NameCensus.

UK surname

Delve

In the 1881 census there were 396 people recorded with the Delve surname, ranking it #8,024 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 506, ranked #9,905, down from #8,024 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Swansea and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Delve is 583 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.8%.

1881 census count

396

Ranked #8,024

Modern count

506

2016, ranked #9,905

Peak year

2000

583 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Delve had 396 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,024 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 506 in 2016, ranked #9,905.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 494 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Delve surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Delve surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Delve 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 279 #8,067
1861 historical 236 #10,393
1881 historical 396 #8,024
1891 historical 396 #8,945
1901 historical 421 #9,141
1911 historical 494 #7,886
1997 modern 550 #8,660
1998 modern 566 #8,726
1999 modern 580 #8,632
2000 modern 583 #8,571
2001 modern 562 #8,664
2002 modern 572 #8,723
2003 modern 533 #9,050
2004 modern 535 #9,041
2005 modern 507 #9,351
2006 modern 505 #9,415
2007 modern 517 #9,331
2008 modern 513 #9,454
2009 modern 532 #9,402
2010 modern 565 #9,167
2011 modern 544 #9,358
2012 modern 529 #9,461
2013 modern 531 #9,597
2014 modern 527 #9,716
2015 modern 516 #9,789
2016 modern 506 #9,905

Geography

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Where Delves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Morchard Bishop and Pilton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Swansea, Salford, Sefton and Exeter. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Morchard Bishop Devon
5 Pilton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 010 North Devon
2 Swansea 029 Swansea
3 Salford 019 Salford
4 Sefton 025 Sefton
5 Exeter 011 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Delve

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Delve

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Delve is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Delve is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Delve falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Delve is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Delve families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Delve 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 195 Delves recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.31x.

County Total Index
Devon 195 24.31x
Lancashire 48 1.05x
Glamorgan 37 5.52x
Somerset 31 5.00x
Middlesex 22 0.57x
Surrey 20 1.07x
Essex 11 1.45x
Gloucestershire 11 1.46x
Cornwall 6 1.38x
Monmouthshire 6 2.15x
Durham 4 0.35x
Kent 2 0.15x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Morchard Bishop in Devon leads with 27 Delves recorded in 1881 and an index of 1616.77x.

Place Total Index
Morchard Bishop 27 1616.77x
Oystermouth 25 481.70x
Barnstaple 19 150.91x
Pilton 19 716.98x
Barton Upon Irwell 15 43.58x
Bermondsey 15 13.08x
Bow 13 1214.95x
Marwood 12 1121.50x
West Ham 11 6.55x
Ardwick 10 24.25x
Easton In Gordano 10 400.00x
Lapford 10 1282.05x
Bedminster 9 15.44x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 14.57x
St Marylebone London 9 4.37x
Everton 8 5.49x
Spreyton 8 1568.63x
Bideford 7 81.49x
Liverpool 7 2.52x
Llantwit Lower 7 118.64x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 32.66x
North Tawton 6 243.90x
Easton 5 1785.71x
Hampstead London 5 8.33x
Ilfracombe 5 60.53x
Lympston 5 349.65x
Ashford 4 1904.76x
Bristol St Augustine 4 32.81x
Buckland Brewer 4 408.16x
Exeter St Thomas The 4 48.90x
Great Crosby 4 32.10x
Hunwick Helmington 4 145.45x
Kilkhampton 4 310.08x
Loxhore 4 1428.57x
Midsomer Norton 4 68.49x
West Derby 4 2.99x
Bedwellty 3 6.10x
Bratton Fleming 3 434.78x
Bristol St James In 3 27.00x
Bristol St Michael 3 46.30x
Brixham 3 32.29x
Chelsea London 3 2.58x
Combmartin 3 172.41x
Mynyddyslwyn 3 27.30x
Penarth 3 45.73x
Plymouth Charles The 3 8.49x
Sherwill 3 555.56x
Bampton 2 81.30x
Bishops Tawton 2 80.00x
East Buckland 2 869.57x
Exeter St Leonard 2 91.32x
Kenwyn 2 17.53x
Newington 2 1.41x
Stringston 2 1333.33x
Tormoham 2 5.89x
Aldershot 1 3.78x
Ashprington 1 169.49x
Aylesford 1 27.47x
Braunton 1 36.76x
Brighton 1 0.76x
Bristol St George 1 2.86x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.71x
Eastdown 1 212.77x
Epsom 1 10.93x
Exeter St David 1 14.60x
Hammersmith London 1 1.05x
Kensington London 1 0.47x
Lambeth 1 0.30x
Littleham 1 17.06x
Paddington London 1 0.71x
Paignton 1 16.39x
Richmond 1 3.80x
Sandford 1 51.02x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.47x
Swansea Town 1 1.82x
Tedburn St Mary 1 117.65x
Walcot 1 3.03x
West Malling 1 33.78x
Westminster St John 1 2.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 30
James 15
George 14
Charles 8
Richard 7
Edwin 6
Henry 6
Thomas 6
Frederick 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Fred 2
Phillip 2
Sidney 2
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Bertram 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Jesse 1
Jethro 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Ormond 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Rodger 1
Thos. 1
W.Henry 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Delve surname: questions and answers

How common was the Delve surname in 1881?

In 1881, 396 people were recorded with the Delve surname. That placed it at #8,024 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Delve surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 506 in 2016. That gives Delve a modern rank of #9,905.

What does the Delve map show?

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