NameCensus.

UK surname

Dewick

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dwelling near a dike or ditch".

In the 1881 census there were 302 people recorded with the Dewick surname, ranking it #9,673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 461, ranked #10,625, down from #9,673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Woolverton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, North Lincolnshire and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dewick is 509 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.6%.

1881 census count

302

Ranked #9,673

Modern count

461

2016, ranked #10,625

Peak year

1998

509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dewick had 302 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016, ranked #10,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 446 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dewick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dewick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dewick 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 234 #9,241
1861 historical 253 #9,764
1881 historical 302 #9,673
1891 historical 340 #10,062
1901 historical 381 #9,799
1911 historical 446 #8,566
1997 modern 487 #9,482
1998 modern 509 #9,462
1999 modern 507 #9,555
2000 modern 495 #9,707
2001 modern 478 #9,783
2002 modern 492 #9,741
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 483 #9,743
2005 modern 465 #9,958
2006 modern 463 #10,015
2007 modern 465 #10,096
2008 modern 463 #10,204
2009 modern 473 #10,269
2010 modern 483 #10,301
2011 modern 467 #10,474
2012 modern 466 #10,403
2013 modern 477 #10,376
2014 modern 482 #10,371
2015 modern 482 #10,281
2016 modern 461 #10,625

Geography

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Where Dewicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Woolverton, Gainsborough, Paddocks and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, North Lincolnshire, Maldon and Gloucester. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Woolverton Northamptonshire
4 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 009 Rotherham
2 North Lincolnshire 022 North Lincolnshire
3 Maldon 006 Maldon
4 Gloucester 005 Gloucester
5 Gloucester 004 Gloucester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dewick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dewick

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Dewick is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Dewick is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dewick falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dewick

The surname Dewick is of Anglo-Saxon origin, first appearing in England during the early medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "dic" meaning a ditch or dyke, and "wic" meaning a dwelling or habitation. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a significant ditch or dyke.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Dicewich" in Cambridgeshire. This suggests the name originated in that area, possibly referring to a specific location no longer known by that name. Over time, the spelling evolved to the modern form of Dewick.

In the 13th century, historical records mention a William de Dykewyke who was a landowner in Essex. A few centuries later, in 1556, a John Dewick is recorded as being a merchant in the city of London. These early examples demonstrate the name's presence across various parts of England during the medieval and early modern periods.

One notable individual with the surname was Sir Thomas Dewick (1616-1688), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1681. Another was Thomas Dewick (1759-1838), a prominent English architect responsible for designing several churches and other buildings in the early 19th century.

In the realm of literature, Ebenezer Dewick (1798-1871) was a notable English clergyman and scholar who wrote several works on church history and liturgy. Meanwhile, Edward Courtney Dewick (1883-1956) was a respected English historian and author who specialized in the study of ancient Greek and Roman art.

A more recent figure was Alfred Thomas Dewick (1891-1973), a British entomologist and lepidopterist who made significant contributions to the study of butterflies and moths, particularly in the Middle East.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dewick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dewick 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. Yorkshire leads with 75 Dewicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.59x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 75 2.59x
Nottinghamshire 54 13.69x
Leicestershire 33 10.17x
Lincolnshire 30 6.41x
Buckinghamshire 22 12.44x
Middlesex 19 0.65x
Derbyshire 17 3.71x
Gloucestershire 16 2.79x
Kent 10 1.00x
Hertfordshire 5 2.48x
Warwickshire 5 0.68x
Northumberland 4 0.92x
Cheshire 3 0.46x
Lancashire 2 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.54x
Devon 1 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.17x
Oxfordshire 1 0.55x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 17 Dewicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.37x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 17 24.37x
Lenton 16 172.23x
Aston Cum Aughton 15 632.91x
Wolverton 14 382.51x
Leicester St Margaret 13 16.43x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 11 104.76x
Lewisham 10 18.78x
Gainsborough 7 63.46x
Kirton In Lindsey 7 378.38x
Rawmarsh 7 68.36x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 22.21x
East Retford 6 175.44x
Finningley 6 1578.95x
Hornsey 6 16.21x
Humberstone 6 224.72x
Aston 5 2.46x
Derby St Werburgh 5 18.90x
Litchurch 5 27.12x
Misterton 5 409.84x
St George Bloomsbury 5 29.78x
Watford 5 31.97x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 4 37.99x
Belgrave 4 54.64x
Bowling 4 13.93x
Brightside Bierlow 4 7.03x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 7.40x
Hanslope 4 251.57x
Islington London 4 1.41x
Mansfield 4 29.30x
Thrussington 4 655.74x
Westgate 4 14.84x
Worksop 4 34.19x
Wymeswold 4 425.53x
Chester St John Baptist 3 25.84x
Eagle 3 652.17x
Great Grimsby 3 10.10x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 68.03x
Sculcoates 3 6.52x
South Clifton 3 1111.11x
Stowe And Normanby 3 4285.71x
Wakefield 3 13.48x
Wales 3 131.00x
Clarborough 2 67.80x
Derby St Alkmund 2 14.57x
Derby St Peter 2 13.71x
Girton 2 1333.33x
Haxey 2 100.50x
Sheffield 2 2.17x
Shipley 2 273.97x
Simpson 2 270.27x
St Pancras London 2 0.85x
Stony Stratford East 2 273.97x
Thornton In Bradford 2 20.73x
Tuxford 2 206.19x
Aldershot 1 4.98x
Bow London 1 2.68x
Catcliffe 1 243.90x
Chesterfield 1 5.82x
Cowley 1 17.73x
Crumpsall 1 12.22x
Devonport 1 14.29x
East Markham 1 133.33x
Grassthorpe 1 1250.00x
Harborne 1 3.16x
Harston 1 126.58x
Hendon 1 9.50x
Hose 1 227.27x
Hugglescote 1 20.96x
Lancaster 1 4.84x
Leverton 1 166.67x
Market Rasen 1 38.17x
Newark Upon Trent 1 7.05x
North Scarle 1 192.31x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.98x
South Hamlet 1 28.17x
St Botolph Lincoln 1 29.76x
Washingborough 1 136.99x
Whiston 1 71.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 20
George 19
James 9
Joseph 8
Thomas 7
Arthur 6
Charles 5
Edward 4
Edwin 4
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Fredrick 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Alfd. 1
Burnel 1
Chas. 1
Ed. 1
Edwd.W. 1
Emily 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Gerard 1
Geroge 1
Hy. 1
Jonathan 1
Jonothan 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Thorning 1
Willm. 1
Winter 1

FAQ

Dewick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dewick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 302 people were recorded with the Dewick surname. That placed it at #9,673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dewick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016. That gives Dewick a modern rank of #10,625.

What does the Dewick surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dwelling near a dike or ditch".

What does the Dewick map show?

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