011 Mole Valley
2 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
3 Warwick 015 Warwick
4 Mole Valley 009 Mole Valley
5 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Delia

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Delia

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

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Delia surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Delia 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 younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Delia is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Delia 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

Delia falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Delia 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Delia

The surname DELIA originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Greek city of Delos, which was a major center of trade and culture in the Aegean Sea during the classical period. The name DELIA may have been initially adopted by individuals or families with ties to this influential island.

The earliest recorded instances of the DELIA surname date back to the 13th century in Sicily. During this time, it appeared in various municipal records and historical documents, suggesting that it was an established surname among Sicilian families. Some of the earliest known bearers of the DELIA name include Giacomo DELIA, a merchant from Palermo in the late 1200s, and Antonino DELIA, a landowner from Trapani in the early 1300s.

Over the centuries, the DELIA surname spread beyond Sicily to other parts of Italy and eventually to other countries through migration and trade. In the 15th century, records show the presence of the DELIA family in the city of Naples, where they were involved in various business ventures.

One notable historical figure with the DELIA surname was Giovanni DELIA (1554-1626), a Sicilian jurist and author who served as a judge in Palermo. His legal treatises and commentaries on Sicilian law were highly regarded during his time. Another prominent individual was Vincenzo DELIA (1680-1745), a Sicilian architect known for his work on several baroque churches and palaces in Palermo and other cities in Sicily.

In the 19th century, the DELIA surname gained recognition through the work of Pietro DELIA (1828-1892), an Italian botanist and naturalist from Palermo. He contributed significantly to the study of the flora and fauna of Sicily and was elected as a member of the prestigious Accademia dei Lincei (Lincean Academy) in Rome.

Another noteworthy figure was Camillo DELIA (1856-1924), an Italian politician and journalist who served as a member of the Italian Parliament and advocated for the rights of workers and farmers. He also founded several newspapers and wrote extensively on social and political issues of his time.

As people with the DELIA surname migrated to different parts of the world, the name became more widespread. For instance, in the early 20th century, Giuseppe DELIA (1894-1974) was an Italian-American sculptor and artist known for his public monuments and religious works in the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Delia families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Delia 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. Hampshire leads with 6 Delias recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.04x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 6 20.04x
Sussex 5 20.30x
Lancashire 2 1.15x
Surrey 2 2.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Stoneham in Hampshire leads with 6 Delias recorded in 1881 and an index of 923.08x.

Place Total Index
South Stoneham 6 923.08x
Battle 5 2941.18x
Lambeth 2 15.70x
Liverpool 2 18.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Alice 1
Elizabeth 1
Fanny 1
Jane 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
Bertrem 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Jeremiah 1
William 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 Delia households.

FAQ

Delia surname: questions and answers

How common was the Delia surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Delia surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Delia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Delia a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Delia surname mean?

Derived from a Greek place name meaning "Delos," referring to a person who came from the island of Delos.

What does the Delia map show?

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