NameCensus.

UK surname

Dillon

Derived from the Irish surname "O'Duilleain," meaning "descendant of Duilleán," a personal name meaning "little dark one" or "little blind one."

In the 1881 census there were 2,948 people recorded with the Dillon surname, ranking it #1,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,992, ranked #967, up from #1,518 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Wirral and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dillon is 7,324 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.2%.

1881 census count

2,948

Ranked #1,518

Modern count

6,992

2016, ranked #967

Peak year

2010

7,324 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dillon had 2,948 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,518 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,992 in 2016, ranked #967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,351 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dillon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dillon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dillon 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 1,431 #2,006
1861 historical 1,687 #1,695
1881 historical 2,948 #1,518
1891 historical 2,905 #1,622
1901 historical 3,351 #1,664
1911 historical 3,062 #1,700
1997 modern 6,599 #986
1998 modern 6,834 #988
1999 modern 6,963 #979
2000 modern 6,920 #981
2001 modern 6,759 #983
2002 modern 6,894 #984
2003 modern 6,730 #981
2004 modern 6,746 #980
2005 modern 6,622 #991
2006 modern 6,726 #971
2007 modern 6,849 #961
2008 modern 6,892 #963
2009 modern 7,089 #957
2010 modern 7,324 #940
2011 modern 7,164 #945
2012 modern 6,929 #964
2013 modern 6,997 #970
2014 modern 7,077 #965
2015 modern 7,024 #964
2016 modern 6,992 #967

Geography

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Where Dillons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Wirral, Burnley and Trafford. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
2 Wirral 016 Wirral
3 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
4 Burnley 014 Burnley
5 Trafford 026 Trafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dillon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dillon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dillon, 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 Dillon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dillon 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dillon 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

Dillon 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

Dillon 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 Dillon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dillon

The surname Dillon has its origins in Ireland, where it emerged in the 12th century. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Diolúin, which means "descendant of the grandson of Diolún." Diolún is a diminutive of the Irish word díol, meaning "payment" or "debt."

The Dillon family was among the Fourteen Tribes of Galway, a group of wealthy merchant families who held considerable power and influence in the city of Galway during the Middle Ages. The name first appeared in records in County Mayo, where the Dillons were a branch of the powerful Ó Conchubhair (O'Conor) dynasty.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Conchobar Ó Diolúin in the year 1233. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, a collection of administrative records from the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Dillons established themselves as Lords of Kilkenny West in County Westmeath. Notable members of the family from this period include Sir Henry Dillon (d. 1397), who served as Chief Governor of Ireland, and James Dillon (d. 1455), who was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

During the Tudor period, the Dillons played a significant role in Irish history. Gerald Dillon (1470-1538), known as the "Great Gerald," was a prominent figure in the Silken Thomas Rebellion against the English Crown. Another notable member of the family was Theobald Dillon (1530-1592), a Catholic martyr who was executed for his faith during the reign of Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Arthur Dillon (1670-1733) became a distinguished military commander in the service of France, rising to the rank of Marshal of France. His son, Théobald Dillon (1694-1777), also served in the French army and was created a Count of the Holy Roman Empire.

The 18th century saw the rise of John Dillon (1739-1809), a prominent Irish patriot and member of the United Irishmen. His son, John Blake Dillon (1814-1866), was a noted Irish nationalist and Member of Parliament who advocated for Irish independence.

Throughout its history, the surname Dillon has been associated with numerous prominent figures across various fields, including politics, military service, and literature. The name remains widely distributed in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Mayo, Westmeath, and Galway.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dillon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dillon 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 868 Dillons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 868 2.53x
Middlesex 392 1.36x
Yorkshire 251 0.88x
Lanarkshire 183 1.96x
Surrey 168 1.19x
Durham 89 1.04x
Staffordshire 87 0.89x
Warwickshire 86 1.18x
Renfrewshire 84 3.75x
Kent 78 0.79x
Cheshire 77 1.21x
Devon 52 0.86x
Somerset 48 1.03x
Buckinghamshire 45 2.58x
Worcestershire 29 0.77x
Hampshire 28 0.47x
Midlothian 27 0.70x
Gloucestershire 26 0.46x
Ayrshire 25 1.16x
Essex 24 0.42x
Glamorgan 22 0.44x
Northumberland 20 0.47x
Lincolnshire 17 0.37x
Monmouthshire 17 0.81x
Leicestershire 16 0.50x
Cornwall 15 0.46x
Sussex 15 0.31x
Angus 14 0.52x
Northamptonshire 14 0.52x
Cumberland 13 0.52x
Oxfordshire 12 0.67x
Herefordshire 11 0.93x
Bedfordshire 10 0.67x
Stirlingshire 10 0.94x
Derbyshire 8 0.18x
Royal Navy 8 2.32x
East Lothian 7 1.83x
Norfolk 7 0.16x
Wiltshire 7 0.27x
Brecknockshire 6 1.04x
Hertfordshire 6 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.13x
Argyllshire 4 0.50x
Channel Islands 4 0.47x
Suffolk 4 0.11x
Berkshire 3 0.14x
Fife 3 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.11x
Berwickshire 1 0.29x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.09x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x
Inverness-shire 1 0.12x
Isle of Man 1 0.19x
West Lothian 1 0.23x
Westmorland 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 109 Dillons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.24x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 109 5.24x
Manchester 97 6.29x
Birmingham 58 2.39x
Govan 51 2.21x
Kensington London 44 2.74x
Salford 42 4.17x
Glasgow 41 2.47x
St Marylebone London 39 2.53x
Thornborough 39 680.63x
Birkenhead 30 5.90x
Widnes 30 12.14x
Wolstanton 29 9.79x
Barony 28 1.18x
Chorlton On Medlock 28 5.14x
Hulme 28 3.91x
Walcot 27 10.90x
Great Bolton 26 5.73x
Abbey 25 7.32x
Everton 25 2.29x
Kirkdale 23 3.99x
St Pancras London 23 0.99x
Bury 22 5.62x
East Greenock 22 10.41x
Oldham 22 1.99x
Wardleworth 22 11.23x
Lambeth 21 0.83x
Leeds 21 1.30x
Middle Greenock 21 34.38x
Bermondsey 19 2.21x
Darlington 19 5.73x
Plymouth St Andrew 19 4.10x
Wigan 19 3.97x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.43x
Southwark St John 18 20.38x
Islington London 17 0.61x
Paddington London 17 1.60x
Warrington 17 4.18x
West Derby 17 1.70x
Battersea 16 1.51x
Chelsea London 16 1.84x
Hackney London 16 0.99x
Rutherglen 16 11.67x
Sheffield 16 1.76x
Toxteth Park 16 1.38x
West Ham 16 1.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 2.00x
Camberwell 15 0.81x
Deptford St Paul 15 1.97x
St George Hanover Square 15 2.95x
Wolverhampton 15 2.00x
St Luke London 14 3.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 1.35x
Bradford 13 1.88x
Ecclesall Bierlow 13 2.23x
Nether Hallam 13 3.36x
Old Monkland 13 3.51x
St Andrew Holborn London 13 10.40x
Tottington Lower End 13 7.98x
Chester St John Baptist 12 10.47x
Croydon 12 1.54x
Preston 12 1.31x
West Greenock 12 2.99x
Bradford 11 6.86x
Burnley 11 3.81x
Gorton 11 3.41x
Parr 11 8.97x
Penge 11 5.96x
Ruswarp 11 34.55x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 11 155.37x
Shotts 11 9.84x
St George Martyr London 11 18.80x
Auckinleck 10 14.94x
Heaton Norris 10 5.13x
Limehouse London 10 3.15x
Little Bolton 10 2.27x
Shoreditch London 10 0.80x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 1.72x
Westminster St James 10 3.37x
Aston 9 0.45x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 0.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 250
Elizabeth 89
Margaret 71
Sarah 63
Catherine 62
Ellen 60
Ann 59
Bridget 40
Annie 37
Jane 37
Eliza 33
Alice 25
Kate 24
Emily 23
Maria 17
Emma 16
Agnes 15
Anne 15
Martha 15
Harriet 13
Julia 13
Ada 11
Amelia 11
Florence 10
Margt. 10
Louisa 9
Frances 8
Clara 7
Hannah 7
Lucy 7
Matilda 7
Sophia 7
Charlotte 6
Fanny 6
Lydia 6
Rose 6
Caroline 5
Esther 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5
Margret 5
Catharine 4
Edith 4
Helena 4
Isabella 4
Lilian 4
Norah 4
Susan 4
Winifred 4
Augusta 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 223
Thomas 123
James 112
William 87
Patrick 59
Edward 57
Michael 46
Charles 42
Henry 35
Joseph 35
Robert 35
Richard 28
George 23
Peter 13
Arthur 12
Francis 11
Andrew 10
Daniel 10
Frederick 10
Martin 10
Alfred 9
Walter 9
Albert 8
Thos. 8
Dennis 7
Frank 7
Christopher 6
David 6
Herbert 6
Luke 6
Chas. 5
Stephen 5
Edwin 4
Jas. 4
Mark 4
Matthew 4
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Cornelius 3
Denis 3
Ernest 3
Frances 3
Harry 3
Hugh 3
Lawrence 3
Micheal 3
Robt. 3
W. 3
Willm. 3
Nicholas 2

FAQ

Dillon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dillon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,948 people were recorded with the Dillon surname. That placed it at #1,518 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dillon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,992 in 2016. That gives Dillon a modern rank of #967.

What does the Dillon surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname "O'Duilleain," meaning "descendant of Duilleán," a personal name meaning "little dark one" or "little blind one."

What does the Dillon map show?

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