NameCensus.

UK surname

Dietz

A German occupational surname referring to someone who made candles or worked with wax.

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Dietz surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, up from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barking, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waltham Forest, Chorley and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dietz is 190 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 129.0%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

1911

190 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dietz had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Dietz surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dietz surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dietz 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 190 #15,438
1997 modern 133 #22,705
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 149 #21,568
2002 modern 150 #21,913
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 152 #22,022
2008 modern 148 #22,627
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 161 #22,728
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

Back to top

Where Dietz' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barking, London parishes, Gateshead and Hammersmith. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waltham Forest, Chorley, East Cambridgeshire, Rochford and Bridge of Weir. 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 Barking Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Hammersmith London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waltham Forest 013 Waltham Forest
2 Chorley 003 Chorley
3 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
4 Rochford 003 Rochford
5 Bridge of Weir Renfrewshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dietz

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dietz

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dietz, 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 Dietz surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Dietz 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, Dietz 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

Dietz 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

Dietz falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dietz is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Dietz

The surname Dietz originated in Germany and can be traced back to the 12th century. It derived from the Germanic personal name Theodoric, which meant "ruler of the people" and was composed of the elements theud (people) and ric (ruler). The name evolved over time, taking on various spellings such as Dietz, Dietz, Ditz, and Thietz.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dietz can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, where a certain Theodoricus Dietz was mentioned in 1187. Additionally, the name appears in the Hirsauer Codex, a 12th-century manuscript from the Hirsau Abbey in Baden-Württemberg, referring to a landowner named Dietrich Dietz.

During the Middle Ages, the name Dietz was particularly prevalent in the regions of Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg. It was often associated with certain place names, such as Dietzbach and Dietzenbach, which were likely named after individuals bearing the surname Dietz.

Notable individuals with the surname Dietz include Johann Dietz (1665-1738), a German Baroque composer and organist; Friedrich Dietz (1794-1876), a German theologian and author; Wilhelm Dietz (1843-1922), a German socialist and publisher; Mary Dietz (1925-2005), an American painter and sculptor; and Paul Dietz (1935-2022), a Canadian artist and illustrator.

Throughout history, the surname Dietz has been borne by various individuals from different walks of life, including scholars, artists, politicians, and religious figures. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread across Europe and beyond, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dietz families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dietz 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 33 Dietz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 4.90x
Surrey 22 6.71x
Yorkshire 8 1.20x
Lincolnshire 4 3.72x
Sussex 2 1.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 17 Dietz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.97x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 17 28.97x
St Anne Soho London 8 208.33x
Westminster St James 7 101.16x
St Marylebone London 6 16.69x
Manningham 5 60.83x
Bow London 4 46.67x
Gainsborough 4 157.48x
Islington London 4 6.13x
Bermondsey 3 14.97x
Hammersmith London 2 12.06x
Hastings All Sts 2 186.92x
Keighley 2 28.13x
St Pancras London 2 3.69x
Bradford 1 6.19x
Clapham 1 11.89x
Godalming 1 48.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 3
Mary 3
Anne 2
Flora 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Alma 1
Amitia 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Christine 1
Cotle 1
Elizabeth 1
Ella 1
Emelia 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Lena 1
Margret 1
Marguerite 1
Rosina 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 4
William 4
Charles 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Anthon 1
Antony 1
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Carl 1
Charley 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Jacob 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Otto 1
Robert 1
Walter 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 Dietz households.

FAQ

Dietz surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dietz surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Dietz surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dietz surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Dietz a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Dietz surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to someone who made candles or worked with wax.

What does the Dietz map show?

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