NameCensus.

UK surname

Dewes

A surname derived from the French words "de" and "ewe" (water), meaning someone who lived near a stream or river.

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Dewes surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tamworth, Marton with Grafton and Healaugh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, Harborough and Bracknell Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dewes is 174 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.6%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1891

174 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dewes had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 174 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dewes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dewes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dewes 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 139 #13,659
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 138 #18,955
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 86 #29,496
2000 modern 95 #28,441
2001 modern 84 #29,508
2002 modern 82 #30,181
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 75 #31,233
2005 modern 73 #31,616
2006 modern 79 #31,263
2007 modern 77 #31,856
2008 modern 74 #32,460
2009 modern 83 #31,950
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 86 #32,006
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 110 #29,294
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Dewes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tamworth, Marton with Grafton, Healaugh, Nuneaton and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, Harborough, Bracknell Forest, Central Bedfordshire and Blaby. 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 Tamworth Staffordshire
2 Marton with Grafton Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Healaugh Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Nuneaton Warwickshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 001 Rugby
2 Harborough 006 Harborough
3 Bracknell Forest 012 Bracknell Forest
4 Central Bedfordshire 002 Central Bedfordshire
5 Blaby 012 Blaby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dewes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dewes

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dewes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dewes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dewes 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

Dewes 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

Dewes falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dewes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dewes

The surname Dewes is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the old English word "deaw," meaning "dew," suggesting a connection to an individual or a place associated with dewy or damp surroundings.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a certain William Dewe is listed. This record provides evidence of the surname's existence during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Dewes, Dews, and Dewe, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that era. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a John Dewes, indicating the name's presence in that region.

The Dewes surname has its origins in various parts of England, including Cambridgeshire, Worcestershire, and other counties. Some variations of the name, such as Dews and Dewey, also emerged over time.

Historically, the name has been associated with several noteworthy individuals. One such figure was Sir Giles Dewes (c. 1507-1585), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Sampson Dewes (1600-1669), an English lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Thomas Dewes (1763-1841) was a notable English engraver and painter known for his works portraying rural scenes and landscapes. Additionally, William Dewes (1784-1867) was a respected English architect and surveyor who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in London.

The surname Dewes also has a connection to the clergy, as evidenced by the life of Richard Dewes (1559-1638), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Dean of Windsor and Registrar of the Order of the Garter.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the Dewes surname throughout English history, reflecting its enduring presence and significance over several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dewes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dewes 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. Staffordshire leads with 28 Dewes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.21x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 28 7.21x
Yorkshire 24 2.10x
Warwickshire 16 5.51x
Lancashire 7 0.51x
Lincolnshire 7 3.80x
Worcestershire 5 3.33x
Gloucestershire 4 1.77x
Kent 4 1.02x
Leicestershire 4 3.13x
Berkshire 3 3.47x
Middlesex 3 0.26x
Suffolk 3 2.14x
Surrey 3 0.53x
Hampshire 2 0.85x
Northumberland 2 1.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.44x
Cheshire 1 0.39x
Dorset 1 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Marton Cum Grafton in Yorkshire leads with 8 Dewes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5714.29x.

Place Total Index
Marton Cum Grafton 8 5714.29x
Coventry St Michael 7 75.11x
Drayton Bassett 7 3888.89x
Hints 6 7500.00x
Stamford All Sts 6 582.52x
Trentham 6 181.82x
Kingswinford 5 35.44x
Oldbury 5 67.57x
Healaugh 4 4444.44x
Leeds 4 6.21x
Nuneaton 4 119.05x
Stratton 4 1481.48x
Acton 3 1304.35x
Ashby De La Zouch 3 101.35x
Mancetter 3 361.45x
New Windsor 3 103.45x
Pendlebury 3 104.17x
Tong 3 136.36x
Toxteth Park 3 6.49x
Elswick 2 14.63x
Knaresborough 2 111.73x
Lambeth 2 1.99x
Ryde 2 39.45x
Wolverhampton 2 6.70x
Woolwich 2 13.78x
Acomb 1 166.67x
Ansley 1 303.03x
Birmingham 1 1.03x
Bromley London 1 3.95x
Buckingham 1 70.42x
Camberwell 1 1.36x
Canterbury St Andrew 1 588.24x
Darlaston 1 18.62x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 4.31x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.61x
Portland 1 24.63x
Sibson 1 666.67x
South Witham 1 625.00x
St Martin In Fields 1 14.51x
St Pancras London 1 1.08x
Tipton 1 8.40x
Tonbridge 1 7.06x
Tranmere 1 10.71x
Wardleworth 1 12.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 6
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Sarah 3
Sophia 3
Caroline 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Jemima 2
Ada 1
Alicia 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Betssy 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Hannah 1
Hilda 1
Jane 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Molly 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Dewes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dewes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Dewes surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dewes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Dewes a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Dewes surname mean?

A surname derived from the French words "de" and "ewe" (water), meaning someone who lived near a stream or river.

What does the Dewes map show?

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