NameCensus.

UK surname

Dilks

An English surname originally describing someone who lives by a dike or ditch.

In the 1881 census there were 454 people recorded with the Dilks surname, ranking it #7,280 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 812, ranked #6,823, up from #7,280 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Thornton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash, Doncaster and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dilks is 928 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.9%.

1881 census count

454

Ranked #7,280

Modern count

812

2016, ranked #6,823

Peak year

1999

928 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dilks had 454 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,280 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 812 in 2016, ranked #6,823.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 673 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dilks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dilks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dilks 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 316 #7,323
1861 historical 285 #8,826
1881 historical 454 #7,280
1891 historical 470 #7,798
1901 historical 553 #7,500
1911 historical 673 #6,272
1997 modern 881 #6,068
1998 modern 918 #6,056
1999 modern 928 #6,059
2000 modern 908 #6,139
2001 modern 873 #6,206
2002 modern 880 #6,287
2003 modern 853 #6,329
2004 modern 847 #6,368
2005 modern 832 #6,406
2006 modern 832 #6,412
2007 modern 827 #6,511
2008 modern 857 #6,381
2009 modern 870 #6,450
2010 modern 868 #6,582
2011 modern 842 #6,664
2012 modern 816 #6,736
2013 modern 813 #6,854
2014 modern 816 #6,870
2015 modern 820 #6,796
2016 modern 812 #6,823

Geography

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Where Dilks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Thornton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Werburgh, Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash, Doncaster, Nottingham and Amber Valley. 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 Thornton Leicestershire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth Leicestershire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 003 Erewash
2 Doncaster 001 Doncaster
3 Nottingham 024 Nottingham
4 Amber Valley 007 Amber Valley
5 Erewash 008 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dilks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dilks

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dilks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dilks household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Dilks is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dilks 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

Dilks 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 Dilks 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dilks

The surname Dilks originates from England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dell," meaning a small valley or hollow, and the suffix "-ock," a diminutive form indicating a small or young person. The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a small valley.

Early records show variations in spelling, such as Dylks, Dylkes, and Dillocks. One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which mention a John Dilks as a taxpayer.

The Dilks surname is primarily associated with the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England. Some historical records indicate that the family may have originated in the village of Dilke, near Preesall, Lancashire.

In the 16th century, the Dilks name appears in parish records from various areas of Yorkshire and Lancashire. For instance, a Thomas Dilks was baptized in Drighlington, Yorkshire, in 1588, and a William Dilks married Elizabeth Rayner in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1613.

One notable person with the Dilks surname was Sir Thomas Dilks (1628-1697), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 17th century.

Another significant figure was John Dilks (1733-1795), a renowned clockmaker from Wigan, Lancashire, whose clocks are highly prized by collectors today.

In the 19th century, the Dilks family spread across various parts of England and beyond. For example, James Dilks (1811-1890) was a prominent Methodist minister who served in various circuits in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Susannah Dilks (1853-1932), born in Settle, Yorkshire, was a notable educator and suffragist who campaigned for women's rights and founded several schools in the United States.

Robert Dilks (1888-1962), born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, was a respected editor and literary critic who worked for various publishing houses and authored several books on English literature.

While the Dilks surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, craftsmen, religious leaders, educators, and literary figures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dilks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dilks 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. Leicestershire leads with 168 Dilks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.22x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 168 34.22x
Derbyshire 57 8.22x
Staffordshire 55 3.68x
Nottinghamshire 51 8.54x
Lancashire 27 0.51x
Yorkshire 18 0.41x
Hertfordshire 16 5.24x
Middlesex 16 0.36x
Northamptonshire 10 2.40x
Surrey 9 0.42x
Warwickshire 9 0.81x
Essex 7 0.80x
Kent 5 0.33x
Gloucestershire 2 0.23x
Sussex 2 0.27x
Berkshire 1 0.30x
Durham 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornton in Leicestershire leads with 56 Dilks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8615.38x.

Place Total Index
Thornton 56 8615.38x
Leicester St Margaret 35 29.23x
Nottingham St Mary 26 16.84x
Leicester St Mary 22 55.46x
Derby St Alkmund 15 72.18x
Barrow Upon Soar 14 344.83x
Sandiacre 14 566.80x
Snenton 14 59.70x
Walsall Foreign 13 16.84x
Bushey 11 151.31x
Denton 11 94.42x
Bilston 10 34.52x
Ilkeston 10 51.44x
Stanley 10 781.25x
Kettering 9 53.41x
Pelsall 9 202.70x
St Luke London 8 11.26x
Barrow In Furness 7 9.79x
Battersea 7 4.30x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 6 37.64x
Stapleford 6 123.71x
Barsby 5 1282.05x
Burton Upon Trent 5 14.30x
Cossington 5 819.67x
Deptford St Paul 5 4.29x
Uttoxeter 5 65.36x
Walthamstow 5 15.89x
Watford 5 21.12x
Bedworth 4 49.08x
Horninglow 4 56.82x
Kimberworth 4 16.42x
Long Eaton 4 43.72x
Loughborough 4 17.95x
Markfield 4 164.61x
Nottingham St Peter 4 60.15x
Ratby 4 162.60x
Tutbury 4 109.89x
Aylestone 3 77.52x
Cheetham 3 7.65x
Gaddesby 3 810.81x
Harborne 3 6.26x
Haydock 3 33.15x
Melton Mowbray 3 33.98x
Reddish 3 41.44x
Swarkeston 3 937.50x
Armley 2 10.33x
Chelsea London 2 1.50x
Coventry Holy Trinity 2 6.00x
Eastbourne 2 5.82x
Hinckley 2 17.17x
Islington London 2 0.47x
Knighton 2 72.20x
Mountsorrel 2 227.27x
Wath On Dearne 2 22.83x
Westbury On Trym 2 6.80x
Woodford 2 20.20x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 8.79x
Barnsley 1 2.21x
Birmingham 1 0.27x
Bradfield 1 5.91x
Ecclesfield 1 3.11x
Gayton 1 114.94x
Gnosall 1 27.70x
Guisbrough Tocketts 1 185.19x
Hetton Le Hole 1 5.99x
Killamarsh 1 23.20x
Leicester St Martin 1 30.30x
Leigh 1 101.01x
Lenton 1 7.11x
Market Harborough 1 45.05x
Monks Kirby 1 40.65x
New Windsor 1 8.94x
Poplar London 1 1.20x
Rotherhithe 1 1.83x
Rugby 1 6.62x
Shoreditch London 1 0.52x
South Croxton 1 263.16x
St Pancras London 1 0.28x
Westminster St Margaret 1 4.68x
Weybridge 1 21.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 17
Eliza 11
Emma 9
Hannah 9
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Alice 6
Annie 6
Martha 6
Fanny 5
Jane 5
Lucy 5
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Marian 3
May 3
Minnie 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Labina 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2
Lois 2
Maria 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Florance 1
Floria 1
Jennie 1
Lavinia 1
Lillie 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 25
Thomas 20
George 15
Henry 13
Joseph 13
Arthur 12
Charles 9
James 7
Albert 6
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Oliver 4
Henery 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Job 2
Josiah 2
Nevil 2
Samuel 2
Titus 2
Tom 2
Benjamin 1
Daniel 1
Dick 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Harcourt 1
Harold 1
Hyram 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Mary 1
Peoreia 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Th.John 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Dilks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dilks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 454 people were recorded with the Dilks surname. That placed it at #7,280 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dilks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 812 in 2016. That gives Dilks a modern rank of #6,823.

What does the Dilks surname mean?

An English surname originally describing someone who lives by a dike or ditch.

What does the Dilks map show?

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