NameCensus.

UK surname

Deville

From the French place name "Deville," derived from the Old French "ville," meaning "settlement" or "town."

In the 1881 census there were 265 people recorded with the Deville surname, ranking it #10,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 626, ranked #8,424, up from #10,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, London parishes and Braughin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Hillingdon and East Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Deville is 634 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.2%.

1881 census count

265

Ranked #10,612

Modern count

626

2016, ranked #8,424

Peak year

2010

634 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Deville had 265 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016, ranked #8,424.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 556 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Deville surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Deville surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Deville 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 92 #22,112
1881 historical 265 #10,612
1891 historical 308 #10,886
1901 historical 424 #9,102
1911 historical 556 #7,221
1997 modern 594 #8,208
1998 modern 614 #8,252
1999 modern 613 #8,323
2000 modern 621 #8,225
2001 modern 603 #8,274
2002 modern 614 #8,316
2003 modern 579 #8,530
2004 modern 584 #8,508
2005 modern 571 #8,571
2006 modern 582 #8,469
2007 modern 590 #8,464
2008 modern 602 #8,392
2009 modern 626 #8,316
2010 modern 634 #8,412
2011 modern 610 #8,569
2012 modern 589 #8,726
2013 modern 615 #8,580
2014 modern 623 #8,555
2015 modern 619 #8,517
2016 modern 626 #8,424

Geography

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Where Devilles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, London parishes, Braughin and Sutton Coldfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Hillingdon, East Hertfordshire and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Braughin Hertfordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 010 Derbyshire Dales
2 Hillingdon 014 Hillingdon
3 Hillingdon 019 Hillingdon
4 East Hertfordshire 002 East Hertfordshire
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 010 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Deville

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Deville

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Deville is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Deville is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Deville 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 Deville 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 Deville, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Deville

The surname DEVILLE originates from France and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French words "de" meaning "from" and "ville" meaning "town" or "village." This name was likely given to someone who hailed from a particular town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DEVILLE can be found in the historical records of the Duchy of Normandy, where the name appeared as "de Ville" in the 12th century. It is believed that this was a locative surname, indicating that the bearer was originally from a specific town or village within the region.

In the 13th century, the name DEVILLE appeared in various Latin manuscripts and legal documents across northern France. One notable example is the record of a landowner named Reginald DEVILLE, who was mentioned in a charter from the year 1278.

During the Middle Ages, the spelling of the name varied, with variations such as "de Ville," "de Vil," and "de Vill" being commonly encountered in historic records and manuscripts from different regions of France.

The name DEVILLE has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One example is André DEVILLE, a French metallurgist born in 1756, who made significant contributions to the field of metallurgy and is known for his work on the production of aluminum.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Paul DEVILLE, a French Jesuit missionary born in 1594, who traveled to Canada and played a crucial role in the establishment of missions and the conversion of indigenous populations to Christianity.

In the literary world, Gabriel DEVILLE, a French writer and poet born in 1854, gained recognition for his works that explored themes of nature and the human experience.

The DEVILLE surname has also been linked to various place names across France, such as Villedieu and Villeneuve, further reinforcing its locative origins.

Over the centuries, the name DEVILLE has spread beyond France and can be found in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with historical French influence or immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Deville families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Deville 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 32 Devilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 32 1.64x
Hertfordshire 27 20.08x
Staffordshire 26 3.95x
Kent 23 3.46x
Devon 17 4.19x
Warwickshire 17 3.46x
Leicestershire 15 6.93x
Surrey 12 1.26x
Derbyshire 9 2.95x
Essex 6 1.56x
Cheshire 5 1.16x
Yorkshire 5 0.26x
Angus 1 0.55x
Bedfordshire 1 0.99x
Gloucestershire 1 0.26x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.38x
Suffolk 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Braughing in Hertfordshire leads with 25 Devilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 3623.19x.

Place Total Index
Braughing 25 3623.19x
Greenwich 23 74.05x
Camberwell 12 9.63x
Ermington 9 608.11x
Loughborough 9 91.65x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 86.02x
Burton Extra 7 185.19x
St George Bloomsbury 7 62.56x
Edmonton 6 38.17x
St Pancras London 6 3.82x
Sutton Coldfield 6 116.05x
Tamworth 5 142.05x
Wappenbury 5 3333.33x
Henham 4 727.27x
Litchurch 4 32.55x
Matley 4 2857.14x
Stone 4 47.51x
Wolverhampton 4 7.90x
Leicester St Margaret 3 5.69x
Methley 3 110.29x
Paddington London 3 4.18x
St Marylebone London 3 2.88x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 4.30x
Chipping Barnet 2 392.16x
Derby St Peter 2 20.56x
Shenley 2 224.72x
Wishaw 2 1666.67x
Bidford 1 95.24x
Birmingham 1 0.61x
Brentwood 1 42.55x
Burton Upon Trent 1 6.49x
Charlton Kings 1 37.74x
Colchester St Giles 1 26.25x
Derby St Werburgh 1 5.67x
Doveridge 1 217.39x
Dundee 1 1.48x
Farley 1 312.50x
Fritton 1 588.24x
Islington London 1 0.53x
Kensington London 1 0.92x
Leicester Frith 1 5000.00x
Limehouse London 1 4.67x
Macclesfield 1 5.22x
Melton Mowbray 1 25.71x
Middleton 1 322.58x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.41x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.47x
Pannal 1 53.76x
Quorndon 1 82.64x
Ruswarp 1 46.51x
Sandy 1 56.18x
Solihull 1 28.25x
Stoke Newington London 1 6.58x
Walton On Trent 1 333.33x
West Derby 1 1.48x
Wigginton 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Deville surname: questions and answers

How common was the Deville surname in 1881?

In 1881, 265 people were recorded with the Deville surname. That placed it at #10,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Deville surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016. That gives Deville a modern rank of #8,424.

What does the Deville surname mean?

From the French place name "Deville," derived from the Old French "ville," meaning "settlement" or "town."

What does the Deville map show?

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