NameCensus.

UK surname

Derrington

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Staffordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Derrington surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 187, ranked #20,488, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Trentham and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tamworth, Cornwall and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Derrington is 211 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.5%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

187

2016, ranked #20,488

Peak year

2000

211 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Derrington had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016, ranked #20,488.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 179 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Derrington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Derrington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Derrington 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 70 #21,020
1861 historical 135 #16,651
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 174 #16,311
1997 modern 174 #19,231
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 206 #17,905
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 204 #18,062
2003 modern 206 #17,799
2004 modern 201 #18,168
2005 modern 203 #17,961
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 199 #18,542
2008 modern 200 #18,640
2009 modern 207 #18,600
2010 modern 209 #18,893
2011 modern 194 #19,662
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 191 #20,124
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 187 #20,488

Geography

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Where Derringtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Trentham, Halifax, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tamworth, Cornwall, Birmingham, Bristol and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Trentham Staffordshire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tamworth 007 Tamworth
2 Cornwall 068 Cornwall
3 Birmingham 019 Birmingham
4 Bristol 020 Bristol, City of
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 005 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Derrington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Derrington

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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, Derrington 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

Derrington is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Derrington falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Derrington

The surname DERRINGTON is of English origin, deriving from the village of Derrington in Staffordshire. It is a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name hailed from this particular village or its surrounding areas. The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with the earliest recorded spelling being 'de Derintone' in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The name Derrington is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'deor' meaning 'deer' and 'tun' meaning 'enclosure' or 'settlement'. This suggests that the village of Derrington was once a place where deer were kept or where deer roamed freely. Over time, the name evolved to its present form, with variations such as Derington and Derryngton appearing in historical records.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John de Derington, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. Another notable bearer of this name was Sir Thomas Derrington, a prominent landowner and member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the 14th century, born around 1320 and died in 1395.

In the 16th century, the name Derrington can be found in the Parish Registers of Shropshire and Staffordshire, with baptisms and marriages recorded under various spellings of the name. One example is William Derrington, baptized in Shrewsbury in 1573.

The 18th century saw the emergence of a notable figure by the name of John Derrington, born in Wolverhampton in 1725. He was a renowned clockmaker and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of precision timekeeping devices. His work had a significant impact on the horological industry of the time.

Another individual of note was Thomas Derrington, born in Derrington village in 1803. He was a prominent banker and philanthropist, establishing the Derrington Charitable Trust, which provided support for the education of underprivileged children in the region.

Throughout history, the surname DERRINGTON has been documented in various records, including parish registers, census records, and historical documents. While the name may have evolved in its spelling over time, its origins can be traced back to the village of Derrington in Staffordshire, reflecting the locational significance of many English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Derrington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Derrington 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. Warwickshire leads with 57 Derringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.55x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 57 15.55x
Staffordshire 45 9.17x
Lancashire 13 0.75x
Derbyshire 7 3.08x
Yorkshire 7 0.49x
Essex 6 2.09x
Surrey 6 0.85x
Middlesex 2 0.14x
Shropshire 2 1.59x
Worcestershire 2 1.05x
Lincolnshire 1 0.43x
Northumberland 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 41 Derringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.62x.

Place Total Index
Aston 41 40.62x
Trentham 17 407.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 24.99x
Birmingham 12 9.82x
Wolverhampton 8 21.21x
Normanton 7 364.58x
Grays Thurrock 6 224.72x
Halifax 5 23.65x
Godalming 4 89.69x
Pendleton In Salford 4 19.46x
Solihull 4 152.09x
Garston 3 58.94x
North Meols 3 17.77x
Stone 3 47.85x
Alrewas Hays Orgreave 2 1818.18x
Barrow In Furness 2 8.53x
Chetwynd 2 487.80x
Kimberworth 2 25.03x
Yardley 2 41.15x
Caverswall 1 39.22x
Fleet 1 151.52x
Hampstead London 1 4.42x
Handsworth 1 8.27x
Moss Side 1 11.03x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 8.92x
Richmond 1 10.08x
Spitalfields London 1 9.15x
Wimbledon 1 12.58x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Derrington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Derrington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Derrington surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Derrington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016. That gives Derrington a modern rank of #20,488.

What does the Derrington surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Staffordshire, England.

What does the Derrington map show?

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