NameCensus.

UK surname

Derbyshire

A locational surname referring to someone from the county of Derbyshire in England.

In the 1881 census there were 3,118 people recorded with the Derbyshire surname, ranking it #1,445 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,405, ranked #1,542, down from #1,445 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chorley, St. Helens and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Derbyshire is 4,695 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.3%.

1881 census count

3,118

Ranked #1,445

Modern count

4,405

2016, ranked #1,542

Peak year

1999

4,695 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Derbyshire had 3,118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,445 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,405 in 2016, ranked #1,542.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,494 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Derbyshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Derbyshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Derbyshire 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 1,567 #1,837
1861 historical 2,186 #1,338
1881 historical 3,118 #1,445
1891 historical 3,617 #1,326
1901 historical 3,954 #1,426
1911 historical 4,494 #1,147
1997 modern 4,416 #1,487
1998 modern 4,603 #1,476
1999 modern 4,695 #1,459
2000 modern 4,615 #1,475
2001 modern 4,569 #1,461
2002 modern 4,641 #1,466
2003 modern 4,535 #1,463
2004 modern 4,472 #1,484
2005 modern 4,393 #1,489
2006 modern 4,394 #1,495
2007 modern 4,392 #1,507
2008 modern 4,397 #1,514
2009 modern 4,497 #1,516
2010 modern 4,616 #1,511
2011 modern 4,497 #1,528
2012 modern 4,421 #1,521
2013 modern 4,532 #1,516
2014 modern 4,529 #1,526
2015 modern 4,458 #1,530
2016 modern 4,405 #1,542

Geography

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Where Derbyshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Eccles, Manchester, Bolton-le-Moors and Chorley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chorley, St. Helens and Wigan. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Chorley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chorley 006 Chorley
2 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
4 Wigan 014 Wigan
5 Wigan 021 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Derbyshire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Derbyshire

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Derbyshire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Derbyshire household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Derbyshire is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Derbyshire 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

Derbyshire falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Derbyshire is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Derbyshire

The surname Derbyshire originated in England, deriving from the county of Derbyshire in the East Midlands region. This name traces back to the Old English words "deor" meaning deer and "byrig" meaning town or fortified place, indicating the name's association with a town or settlement where deer were found.

Derbyshire as a surname first appeared in historical records during the late 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire from 1199, where a person named William de Derbyshire is mentioned. This suggests the surname was adopted by individuals hailing from the county of Derbyshire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror, several places within Derbyshire are listed, such as Repton, Ashbourne, and Wirksworth, indicating the county's long-standing history and potential for the surname's origins.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Derbyshire throughout history include:

1. Sir John Derbyshire (c.1370-1448), an English knight who served as the Sheriff of Derbyshire in the 15th century. 2. Thomas Derbyshire (c.1560-1625), an English poet and clergyman known for his religious works. 3. Elizabeth Derbyshire (1628-1691), an English Quaker preacher and writer who published several religious tracts. 4. John Derbyshire (1841-1907), a British businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Nottingham in the late 19th century. 5. Robert Derbyshire (1921-2001), a Canadian lawyer and judge who served on the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Over time, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, such as Darbyshire, Derbishyre, and Derbysher, reflecting the changing pronunciation and orthography of English language. Additionally, some placenames like Derby and Darby may have contributed to the variations in the surname's spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Derbyshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Derbyshire 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 1,990 Derbyshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,990 5.51x
Cheshire 310 4.61x
Derbyshire 173 3.63x
Staffordshire 165 1.61x
Yorkshire 125 0.41x
Middlesex 57 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 50 1.22x
Essex 49 0.82x
Leicestershire 39 1.16x
Durham 26 0.29x
Surrey 26 0.18x
Bedfordshire 25 1.59x
Northumberland 20 0.44x
Worcestershire 14 0.35x
Kent 11 0.11x
Warwickshire 9 0.12x
Lincolnshire 5 0.10x
Berkshire 4 0.18x
Glamorgan 4 0.08x
Devon 3 0.05x
Royal Navy 3 0.83x
Sussex 3 0.06x
Denbighshire 2 0.17x
Hampshire 2 0.03x
Monmouthshire 2 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.05x
Cumberland 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Flintshire 1 0.12x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 136 Derbyshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.93x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 136 26.93x
Manchester 127 7.81x
Salford 126 11.85x
Pemberton 116 80.51x
Barton Upon Irwell 101 37.13x
Chorley 81 39.94x
Blackburn 80 8.32x
Stoke Upon Trent 57 5.23x
Hindley 56 36.34x
Preston 46 4.76x
Ashton On Mersey 39 112.20x
Hulme 36 4.77x
Stockport 34 9.83x
Warrington 34 7.94x
Heaton Norris 32 15.56x
Ince In Makerfield 32 19.03x
Leicester St Mary 32 11.73x
Sale 32 38.80x
West Ham 32 2.41x
Worsley 31 13.92x
Chorlton On Medlock 27 4.70x
Halliwell 27 20.53x
Walton Le Dale 27 27.80x
Ardwick 26 7.98x
Altrincham 25 21.28x
Ashton Under Lyne 25 3.17x
Windle 25 12.29x
Great Bolton 23 4.81x
Islington London 23 0.78x
Orrell 23 51.19x
Turton 23 38.87x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 23 22.11x
Everton 22 1.91x
Liverpool 22 1.00x
Stretford 22 11.07x
Monks Coppenhall 21 8.28x
Pendleton In Salford 21 4.88x
Darley 20 103.79x
Nottingham St Mary 20 1.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 19 6.62x
Pendlebury 19 24.90x
Sedgley 19 4.98x
Trentham 19 21.73x
Dunstable 18 37.15x
Little Bolton 18 3.87x
West Derby 18 1.70x
Runcorn 17 10.97x
Sutton 17 14.03x
Astley 16 57.39x
Ashton In Makerfield 15 14.58x
West Hallam 15 243.11x
Adlington 14 41.37x
Newton In Makerfield 14 12.65x
Toxteth Park 14 1.14x
Haydock 13 20.88x
Ilkeston 13 9.72x
Over Darwen 13 4.50x
Rainford 13 33.27x
Westleigh 13 15.84x
Bakewell 12 46.01x
Dalton In Furness 12 8.60x
Heaton 12 78.74x
Lower Darwen 12 25.30x
Parr 12 9.28x
Shirley 12 474.31x
Tranmere 12 4.86x
Broughton In Salford 11 3.33x
Clifton 11 40.58x
Macclesfield 11 3.68x
Newark Upon Trent 11 7.46x
Thornaby 11 9.75x
Whittington 11 16.67x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 10 3.56x
Cheetham 10 3.71x
Didsbury 10 20.84x
Nether Hallam 10 2.45x
Newcastle On Tyne St 10 4.26x
Newton 10 3.59x
Wanstead 10 9.50x
Winstanley 10 176.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 265
Elizabeth 148
Sarah 119
Ann 89
Ellen 79
Alice 67
Jane 62
Hannah 56
Margaret 56
Annie 45
Martha 41
Eliza 37
Emma 33
Emily 17
Esther 15
Catherine 14
Charlotte 13
Agnes 11
Anne 11
Clara 10
Fanny 10
Harriet 10
Lucy 10
Nancy 10
Ada 9
Edith 9
Kate 9
Louisa 9
Caroline 8
Elizth. 8
Florence 8
Maria 8
Gertrude 7
Jessie 7
Ruth 6
Amy 5
Bertha 5
Betty 5
Ethel 5
Harriett 5
Isabella 5
Julia 5
Lizzie 5
Maggie 5
Margret 5
Rebecca 5
Betsy 4
Dorothy 4
Frances 4
Rachel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 227
William 203
James 183
Thomas 153
Joseph 77
George 75
Samuel 41
Alfred 34
Henry 34
Robert 34
Peter 25
Charles 23
Richard 21
Frederick 20
Ralph 20
Edward 17
Arthur 16
Walter 16
Francis 11
Frank 11
Harry 11
Herbert 11
Thos. 11
David 10
Albert 9
Benjamin 9
Wm. 8
Andrew 7
Jas. 7
Ernest 6
Saml. 6
Fredk. 5
Isaac 5
Wilfred 5
Jno. 4
Philip 4
Tom 4
Abraham 3
Adam 3
Alexander 3
Ambrose 3
Archibald 3
Daniel 3
Elijah 3
J. 3
Jonathan 3
Leigh 3
Mark 3
Mathew 3
Matthew 3

FAQ

Derbyshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Derbyshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,118 people were recorded with the Derbyshire surname. That placed it at #1,445 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Derbyshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,405 in 2016. That gives Derbyshire a modern rank of #1,542.

What does the Derbyshire surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the county of Derbyshire in England.

What does the Derbyshire map show?

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