NameCensus.

UK surname

Dimmer

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a low-lying area.

In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Dimmer surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 318, ranked #14,159, up from #16,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broad Chalk, Bowerchalk and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, Daventry and Sutherland South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dimmer is 350 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 144.6%.

1881 census count

130

Ranked #16,911

Modern count

318

2016, ranked #14,159

Peak year

1999

350 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dimmer had 130 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 318 in 2016, ranked #14,159.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 276 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dimmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dimmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dimmer 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 78 #23,836
1881 historical 130 #16,911
1891 historical 166 #17,077
1901 historical 222 #14,169
1911 historical 276 #12,099
1997 modern 313 #13,158
1998 modern 327 #13,126
1999 modern 350 #12,609
2000 modern 330 #13,066
2001 modern 313 #13,361
2002 modern 313 #13,615
2003 modern 315 #13,384
2004 modern 321 #13,284
2005 modern 326 #13,045
2006 modern 322 #13,234
2007 modern 328 #13,196
2008 modern 323 #13,462
2009 modern 325 #13,657
2010 modern 319 #14,110
2011 modern 329 #13,694
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 315 #14,245
2014 modern 325 #14,030
2015 modern 307 #14,504
2016 modern 318 #14,159

Geography

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Where Dimmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broad Chalk, Bowerchalk, Newchurch, Salisbury St Edmund and Bishopston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, Daventry, Sutherland South, Wiltshire and North Dorset. 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 Broad Chalk Wiltshire
2 Bowerchalk Wiltshire
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 Salisbury St Edmund Wiltshire
5 Bishopston Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 001 Winchester
2 Daventry 005 Daventry
3 Sutherland South Highland
4 Wiltshire 054 Wiltshire
5 North Dorset 004 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dimmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dimmer

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Dimmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dimmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dimmer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dimmer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dimmer

The surname Dimmer has its origins in Germany, emerging in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "dimmer," which referred to a twilight or dim lighting. The name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who worked in low light conditions or lived in a dimly lit area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dimmer appears in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of Saxony, a region in eastern Germany, dating back to the late 1400s. These records often documented births, marriages, and deaths within local communities, providing a valuable historical record of surnames in use during that time period.

In the 16th century, the surname Dimmer can be found in various German manuscripts and documents, such as the Bürgerbücher (citizen books) of cities like Leipzig and Dresden. These records served as official registers of citizens and their occupations, suggesting that individuals with the surname Dimmer may have been involved in trades or professions related to lighting or illumination.

One notable individual bearing the surname Dimmer was Johann Dimmer, a German theologian and author who lived from 1542 to 1618. He wrote several influential works on religious subjects and served as a pastor in Saxony.

In the 18th century, the surname Dimmer was also present in other German-speaking regions, including Austria and Switzerland. For instance, the records of the city of Bern, Switzerland, mention a family named Dimmer residing there in the 1760s.

Another individual of note was Karl Dimmer, a German architect born in 1856. He was known for his contributions to the design of several prominent buildings in Berlin during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

As the surname Dimmer spread beyond Germany, it can be found in various historical records across Europe and other parts of the world. For example, the Dimmer family is documented in the United States as early as the mid-19th century, with some members arriving as immigrants from German-speaking regions.

Overall, the surname Dimmer has a rich history rooted in the German language and culture, with its earliest known usage dating back to the late medieval period. While the name's precise origins remain uncertain, its connection to the concept of dimness or twilight illumination has persisted throughout its evolution and spread across different regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dimmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dimmer 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. Wiltshire leads with 57 Dimmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.83x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 57 50.83x
Hampshire 34 13.08x
Dorset 10 12.02x
Middlesex 8 0.63x
Sussex 4 1.87x
Devon 3 1.14x
Northamptonshire 3 2.52x
Surrey 3 0.49x
Essex 2 0.80x
Kent 2 0.46x
Somerset 2 0.98x
Bedfordshire 1 1.52x
Gloucestershire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broad Chalk in Wiltshire leads with 18 Dimmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5625.00x.

Place Total Index
Broad Chalk 18 5625.00x
Portsea 11 21.60x
Stratford Toney 11 22000.00x
Bower Chalk 7 3888.89x
St Helens 7 370.37x
Sixpenny Handley 6 1463.41x
Donhead St Mary 5 877.19x
Portsmouth 5 83.61x
Salisbury St Edmund 5 277.78x
Niton 4 1142.86x
Salisbury St Martin 4 341.88x
St Marylebone London 4 5.91x
East Tisbury 3 769.23x
Hampton Wick London 3 322.58x
Lambeth 3 2.71x
Northampton Priory St 3 41.90x
Plymouth Charles The 3 25.80x
Christchurch 2 35.46x
Clevedon 2 94.34x
Jevington 2 1538.46x
Leyton 2 46.40x
Newchurch 2 338.98x
Plumstead 2 13.87x
Ryde 2 35.84x
Wilmington 2 1818.18x
Wimborne Minster 2 148.15x
Chale 1 333.33x
Donhead St Andrew 1 285.71x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 1 149.25x
Kensington London 1 1.42x
Luton 1 8.80x
South Newton 1 344.83x
Stapleton 1 21.19x
Steeple Langford 1 434.78x
Tarrant Gunville 1 666.67x
West Tisbury 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 7
Eliza 6
Elizabeth 6
Emily 5
Mary 5
Sarah 5
Alice 3
Lydia 3
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Louisa 2
Agustus 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Florance 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Lilian 1
Marianne 1
Rachel 1
Rosetta 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 10
George 7
William 6
Thomas 5
Edwin 4
Harry 4
John 4
Edward 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Tom 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Geo. 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Job 1

FAQ

Dimmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dimmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Dimmer surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dimmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 318 in 2016. That gives Dimmer a modern rank of #14,159.

What does the Dimmer surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a low-lying area.

What does the Dimmer map show?

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