NameCensus.

UK surname

Dibb

A surname derived from a topographic name for someone who lived near a ditch or dike.

In the 1881 census there were 629 people recorded with the Dibb surname, ranking it #5,635 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 606, ranked #8,646, down from #5,635 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Hull Holy Trinity and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dibb is 793 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.7%.

1881 census count

629

Ranked #5,635

Modern count

606

2016, ranked #8,646

Peak year

1911

793 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dibb had 629 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,635 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 606 in 2016, ranked #8,646.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 793 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Dibb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dibb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dibb 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 494 #5,061
1861 historical 454 #5,705
1881 historical 629 #5,635
1891 historical 674 #5,786
1901 historical 709 #6,223
1911 historical 793 #5,505
1997 modern 623 #7,941
1998 modern 639 #8,006
1999 modern 646 #7,994
2000 modern 630 #8,134
2001 modern 625 #8,028
2002 modern 611 #8,349
2003 modern 582 #8,500
2004 modern 596 #8,389
2005 modern 573 #8,544
2006 modern 579 #8,509
2007 modern 586 #8,515
2008 modern 606 #8,343
2009 modern 615 #8,440
2010 modern 618 #8,587
2011 modern 628 #8,384
2012 modern 618 #8,395
2013 modern 614 #8,589
2014 modern 604 #8,761
2015 modern 603 #8,704
2016 modern 606 #8,646

Geography

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Where Dibbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Hull Holy Trinity, Bradford, Guiseley and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford and Leeds. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 001 Bradford
2 Leeds 011 Leeds
3 Leeds 076 Leeds
4 Leeds 003 Leeds
5 Leeds 027 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dibb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dibb

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dibb, 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 Dibb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dibb 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, Dibb 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

Dibb is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dibb

The surname Dibb has its roots in England, originating in the 14th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Old English word "dib" or "dibbe," which was used to describe a ditch or small stream. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near such a geographic feature.

One of the earliest known references to the name Dibb can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a Walter Dibbe is listed as a taxpayer. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1444, which mentions a John Dibb. The Dibb surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Sussex, Surrey, and Kent during this period.

A notable figure bearing the Dibb surname was Thomas Dibb, a prominent merchant and landowner from East Grinstead, Sussex, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a benefactor of the local church and is mentioned in several parish records from that time.

Another historical figure was John Dibb, born in 1662 in Petworth, Sussex. He was a renowned clockmaker and is credited with creating some of the finest clocks of his era, several of which are still preserved in museums and private collections.

In the 18th century, the Dibb surname spread across England, with records showing families bearing the name in various counties. One such example is William Dibb, a farmer from Gloucestershire, who was born in 1734 and is mentioned in local parish records.

Moving into the 19th century, we find Samuel Dibb, a notable figure in the field of education. Born in 1793 in Lewes, Sussex, he was a schoolteacher and headmaster who contributed significantly to the development of educational methods and curricula in his time.

Throughout its history, the Dibb surname has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the southern counties. While not an exceedingly common name, it has left its mark on the annals of English history, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dibb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dibb 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 514 Dibbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.45x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 514 8.45x
Lancashire 43 0.59x
Middlesex 43 0.70x
Staffordshire 7 0.34x
Surrey 7 0.23x
Cheshire 4 0.30x
Derbyshire 3 0.31x
Gloucestershire 3 0.25x
Sussex 3 0.29x
Kent 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Idle in Yorkshire leads with 58 Dibbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 205.75x.

Place Total Index
Idle 58 205.75x
Holy Trinity 29 19.83x
Shipley 25 79.24x
Leeds 23 6.70x
Castleford 22 99.37x
Horsforth 22 165.04x
Bradford 20 13.59x
Pudsey 18 55.38x
Guiseley 17 218.23x
Sculcoates 17 17.63x
Askwith 12 6000.00x
Acton 11 30.58x
Bingley 11 28.41x
Nether Hallam 11 13.37x
Otley 11 74.53x
Horton In Bradford 10 10.53x
St Pancras London 10 2.02x
Drypool 9 96.67x
Eccleshill 9 60.81x
Salford 9 4.20x
Beswick 8 42.96x
Cleckheaton 8 35.71x
Manchester 8 2.44x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 40.56x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 7 313.90x
Heaton 7 107.20x
Islington London 7 1.18x
Pendleton In Salford 7 8.07x
Whitwood 7 81.02x
Withernsea 7 1000.00x
Burley In Wharfdale 6 111.73x
Clifton Cum Norwood 6 857.14x
Morton In Keighley 6 125.52x
Southcoates 6 17.78x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 6 21.24x
Wath On Dearne 6 49.46x
Adel Cum Eccup 5 199.20x
Allerton 5 64.52x
Altofts 5 74.52x
Clint 5 609.76x
Kirkburton 5 69.74x
Bewerley 4 160.00x
Bowling 4 6.64x
Cottingham 4 30.53x
Darrington 4 360.36x
Hampstead London 4 4.19x
Hendon 4 18.12x
Layton With Warbreck 4 14.97x
Newall Cum Clifton 4 526.32x
Rotherham 4 11.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.24x
Thornthwaite Cum 4 769.23x
Yeadon 4 29.13x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 3 13.59x
Barnsley 3 4.78x
Bow London 3 3.84x
Cheltenham 3 3.23x
Headingley Cum Burley 3 7.66x
Hunslet 3 3.16x
Hunsworth 3 94.04x
Ilkley 3 30.18x
Tranmere 3 6.03x
Wednesfield 3 9.84x
Batley 2 3.46x
Billingshurst 2 59.00x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 9.62x
Birstwith 2 194.17x
Castle Church 2 16.06x
Chelsea London 2 1.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.73x
Drighlington 2 22.57x
Farnhill 2 169.49x
Hawksworth 2 444.44x
Heeley 2 10.82x
Hulme 2 1.32x
Manningham 2 2.67x
Swine 2 487.80x
Wirksworth 2 22.91x
Wolverhampton 2 1.26x
Wortley In Bramley 2 4.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Sarah 23
Elizabeth 21
Martha 16
Ann 13
Annie 13
Hannah 11
Emma 9
Eliza 8
Jane 8
Harriet 7
Ada 6
Caroline 6
Emily 6
Florence 6
Alice 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Margaret 5
Charlotte 4
Grace 4
Clara 3
Gertrude 3
Kate 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Betty 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Eva 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Bertha 1
Blanch 1
E.T. 1
Eady 1
Eda 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Elizath. 1
Harriett 1
Harritt 1
Hellen 1
Hester 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Dibb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dibb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 629 people were recorded with the Dibb surname. That placed it at #5,635 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dibb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 606 in 2016. That gives Dibb a modern rank of #8,646.

What does the Dibb surname mean?

A surname derived from a topographic name for someone who lived near a ditch or dike.

What does the Dibb map show?

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