NameCensus.

UK surname

Dewhurst

An English locational surname that refers to a valley of oak trees.

In the 1881 census there were 3,553 people recorded with the Dewhurst surname, ranking it #1,272 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,088, ranked #2,182, down from #1,272 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Preston and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley and Preston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dewhurst is 4,463 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.1%.

1881 census count

3,553

Ranked #1,272

Modern count

3,088

2016, ranked #2,182

Peak year

1911

4,463 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dewhurst had 3,553 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,272 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,088 in 2016, ranked #2,182.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,463 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Dewhurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dewhurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dewhurst 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 2,405 #1,237
1861 historical 2,380 #1,234
1881 historical 3,553 #1,272
1891 historical 3,747 #1,278
1901 historical 4,010 #1,407
1911 historical 4,463 #1,157
1997 modern 3,165 #2,030
1998 modern 3,251 #2,063
1999 modern 3,260 #2,072
2000 modern 3,214 #2,095
2001 modern 3,190 #2,066
2002 modern 3,264 #2,063
2003 modern 3,194 #2,057
2004 modern 3,171 #2,068
2005 modern 3,072 #2,104
2006 modern 3,055 #2,124
2007 modern 3,105 #2,105
2008 modern 3,127 #2,111
2009 modern 3,200 #2,112
2010 modern 3,223 #2,145
2011 modern 3,129 #2,178
2012 modern 3,066 #2,182
2013 modern 3,139 #2,171
2014 modern 3,167 #2,168
2015 modern 3,111 #2,177
2016 modern 3,088 #2,182

Geography

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Where Dewhursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Preston, Blackburn, Bolton-le-Moors and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley and Preston. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 006 Ribble Valley
2 Ribble Valley 004 Ribble Valley
3 Preston 001 Preston
4 Ribble Valley 003 Ribble Valley
5 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dewhurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dewhurst

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Dewhurst surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dewhurst household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dewhurst 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

Dewhurst is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dewhurst

The surname Dewhurst is of English origin, originating in Lancashire, England during the Middle Ages. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words 'deor' meaning deer and 'hyrst' meaning a wooded hill or ridge, suggesting that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a wooded hill or ridge where deer were found.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, where it appears as 'de Deyrehurst'. This suggests that the surname was initially formed as a descriptive phrase referring to the location where the first bearer lived. Similar early spellings include 'de Derhirst' and 'de Derehurst'.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places in Lancashire that may have given rise to the surname, such as 'Derehunte' and 'Dereburne'. These place names also suggest a connection to deer and wooded areas.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Dewhurst was John Dewhurst, who was born in Lancashire around 1450. Another notable bearer was William Dewhurst, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived from 1541 to 1607.

During the 17th century, the surname is found in various church records and parish registers across Lancashire and neighboring counties. Notable individuals from this period include Elizabeth Dewhurst (1620-1678), who was involved in the Pendle witch trials, and Richard Dewhurst (1653-1721), a renowned clockmaker from Blackburn.

In the 18th century, John Dewhurst (1732-1809) was a prominent industrialist and textile manufacturer in Lancashire, contributing to the region's industrial development. Another notable bearer was William Dewhurst (1778-1865), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Coventry.

In the 19th century, John Bonny Dewhurst (1834-1918) was a prominent architect and designer of several notable buildings in Lancashire, while James Dewhurst (1847-1923) was a successful businessman and philanthropist in the textile industry.

The surname Dewhurst has continued to be found primarily in the northwest of England, particularly in Lancashire and surrounding counties, reflecting its strong regional origins. However, it has also spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond through migration and the diaspora of English families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dewhurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dewhurst 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. Lancashire leads with 2,912 Dewhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,912 7.08x
Yorkshire 282 0.82x
Cheshire 103 1.35x
Middlesex 47 0.14x
Westmorland 37 4.86x
Surrey 28 0.17x
Durham 26 0.25x
Hampshire 13 0.18x
Northumberland 9 0.17x
Sussex 9 0.15x
Shropshire 8 0.27x
Kent 7 0.06x
Lanarkshire 7 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.15x
Derbyshire 6 0.11x
Radnorshire 5 1.79x
Somerset 5 0.09x
Staffordshire 5 0.04x
Suffolk 5 0.12x
Lincolnshire 4 0.07x
Midlothian 4 0.09x
Dorset 3 0.13x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.38x
Renfrewshire 3 0.11x
Worcestershire 3 0.07x
Cumberland 2 0.07x
Essex 2 0.03x
Norfolk 2 0.04x
Berkshire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 438 Dewhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.02x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 438 40.02x
Preston 320 29.07x
Accrington 113 30.21x
Clitheroe 73 60.29x
Haslingden 66 38.75x
Great Little Marsden 62 32.90x
Little Bolton 57 10.78x
Over Darwen 53 16.13x
Walton Le Dale 51 46.14x
Padiham 49 49.30x
Great Bolton 48 8.81x
Habergham Eaves 47 12.50x
Salford 38 3.14x
Dilworth 35 138.83x
Alston 34 177.55x
Wigan 34 5.91x
Failsworth 33 35.06x
Fulwood 33 74.24x
Manchester 33 1.78x
Halliwell 32 21.37x
Tottington Lower End 31 15.86x
Tottington Higher End 29 61.93x
Bury 26 5.53x
Church 26 44.76x
Layton With Warbreck 26 17.22x
Everton 25 1.91x
Liverpool 25 1.00x
Fishwick 24 94.34x
Newchurch 24 7.13x
Oswaldtwistle 24 16.51x
Ribchester 24 154.34x
North Meols 22 5.46x
Stockport 22 5.59x
Thornton In Fylde 22 24.44x
Oldham 21 1.58x
Trawden 21 81.59x
Barrow In Furness 20 3.57x
Kirkham 20 36.77x
Brightside Bierlow 17 2.52x
Elton 17 11.96x
Witton 17 32.85x
Gomersal 16 9.98x
Reddish 16 28.23x
Spotland 16 3.50x
Walmersley Cum 16 24.34x
Burnley 15 4.33x
Castleton 15 3.65x
Chadderton 15 7.46x
Colne 15 12.24x
Leagram 15 1260.50x
Skipton 15 13.87x
Tonge With Haulgh 15 18.73x
Whalley 15 25.02x
Holy Trinity 14 1.69x
Bispham With Norbreck 13 150.46x
Clayton Le Moors 13 16.29x
Grimsargh With 13 296.80x
Higher Booths 13 17.53x
Hindley 13 7.41x
Lymm 13 23.37x
Pendleton In Salford 13 2.65x
Barton Upon Irwell 12 3.87x
Batley 12 3.68x
Gorton 12 3.10x
Heap 12 5.50x
Livesey 12 16.62x
Marton 12 43.88x
Newton 12 3.78x
Wadsworth 12 21.46x
Brinnington 11 15.39x
Dutton 11 358.31x
Great Harwood 11 14.79x
Hapton 11 42.77x
Lower Booths 11 14.92x
Shap 11 65.48x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.11x
Crumpsall 10 10.31x
Harwood 10 46.53x
Kirkdale 10 1.45x
Rotherhithe 9 2.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 328
Elizabeth 160
Alice 117
Ellen 107
Sarah 105
Margaret 99
Ann 92
Jane 78
Martha 48
Annie 35
Catherine 30
Betty 26
Eliza 25
Hannah 24
Agnes 23
Maria 23
Emily 22
Isabella 20
Nancy 19
Betsy 18
Emma 15
Grace 13
Harriet 13
Elizth. 12
Clara 11
Fanny 11
Ada 10
Charlotte 10
Esther 10
Frances 10
Edith 9
Lucy 9
Ruth 9
Anne 8
Eleanor 8
Margt. 8
Susannah 8
Caroline 7
Eliz. 7
Kate 7
Margret 7
Nanny 7
Susan 7
Deborah 6
Florence 6
Minnie 6
Amelia 5
Rachel 5
Helen 4
Louisa 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 266
William 196
Thomas 168
James 163
George 77
Robert 64
Richard 63
Joseph 60
Henry 58
Edward 32
Charles 28
Arthur 22
Andrew 18
Walter 16
Wm. 16
Albert 14
Ralph 14
Samuel 14
Alfred 13
Harry 12
Benjamin 10
Frederick 10
Isaac 10
Lawrence 10
Adam 9
Thos. 9
Edmund 8
Peter 8
Roger 8
Herbert 7
Jno. 7
Christopher 6
Edwin 6
David 5
Archibald 4
Cornelius 4
Daniel 4
Harold 4
Jas. 4
Luke 4
Robt. 4
Slater 4
Tom 4
Abraham 3
Eli 3
Greenwood 3
Jacob 3
Jonathan 3
Leonard 3
Rodger 3

FAQ

Dewhurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dewhurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,553 people were recorded with the Dewhurst surname. That placed it at #1,272 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dewhurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,088 in 2016. That gives Dewhurst a modern rank of #2,182.

What does the Dewhurst surname mean?

An English locational surname that refers to a valley of oak trees.

What does the Dewhurst map show?

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