NameCensus.

UK surname

Dib

A short surname of Arabic origin meaning "bear".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dib is 117 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2016

117 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Dib surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dib surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dib 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 3 #32,890
1997 modern 19 #35,928
1998 modern 20 #35,885
1999 modern 23 #35,612
2000 modern 27 #35,188
2001 modern 31 #34,648
2002 modern 40 #34,133
2003 modern 49 #33,456
2004 modern 60 #32,684
2005 modern 59 #33,008
2006 modern 62 #33,043
2007 modern 63 #33,243
2008 modern 65 #33,303
2009 modern 73 #32,923
2010 modern 87 #31,990
2011 modern 86 #32,006
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Dibs 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 Ealing, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Ealing 024 Ealing
2 Westminster 010 Westminster
3 Kensington and Chelsea 013 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Kensington and Chelsea 002 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dib

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dib

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

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Dib surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Dib 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 younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dib is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dib 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dib

The surname DIB is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region known as the Levant, which encompasses modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and parts of Jordan and Turkey. The name is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "dib," which means "bear" or "wolf."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DIB can be traced back to the 12th century, when it appeared in various medieval manuscripts and records from the region. One notable example is a document from the city of Aleppo, dated 1187, which mentions a merchant named Ahmad al-Dib.

During the Crusades, when European knights and soldiers traveled to the Holy Land, some of them adopted or were bestowed with Arabic surnames, including DIB. This may have contributed to the name's spread throughout Europe and the Mediterranean region.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Yusuf al-Dib was a renowned scholar and poet from Damascus. He is often cited as one of the earliest known bearers of the DIB surname.

In the 15th century, a family bearing the surname DIB was recorded in the Ottoman Empire's tax records, specifically in the region of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). This suggests that the name had spread and taken root in various parts of the Ottoman territories.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DIB in Western Europe can be found in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where a Jewish family named Dib was persecuted for their faith in the late 15th century.

Notable individuals with the surname DIB throughout history include:

1. Ibn al-Dib (c. 1145-1217), a Syrian poet and scholar from Aleppo. 2. Yusuf al-Dib (c. 1200-1269), a renowned poet and scholar from Damascus. 3. Pedro Dib (c. 1460-1530), a Spanish composer and musician during the Renaissance period. 4. Ahmed Dib (1920-2003), an Algerian writer and novelist, best known for his novel "La Grande Maison." 5. Mohammad Dib (1927-2003), an Algerian writer and poet, recognized for his contributions to the Algerian literature and nationalist movements.

The surname DIB has also been associated with various place names and locations, such as Dib, a village in Lebanon, and Dib Bahri, a neighborhood in Cairo, Egypt. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Dib surname: questions and answers

How common is the Dib surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Dib a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Dib surname mean?

A short surname of Arabic origin meaning "bear".

What does the Dib map show?

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