NameCensus.

UK surname

Demain

A French surname referring to tomorrow or the future.

In the 1881 census there were 208 people recorded with the Demain surname, ranking it #12,511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 221, ranked #18,321, down from #12,511 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hayton, Barnoldswick and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Vale of White Horse and Milton Keynes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Demain is 258 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.3%.

1881 census count

208

Ranked #12,511

Modern count

221

2016, ranked #18,321

Peak year

1911

258 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Demain had 208 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,511 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 221 in 2016, ranked #18,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 258 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Demain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Demain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Demain 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 134 #14,033
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 208 #12,511
1891 historical 221 #13,897
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1911 historical 258 #12,614
1997 modern 207 #17,267
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 240 #16,226
2000 modern 229 #16,695
2001 modern 222 #16,806
2002 modern 225 #16,994
2003 modern 210 #17,559
2004 modern 212 #17,540
2005 modern 210 #17,572
2006 modern 204 #18,051
2007 modern 209 #17,951
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 217 #18,443
2011 modern 201 #19,213
2012 modern 210 #18,604
2013 modern 211 #18,872
2014 modern 216 #18,705
2015 modern 218 #18,478
2016 modern 221 #18,321

Geography

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Where Demains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hayton, Barnoldswick, Bradford, Bolton-le-Moors and West Ham,Wanstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Vale of White Horse and Milton Keynes. 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 Hayton Cumberland
2 Barnoldswick Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 West Ham,Wanstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Vale of White Horse 011 Vale of White Horse
2 Vale of White Horse 014 Vale of White Horse
3 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
4 Milton Keynes 001 Milton Keynes
5 Vale of White Horse 009 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Demain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Demain

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Demain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Demain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Demain is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Demain is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Demain falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Demain

The surname DEMAIN is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the French phrase "de main," which translates to "of the hand" or "by hand." This name likely originated as a descriptive surname for an artisan or craftsman who worked skillfully with their hands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DEMAIN surname can be found in the 13th-century Cartulary of Fécamp Abbey in Normandy, where a certain Robert Demain is mentioned as a witness to a land transfer in 1256. This suggests that the name was already established in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, the DEMAIN name appeared in various records across northern France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Picardy. For instance, a Jean Demain is listed in the census records of the village of Beaumont-le-Roger in 1379.

The DEMAIN surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Pierre Demain (c. 1450-1520), a master stonemason from Rouen who worked on the construction of several churches and castles in Normandy during the Renaissance period.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Jacques Demain (1578-1645), a French philosopher and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Paris in the early 17th century. His works on metaphysics and natural theology were widely influential during his time.

In the 18th century, the DEMAIN family established a presence in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). One of their descendants, Antoine Demain (1765-1824), was a plantation owner and influential figure in the colony's pre-revolutionary society.

During the 19th century, the DEMAIN name gained recognition in the field of literature. Émile Demain (1820-1887) was a French author and journalist who wrote several novels and plays that explored themes of social inequality and the lives of the working class.

Furthermore, the DEMAIN surname has been linked to various place names throughout France, such as Demain-la-Ville in the Champagne region and Demain-les-Champs in Burgundy. These locations may have derived their names from early DEMAIN families who settled in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Demain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Demain 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. Lancashire leads with 83 Demains recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 83 3.75x
Yorkshire 69 3.74x
Durham 11 1.98x
Middlesex 11 0.59x
Cumberland 5 3.12x
Staffordshire 4 0.64x
Glamorgan 2 0.62x
Surrey 2 0.22x
Cheshire 1 0.24x
Lincolnshire 1 0.34x
Monmouthshire 1 0.74x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clitheroe in Lancashire leads with 17 Demains recorded in 1881 and an index of 261.14x.

Place Total Index
Clitheroe 17 261.14x
Little Bolton 13 45.74x
Accrington 12 59.70x
Manningham 11 48.37x
Stockton On Tees 11 41.17x
Openshaw 10 96.62x
Saddleworth 9 63.20x
Melbecks 8 1081.08x
Burnley 7 37.59x
Little Timble 7 35000.00x
Markington Cum 7 2333.33x
Tonge With Haulgh 7 162.79x
Glusburn 6 576.92x
Mile End Old Town London 6 15.13x
Toxteth Park 6 8.02x
Halifax 5 18.45x
Hayton 5 549.45x
Leeds 5 4.80x
Burton Upon Trent 4 27.19x
Whalley 4 124.22x
Clayton Le Moors 3 69.93x
Habergham Eaves 3 14.84x
Ash Normandy 2 162.60x
Gelligaer 2 26.99x
Great Timble 2 1818.18x
Hackney London 2 1.91x
Otley 2 44.64x
Westminster St James 2 10.44x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 15.85x
Bishop Thornton 1 322.58x
Bollington In 1 27.32x
Bolton In Bradford 1 84.75x
Boston 1 11.06x
Bradford 1 2.24x
Islington London 1 0.55x
Mexborough 1 27.32x
Padiham 1 18.73x
Panteg 1 47.17x
Thornaby 1 14.49x
Worksop 1 13.42x
York Mint Yard St 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 10
George 9
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
James 5
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Marshall 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Albany 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Carter 1
Edward 1
Emmanuel 1
Eward 1
Fred 1
Fredk.C. 1
Haighton 1
Hampson 1
Horace 1
Irvine 1
Louis 1
Natham 1
Pratt 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Samuel 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1
Theodore 1
Walter 1
Wilson 1

FAQ

Demain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Demain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 208 people were recorded with the Demain surname. That placed it at #12,511 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Demain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 221 in 2016. That gives Demain a modern rank of #18,321.

What does the Demain surname mean?

A French surname referring to tomorrow or the future.

What does the Demain map show?

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