NameCensus.

UK surname

Dimes

A surname derived from a place name related to the French word "dimes" meaning tithes or small taxes.

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Dimes surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, down from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crondall, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, Woking and Hart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dimes is 206 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.4%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

1911

206 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dimes had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 206 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dimes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dimes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dimes 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 206 #14,677
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Dimes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crondall, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St James Clerkenwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, Woking, Hart, Scarborough and Breckland. 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 Crondall Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Woking 002 Woking
3 Hart 009 Hart
4 Scarborough 012 Scarborough
5 Breckland 005 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dimes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dimes

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dimes is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dimes is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dimes falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dimes

The surname DIMES originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name that no longer exists. The name may have originated from a now-lost or unrecorded village, hamlet, or township.

One possible origin of the name DIMES could be from the Old English word "dīmas," which means "hollows" or "valleys." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or came from a location characterized by hollows or valleys.

Alternatively, the name DIMES could be a variant spelling of the surname "DYMES," which is itself derived from the Old English word "dīm," meaning "dim" or "obscure." This could indicate that the name was originally given to someone who lived in a dimly lit or obscure place.

While the surname DIMES does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Richard Dimes is mentioned.

In the 13th century, the surname DIMES is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a William Dimes is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the family had established itself in the region by that time.

One notable person with the surname DIMES was John Dimes (c. 1550-1612), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual of note was Samuel Dimes (1776-1842), a British mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, Mary Ann Dimes (1828-1892) was a prominent English philanthropist and social reformer who worked tirelessly to improve the living conditions of the poor in London.

The surname DIMES also found its way to the United States, where one notable bearer was Jeremiah Dimes (1798-1878), an American businessman and politician who served as the 14th Governor of Rhode Island from 1857 to 1859.

Lastly, Charles Dimes (1845-1914) was a British artist and illustrator known for his intricate pen-and-ink drawings, many of which were featured in popular publications of the Victorian era.

These examples demonstrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the surname DIMES throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dimes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dimes 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. Hampshire leads with 58 Dimes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.18x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 58 21.18x
Middlesex 50 3.74x
Surrey 16 2.46x
Devon 4 1.44x
Essex 4 1.52x
Dorset 1 1.14x
Hertfordshire 1 1.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.80x
Sussex 1 0.44x
Yorkshire 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. Crondall in Hampshire leads with 45 Dimes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3061.22x.

Place Total Index
Crondall 45 3061.22x
Shoreditch London 20 34.52x
Clerkenwell London 11 34.88x
Lambeth 10 8.58x
Aldershot 8 87.24x
Farnham 5 98.81x
Tottenham 5 23.50x
Basingstoke 4 126.98x
Blackawton 4 833.33x
St Pancras London 4 3.72x
Bethnal Green London 3 5.17x
Hanworth 3 638.30x
South Weald 2 88.50x
St Marylebone London 2 2.80x
West Ham 2 3.43x
Battersea 1 2.03x
Horton In Bradford 1 4.84x
Islington London 1 0.77x
Marnhull 1 156.25x
Northampton St Giles 1 20.88x
Ringmer 1 158.73x
South Stoneham 1 16.84x
Twickenham 1 17.45x
Watford 1 14.01x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Dimes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dimes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Dimes surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dimes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Dimes a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Dimes surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name related to the French word "dimes" meaning tithes or small taxes.

What does the Dimes map show?

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