NameCensus.

UK surname

Dill

An English occupational surname referring to a person who grew or sold dill, an aromatic herb.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Dill surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 297, ranked #14,839, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crossmichael, London parishes and Stranraer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, Gorbals and Hutchesontown and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dill is 297 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.7%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

297

2016, ranked #14,839

Peak year

2016

297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dill had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016, ranked #14,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 211 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dill 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 206 #14,597
1901 historical 158 #17,507
1911 historical 140 #18,657
1997 modern 243 #15,556
1998 modern 244 #15,947
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 243 #15,791
2002 modern 248 #15,896
2003 modern 221 #16,987
2004 modern 224 #16,918
2005 modern 227 #16,730
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 245 #16,134
2008 modern 243 #16,397
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 259 #16,386
2011 modern 249 #16,684
2012 modern 271 #15,628
2013 modern 285 #15,313
2014 modern 285 #15,416
2015 modern 294 #14,971
2016 modern 297 #14,839

Geography

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Where Dills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crossmichael, London parishes, Stranraer, Scarborough and Colmonell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, Gorbals and Hutchesontown, Barking and Dagenham, Bristol and Slough. 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 Crossmichael Kirkcudbright
2 London parishes London 3
3 Stranraer Wigtown
4 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Colmonell Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
2 Gorbals and Hutchesontown Glasgow City
3 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
4 Bristol 030 Bristol, City of
5 Slough 009 Slough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dill

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Dill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dill 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

Dill 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

Dill falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dill 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 Dill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dill

The surname Dill is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word "dille" or "dill," which means "dill plant." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who grew or sold dill, or who lived near an area where dill was abundant.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Dill can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany. Historical records from this period, such as tax rolls and property deeds, contain references to individuals with the surname Dill or its variants, like Dylle or Dyl.

In the 16th century, the surname Dill began to appear in other parts of Europe, including Switzerland and the Netherlands. This was likely due to the migration of German families seeking new opportunities or fleeing religious persecution.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Dill was Johannes Dill, a German merchant who lived in the city of Nuremberg in the late 14th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the trade of spices and herbs, which may have contributed to the origin of his surname.

Another notable individual with the surname Dill was Sir John Dill (1570-1628), an English politician and landowner from Hertfordshire. He served as a member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1617.

In the 18th century, the Dill surname gained prominence in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania, where many German immigrants settled. One of the earliest recorded Dills in America was Jacob Dill, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732 from the Palatinate region of Germany.

A famous bearer of the Dill surname was Samuel Dill (1844-1924), an American Civil War veteran and politician from Ohio. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1891 to 1893.

Another notable Dill was Sir John Greer Dill (1881-1944), a British Army officer who served as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during World War II. He played a crucial role in the Allied war effort and was instrumental in the planning of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

Over the centuries, the Dill surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Dyll, Dille, and Dil, reflecting regional dialects and phonetic adaptations. Despite these variations, the name's roots can be traced back to its Germanic origins and its association with the dill plant.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dill 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. Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 29 Dills recorded in 1881 and an index of 120.13x.

County Total Index
Kirkcudbrightshire 29 120.13x
Wigtownshire 22 99.32x
Yorkshire 20 1.21x
Lancashire 13 0.66x
Middlesex 13 0.78x
Somerset 12 4.47x
Durham 10 2.02x
Sussex 9 3.20x
Surrey 8 0.98x
Cheshire 4 1.09x
Derbyshire 4 1.53x
Lincolnshire 4 1.50x
Lanarkshire 3 0.56x
Royal Navy 3 15.10x
Berkshire 2 1.60x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.89x
Kent 2 0.35x
Warwickshire 2 0.48x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.99x
Cornwall 1 0.53x
Cumberland 1 0.70x
Gloucestershire 1 0.31x
Hertfordshire 1 0.87x
Midlothian 1 0.45x
Norfolk 1 0.39x
Oxfordshire 1 0.97x
Staffordshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stranraer in Wigtownshire leads with 17 Dills recorded in 1881 and an index of 837.44x.

Place Total Index
Stranraer 17 837.44x
Anwoth 8 1904.76x
Minnigaff 8 879.12x
Borgue 7 1076.92x
Brighton 7 12.34x
Rotherham 6 64.38x
Toxteth Park 6 8.95x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 23.27x
Kirkmabreck 5 471.70x
Bath St James 4 142.86x
Bermondsey 4 8.06x
Doulting 4 1142.86x
Halifax 4 16.49x
Handsworth 4 91.53x
Heworth 4 40.90x
Kirkinner 4 439.56x
Oldham 4 6.26x
Scarborough 4 26.63x
Acton 3 30.67x
Birkenhead 3 10.22x
Claverton 3 2142.86x
Heapham 3 3750.00x
Royal Navy 3 17.66x
Birmingham 2 1.43x
Buxton 2 90.50x
Derby St Werburgh 2 13.26x
Govan 2 1.50x
Isleworth 2 26.99x
Kensington London 2 2.16x
Rusholme 2 37.88x
Witley 2 350.88x
Wokingham 2 69.93x
All Saints Cambridge 1 135.14x
Bath St Peter St Paul 1 84.03x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.38x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 3.25x
Broadwater 1 15.50x
Bushey 1 36.50x
Camberwell 1 0.94x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 16.86x
Crosscanonby 1 21.05x
Crossmichael 1 131.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.11x
Great Grimsby 1 5.91x
Greenwich 1 3.77x
Hambleden 1 116.28x
Horton In Bradford 1 3.87x
Islington London 1 0.62x
Liscard 1 15.08x
Maryhill 1 9.47x
Oxford St Aldate 1 92.59x
Penninghame 1 44.25x
Poplar London 1 3.18x
Salford 1 1.72x
Seaton Carew 1 100.00x
Sheffield 1 1.90x
Southwick 1 67.11x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 13.85x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.40x
St Martin In Fields 1 10.01x
St Michael Cambridge 1 322.58x
Stratton 1 98.04x
Suffield 1 833.33x
Woking 1 20.41x
Wolstanton Oldcott 1 49.02x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 6
Richard 4
David 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
William 3
Alexander 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Geo.F.G. 1
Louis 1
Marcus 1
Martin 1
Ralph 1
Sergeant 1
Theodore 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Dill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Dill surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016. That gives Dill a modern rank of #14,839.

What does the Dill surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who grew or sold dill, an aromatic herb.

What does the Dill map show?

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