NameCensus.

UK surname

Diggles

A surname derived from a nickname for someone who dug ditches or graves.

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Diggles surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 87, ranked #32,476, down from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, St Werburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, Salford and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Diggles is 216 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 57.8%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

87

2016, ranked #32,476

Peak year

1891

216 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Diggles had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016, ranked #32,476.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 216 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Diggles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Diggles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Diggles 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 182 #11,209
1861 historical 173 #13,553
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 216 #14,107
1901 historical 182 #16,057
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 100 #27,619
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 93 #28,920
2003 modern 93 #28,829
2004 modern 88 #29,758
2005 modern 82 #30,617
2006 modern 78 #31,385
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 87 #31,489
2010 modern 85 #32,185
2011 modern 78 #32,819
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 89 #32,248
2014 modern 93 #32,025
2015 modern 85 #32,693
2016 modern 87 #32,476

Geography

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Where Diggles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, St Werburgh, Manchester, Chorley and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lambeth, Salford, Leeds, Scarborough and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Chorley Lancashire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lambeth 013 Lambeth
2 Salford 030 Salford
3 Leeds 009 Leeds
4 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
5 Stoke-on-Trent 005 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Diggles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Diggles

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Diggles, 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 Diggles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Diggles 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Diggles is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Diggles is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Diggles

The surname Diggles is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "digol," which means "secret" or "obscure." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a secluded or hidden location or perhaps someone who worked in a discreet profession.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire from 1198, which mention a person named William Diggles. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a Robert Diggles is mentioned.

The name Diggles has also been linked to various place names throughout England. For example, there is a village called Diggles in Lancashire, which may have been named after someone with the surname or vice versa. Similarly, there is a hamlet called Diggleswell in Bedfordshire, which could have a connection to the name.

In terms of notable individuals with the surname Diggles, one of the earliest was Sir John Diggles (c. 1340-1415), who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of King Richard II. Another was William Diggles (1580-1659), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 17th century.

During the 18th century, a notable figure was Reverend Thomas Diggles (1712-1788), who was a clergyman in the Church of England and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Saffron Walden, Essex. In the 19th century, there was John Diggles (1825-1901), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former headquarters of the Bank of England.

Another individual of note was Emily Diggles (1870-1957), a British writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and was involved in the suffragette movement. She authored several books and articles on the subject of women's emancipation.

Overall, the surname Diggles has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, with various connections to place names and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Diggles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Diggles 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. Lancashire leads with 122 Diggles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.12x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 122 5.12x
Yorkshire 26 1.31x
Cheshire 12 2.71x
Derbyshire 10 3.18x
Northumberland 9 3.01x
Nottinghamshire 9 3.32x
Surrey 7 0.72x
Middlesex 6 0.30x
Devon 3 0.72x
Cumberland 1 0.58x
Hertfordshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chorley in Lancashire leads with 20 Diggles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 149.48x.

Place Total Index
Chorley 20 149.48x
Salford 20 28.52x
Hulme 17 34.15x
Prestwich 13 218.49x
Litchurch 10 78.99x
Liverpool 9 6.22x
Warden 9 1475.41x
Denaby 8 707.96x
Pendleton In Salford 8 28.16x
Ardwick 6 27.89x
Babworth 6 1200.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 15.84x
Manningham 5 20.38x
Bramhall 4 217.39x
Hopwood 4 128.21x
Idle 4 43.34x
Leeds 4 3.56x
Broughton In Salford 3 13.76x
Manchester 3 2.80x
Newton 3 16.32x
Penge 3 23.36x
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 72.46x
St Marylebone London 3 2.80x
Wolborough 3 56.71x
Betchton 2 350.88x
Clapham 2 7.96x
Dalton In Furness 2 21.74x
Dunham Massey 2 147.06x
East Retford 2 85.11x
Hunslet 2 6.44x
Monks Coppenhall 2 11.95x
Openshaw 2 17.91x
Tranmere 2 12.27x
Alston 1 31.35x
Calverley Cum Farsley 1 17.70x
Cheetham 1 5.62x
Crumpsall 1 17.79x
Great Bolton 1 3.17x
Habblesthorpe 1 1250.00x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.25x
Lambeth 1 0.57x
Lower Booths 1 23.42x
Normanton 1 16.72x
North Meols 1 4.28x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 1 14.06x
Watford 1 9.31x
Withington 1 13.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 9
Eliza 5
Jane 5
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Alice 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Rachel 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Edith 2
Maria 2
Agnes 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elinor 1
Eliz.C. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Ida 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Maggie 1
Margt.Louisa 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Miriam 1
Nancy 1
Phillis 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 12
Joseph 11
James 10
William 10
John 9
Robert 9
Henry 5
Richard 5
Charles 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
George 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Nathan 2
Alfred.S. 1
Elijah 1
Frank 1
Friend 1
Leddin 1
Samuel 1
Walker 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Diggles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Diggles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Diggles surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Diggles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016. That gives Diggles a modern rank of #32,476.

What does the Diggles surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for someone who dug ditches or graves.

What does the Diggles map show?

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