NameCensus.

UK surname

Dewart

A Scottish surname derived from a Norman French place name meaning "the warden".

In the 1881 census there were 43 people recorded with the Dewart surname, ranking it #27,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, up from #27,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Parkhead West and Barrowfield and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dewart is 163 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 269.8%.

1881 census count

43

Ranked #27,575

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2000

163 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dewart had 43 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 76 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dewart surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dewart surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dewart 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 43 #27,575
1891 historical 76 #27,290
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 146 #21,857
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 134 #23,425
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 148 #22,627
2009 modern 157 #22,271
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 154 #22,870
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Dewarts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Parkhead West and Barrowfield, County Durham, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Braidfauld. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 031 Wakefield
2 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
3 County Durham 042 County Durham
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Braidfauld Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dewart

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dewart

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Dewart surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dewart household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Dewart is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dewart is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dewart 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 Dewart is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dewart

The surname DEWART originated in Scotland, and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French "de la warde," meaning "of the guard" or "from the watch," suggesting that the name may have been adopted by someone who served as a guard or watchman.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. Among the names listed is "Thomas de Warde," which is likely an early spelling variation of DEWART.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a "Willelmus de Warde" is mentioned in 1456. This suggests that the name had already established itself in different parts of Scotland by that time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname DEWART gained prominence, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such individual was Sir John Dewart (1572-1640), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1633 to 1640.

Another noteworthy figure was William Dewart (1629-1691), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Covenanter movement during the religious conflicts of the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the DEWART surname was associated with several places in Scotland, such as Dewarthaugh in Dumfriesshire and Dewart's Mains in Ayrshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname DEWART who were landowners or residents in those areas.

One famous bearer of the DEWART name in the 19th century was Sir James Dewart (1829-1909), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1888 to 1892.

In the 20th century, the DEWART surname continued to be prominent in various fields. For example, John Dewart (1889-1954) was a Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North from 1925 to 1940.

Overall, the surname DEWART has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the medieval period. The name has been associated with various notable individuals, places, and events throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring presence in Scottish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dewart families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dewart 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. Lanarkshire leads with 33 Dewarts recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.90x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 33 29.90x
Lancashire 2 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 18 Dewarts recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.45x.

Place Total Index
Barony 18 64.45x
Govan 8 29.31x
Glasgow 4 20.41x
Walston 2 5000.00x
Worsley 2 80.00x
Lanark 1 112.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 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 Dewart households.

Occupation Count
Police Constable 1

FAQ

Dewart surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dewart surname in 1881?

In 1881, 43 people were recorded with the Dewart surname. That placed it at #27,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dewart surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Dewart a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Dewart surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a Norman French place name meaning "the warden".

What does the Dewart map show?

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