NameCensus.

UK surname

Delisle

A French topographic surname referring to someone who lived on an island.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Delisle surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harborough, Westminster and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Delisle is 140 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.4%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2013

140 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Delisle had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Delisle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Delisle surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Delisle 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 61 #29,103
1901 historical 49 #28,696
1911 historical 65 #26,343
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 113 #25,731
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 115 #25,969
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 124 #25,371
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Delisles 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 Harborough, Westminster, Eastleigh and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Harborough 002 Harborough
2 Westminster 022 Westminster
3 Westminster 024 Westminster
4 Eastleigh 015 Eastleigh
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 004 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Delisle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Delisle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Delisle, 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 Delisle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Delisle 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Delisle is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Delisle 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

Delisle falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Delisle

The surname Delisle has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old French phrase "de l'isle," meaning "from the island." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name likely lived on an island or came from an area near an island.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census conducted in 1086 by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Insula," which is the Latin equivalent of "from the island." This entry indicates that the name was already in use among the Norman nobility in the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Delisle was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of France, such as Normandy and Brittany, where there were numerous islands and coastal areas. The name may have been initially adopted by families living on the islands off the coast or in coastal villages near islands.

One notable bearer of the name was Guillaume Delisle (1675-1726), a renowned French cartographer and geographer. He was born in Paris and is best known for his detailed maps of the Americas, which were highly influential in his time. His work helped to advance the understanding of the geography of the New World.

Another prominent figure with the surname Delisle was Joseph-Nicolas Delisle (1688-1768), a French astronomer and member of the French Academy of Sciences. He made significant contributions to the study of comets and was among the first to calculate the orbit of Halley's Comet.

In the 17th century, the name Delisle was also found in the records of the French colony of Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia and parts of New Brunswick). One example was Charles Delisle (born around 1635), who was among the early settlers in the region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Delisle include Claude Delisle (1644-1720), a French painter and engraver known for his landscapes and religious works, and Philippe Delisle (1949-2021), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the National Assembly of Quebec.

The name Delisle has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including de l'Isle, de l'Ile, and de Lisle. These variations reflect the different spellings and pronunciations used in different regions of France and the gradual evolution of the language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Delisle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Delisle 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 16 Delisles recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 16 2.19x
Channel Islands 13 59.96x
Kent 10 4.01x
Essex 8 5.54x
Hertfordshire 6 11.90x
Devon 4 2.63x
Leicestershire 3 3.70x
Pembrokeshire 3 12.90x
Cambridgeshire 2 4.32x
Hampshire 2 1.33x
Worcestershire 2 2.09x
Berkshire 1 1.82x
Glamorgan 1 0.79x
Royal Navy 1 11.47x
Somerset 1 0.85x
Surrey 1 0.28x
Wiltshire 1 1.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 9 Delisles recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.75x.

Place Total Index
Deptford St Paul 9 46.75x
Great Baddow 8 1568.63x
Hammersmith London 8 44.40x
Hemel Hempstead 6 264.32x
St Brelade 5 892.86x
St Saviour 5 416.67x
Tottenham 4 34.33x
Tenby St Mary In 3 254.24x
Whitwick 3 291.26x
Aldershot 2 39.84x
Great Malvern 2 100.50x
Ipplepen 2 952.38x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 63.09x
St Peter Port 2 49.88x
Trumpington 2 833.33x
Bedminster 1 9.04x
Berry Pomeroy 1 400.00x
East Teignmouth 1 161.29x
Farnham 1 36.10x
Kensington London 1 2.46x
Marlborough 1 909.09x
Roath 1 17.27x
Royal Navy 1 13.42x
Sandhurst 1 94.34x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.76x
St Martin 1 75.19x
Sutton Valence 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 3
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Edward 2
John 2
Adrian 1
Albert 1
Clement 1
De 1
Dudley 1
Edwin 1
Emmiline 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Gerard 1
Havilland 1
Henry 1
Herzel 1
Hirzell 1
Hirzill 1
Leon 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Vincent 1
William 1

FAQ

Delisle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Delisle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Delisle surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Delisle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Delisle a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Delisle surname mean?

A French topographic surname referring to someone who lived on an island.

What does the Delisle map show?

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