NameCensus.

UK surname

Dewit

A surname possibly derived from the Dutch phrase "de wit" meaning "the white".

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Dewit surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Forest of Dean and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dewit is 167 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2271.4%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

2014

167 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dewit had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Dewit surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dewit surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dewit 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 #33,133
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 15 #32,383
1911 historical 10 #32,609
1997 modern 93 #27,932
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 160 #22,282
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 167 #22,180
2015 modern 166 #22,159
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Dewits 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 Sandwell, Forest of Dean, The Vale of Glamorgan, Maidstone and Northampton. 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 Sandwell 021 Sandwell
2 Forest of Dean 001 Forest of Dean
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Maidstone 003 Maidstone
5 Northampton 005 Northampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dewit

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dewit

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Dewit surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Dewit 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dewit 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

Dewit 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

Dewit 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 Dewit is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Dewit

The surname DEWIT is of Dutch origin, derived from the Middle Dutch words "de" and "wit," which together mean "the white one." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with pale or fair features in the Netherlands during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the DEWIT surname can be found in Dutch municipal records dating back to the 16th century. For example, a certain Pieter DEWIT was mentioned in the archives of the city of Delft in 1572. The name also appears in some of the earliest Dutch census records from the 17th century, particularly in the provinces of South Holland and North Holland.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the DEWIT name was Johan DEWIT, a Dutch statesman and Grand Pensionary of Holland from 1653 to 1672. He played a crucial role in the Dutch Golden Age and was a prominent figure in the Dutch Republic's conflict with England during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

Another historically significant individual with the DEWIT surname was Andries DEWIT, a Dutch explorer and navigator born in 1573. He made several voyages to the East Indies and is credited with charting parts of the Australian coastline in the early 17th century.

In the realm of art, one of the most famous individuals with the DEWIT surname was Emanuel DEWIT, a Dutch Golden Age painter born in 1617. He was renowned for his landscapes, marine paintings, and depictions of everyday life in Holland during the 17th century.

Moving forward in history, Pieter DEWIT was a Dutch jurist and statesman who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the 19th century, from 1842 to 1848.

Finally, a more recent but still historically significant bearer of the DEWIT surname was Nicolaas DEWIT, a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II. He was executed by German forces in 1942 for his role in the Dutch resistance against the Nazi occupation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dewit families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dewit 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 1 Dewits recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George Bloomsbury in Middlesex leads with 1 Dewits recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
St George Bloomsbury 1 1666.67x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Tom 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 Dewit households.

Occupation Count
Coach Painter 1

FAQ

Dewit surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dewit surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Dewit surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dewit surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Dewit a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Dewit surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Dutch phrase "de wit" meaning "the white".

What does the Dewit map show?

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