NameCensus.

UK surname

Dettmer

A German surname meaning "descended from the people of the valley".

In the 1881 census there were 34 people recorded with the Dettmer surname, ranking it #28,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 106, ranked #29,927, down from #28,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, County Durham and Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dettmer is 126 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 211.8%.

1881 census count

34

Ranked #28,837

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

1997

126 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dettmer had 34 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Dettmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dettmer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dettmer 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 19 #31,470
1881 historical 34 #28,837
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 103 #22,328
1997 modern 126 #23,461
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Dettmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Battersea, Lambeth and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, County Durham, Enfield, Stevenage 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Battersea London (South Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 021 Kensington and Chelsea
2 County Durham 012 County Durham
3 Enfield 018 Enfield
4 Stevenage 003 Stevenage
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dettmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dettmer

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Dettmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Dettmer 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dettmer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dettmer 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

Dettmer falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dettmer

The surname DETTMER is of German origin, traced back to the 14th century in the region of Lower Saxony. It is believed to have originated from the German word "detten," meaning "to stop" or "to halt," and the suffix "-mer," a common ending in German names. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a place where travelers or traders would stop or pause on their journeys.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be "Dettmer" in the town records of Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, dated around 1350. Variations in spelling were common during this time, and the name was also found as "Detmere," "Dettmere," and "Dettmehr" in various documents throughout the region.

One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the "Chroniken der Stadt Lüneburg," a chronicle of the city of Lüneburg, which mentions a "Hans Dettmer" in an entry dated 1418. This suggests that the name was well-established in the area by the early 15th century.

In the 16th century, the DETTMER name appears in the records of the city of Hanover, with a "Claus Dettmer" listed as a merchant and landowner in 1542. This indicates that the family had achieved a certain level of prominence and prosperity by this time.

Notable individuals with the surname DETTMER throughout history include Johann Dettmer (1625-1698), a Lutheran theologian and author from Lübeck, and Heinrich Dettmer (1787-1865), a German painter and engraver from Hannover. In the 19th century, Carl Dettmer (1818-1897) was a prominent German botanist and naturalist from Lüneburg, who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.

Another notable figure was Wilhelm Dettmer (1870-1948), a German architect and urban planner who designed several important buildings in Berlin during the early 20th century. More recently, Horst Dettmer (1925-2018) was a German actor and voice actor known for his work in theater, film, and television.

The DETTMER surname has a long and storied history, with its roots firmly planted in the Germanic regions of northern Germany. While its original meaning may have been related to a specific location or trade route, the name has since spread and been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and professionals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dettmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dettmer 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 24 Dettmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 24 7.24x
Durham 5 5.07x
Surrey 5 3.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 18 Dettmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.44x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 18 67.44x
Islington London 5 15.56x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 259.07x
Newington 5 40.82x
St Marylebone London 1 5.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Caroline 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Helen 1
Lucy 1
Millincent 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 5
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
John 2
George 1
S.H. 1
Samuel 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dettmer households.

FAQ

Dettmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dettmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 34 people were recorded with the Dettmer surname. That placed it at #28,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dettmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Dettmer a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Dettmer surname mean?

A German surname meaning "descended from the people of the valley".

What does the Dettmer map show?

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