NameCensus.

UK surname

Dey

A surname of French origin, derived from the Old French "dé," meaning "dice" or referring to a dice maker.

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Dey surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,773, ranked #3,545, up from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forgue, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntly, Forres South West and Mannachie and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dey is 1,807 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1098.0%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

1,773

2016, ranked #3,545

Peak year

2010

1,807 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dey had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,773 in 2016, ranked #3,545.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 731 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dey 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 458 #5,402
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 469 #7,813
1901 historical 731 #6,055
1997 modern 1,416 #4,104
1998 modern 1,447 #4,177
1999 modern 1,478 #4,137
2000 modern 1,506 #4,052
2001 modern 1,492 #3,999
2002 modern 1,542 #3,981
2003 modern 1,534 #3,920
2004 modern 1,584 #3,812
2005 modern 1,608 #3,722
2006 modern 1,638 #3,667
2007 modern 1,667 #3,637
2008 modern 1,715 #3,571
2009 modern 1,736 #3,607
2010 modern 1,807 #3,556
2011 modern 1,795 #3,542
2012 modern 1,734 #3,582
2013 modern 1,753 #3,602
2014 modern 1,766 #3,594
2015 modern 1,778 #3,554
2016 modern 1,773 #3,545

Geography

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Where Deys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forgue, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Rothiemay and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntly, Forres South West and Mannachie, Birmingham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Inverurie South. 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 Forgue Aberdeen
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Rothiemay Banff
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntly Aberdeenshire
2 Forres South West and Mannachie Moray
3 Birmingham 090 Birmingham
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 021 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Inverurie South Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dey

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dey 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

Dey falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dey 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Dey

The surname "DEY" is of English origin, and it is derived from the Old English word "dæg," which means "day." This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was born during the day or for someone whose occupation was related to daylight hours.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname "DEY" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Daye." This suggests that the name was already in use in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name "DEY" was also spelled as "Dai," "Day," and "Deye." These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling during that time period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname "DEY" was John Dey, a merchant who lived in London in the 14th century. He is mentioned in records from the city's Guild of Mercers.

During the 16th century, the surname "DEY" was associated with several notable figures, including Richard Dey, who was a member of the English Parliament in 1559, and Thomas Dey, a prominent playwright and poet who lived in London in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the name "DEY" gained recognition through the military exploits of Sir John Dey, an English general who served in the English Civil War and fought alongside Oliver Cromwell. Sir John Dey was born in 1610 and died in 1677.

Another notable bearer of the surname "DEY" was Thomas Dey, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in New Jersey, United States, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was one of the founders of the town of Freehold, New Jersey, and his name is associated with several place names in the area, such as Dey's Plantation and Dey's Brook.

In the 19th century, the surname "DEY" was carried by several prominent figures, including William Dey, a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was born in 1785, and John Dey, an American politician who served as Governor of New Jersey from 1833 to 1836.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dey 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 224 Deys recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.58x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 224 45.58x
Banffshire 97 88.12x
Yorkshire 79 1.50x
Lanarkshire 33 1.92x
Middlesex 25 0.47x
Lancashire 12 0.19x
Staffordshire 11 0.61x
Morayshire 10 12.13x
Angus 9 1.83x
Midlothian 8 1.13x
Fife 7 2.23x
Devon 5 0.45x
Stirlingshire 5 2.55x
Kincardineshire 4 6.19x
Kent 3 0.17x
Surrey 2 0.08x
Berkshire 1 0.25x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.45x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Durham 1 0.06x
Essex 1 0.10x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Inverness-shire 1 0.63x
Lincolnshire 1 0.12x
Oxfordshire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 1.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 35 Deys recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.11x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 35 34.11x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 33 35.89x
Huntly 30 375.00x
Newhills 25 248.51x
Rothiemay 20 800.00x
Govan 14 3.30x
Rutherglen 13 51.63x
Mortlach 12 223.05x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 10 52.36x
Botriphnie 10 787.40x
Brightside Bierlow 10 9.70x
Walsall Foreign 10 10.81x
Alvah 9 362.90x
Ardwick 9 15.85x
Drumblade 9 517.24x
Cairney 8 279.72x
Norton In Doncaster 8 747.66x
Auchterless 7 179.49x
Banff 7 73.22x
Forgue 7 158.73x
Glass 7 372.34x
Inverurie 7 125.90x
Kinghorn 7 104.95x
Marnoch 7 118.44x
Nether Hallam 7 9.84x
Peterculter 7 201.73x
Sheffield 7 4.18x
Tarves 7 150.54x
Woolley 7 642.20x
Fordyce 6 75.76x
Grange 6 186.34x
Kirkmichael 6 307.69x
Premnay 6 355.03x
St George Hanover Square 6 6.42x
Boyndie 5 136.99x
Cambusnethan 5 13.12x
Falkirk 5 10.91x
Halifax 5 6.48x
Insch 5 178.57x
Islington London 5 0.97x
Liff Benvie 5 6.70x
Mile End Old Town London 5 4.43x
Rhynie 5 243.90x
South Leith 5 6.25x
Wakefield 5 12.39x
Auchindoir Kearn 4 144.93x
Bellie 4 107.24x
Drumoak 4 236.69x
Kinloss 4 205.13x
Lumphanan 4 193.24x
Mains 4 95.69x
South Kirkby 4 347.83x
Ferry Fryston 3 146.34x
Fetteresso 3 29.62x
Inveresk 3 15.58x
Knottingley 3 32.47x
Newton On Derwent 3 833.33x
Sidmouth 3 47.47x
Stoke Newington London 3 7.26x
Gartly 2 123.46x
Huntington 2 186.92x
Keith 2 17.05x
Kingston On Thames 2 3.22x
Liverpool 2 0.52x
Pinner 2 43.01x
Rathven 2 9.67x
St Pancras London 2 0.47x
Baguley 1 74.63x
Cabrach 1 80.65x
Cromdale 1 15.08x
Cullen 1 24.51x
Daviot 1 106.38x
Erith 1 5.61x
Exeter Allhallows Onthe 1 200.00x
Foveran 1 26.88x
Fraserburgh 1 7.23x
Great Grimsby 1 1.86x
Hackney London 1 0.34x
Inverkeithny 1 59.52x
Walthamstow 1 2.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 6
Ann 4
Emma 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Phoebe 2
Sarah 2
Adele 1
Agnes 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Daisy 1
Dorothey 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emely 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Julia 1
Leah 1
Lillian 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maude 1
Millea 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rosena 1
Sophia 1
Thirz 1
Williemina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 9
Charles 4
James 4
George 3
Michael 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Adin 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Donald 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo. 1
Glatson 1
Harry 1
Herman 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Thos 1
Thos.W. 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Dey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Dey surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,773 in 2016. That gives Dey a modern rank of #3,545.

What does the Dey surname mean?

A surname of French origin, derived from the Old French "dé," meaning "dice" or referring to a dice maker.

What does the Dey map show?

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