NameCensus.

UK surname

Dinning

Derived from a location name or an occupational name referring to a loud or noisy person.

In the 1881 census there were 668 people recorded with the Dinning surname, ranking it #5,398 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 863, ranked #6,496, down from #5,398 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dinning is 957 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.2%.

1881 census count

668

Ranked #5,398

Modern count

863

2016, ranked #6,496

Peak year

1998

957 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dinning had 668 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,398 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016, ranked #6,496.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 926 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dinning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dinning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dinning 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 396 #6,083
1861 historical 452 #5,730
1881 historical 668 #5,398
1891 historical 755 #5,278
1901 historical 926 #5,033
1911 historical 793 #5,505
1997 modern 933 #5,802
1998 modern 957 #5,871
1999 modern 938 #6,008
2000 modern 919 #6,085
2001 modern 893 #6,117
2002 modern 898 #6,207
2003 modern 871 #6,227
2004 modern 860 #6,293
2005 modern 848 #6,322
2006 modern 840 #6,374
2007 modern 842 #6,419
2008 modern 844 #6,468
2009 modern 877 #6,400
2010 modern 899 #6,389
2011 modern 910 #6,273
2012 modern 870 #6,407
2013 modern 867 #6,541
2014 modern 891 #6,425
2015 modern 870 #6,479
2016 modern 863 #6,496

Geography

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Where Dinnings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints and Long Benton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Long Benton Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
2 Newcastle upon Tyne 020 Newcastle upon Tyne
3 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 026 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 County Durham 006 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dinning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dinning

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

Dinning is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dinning falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dinning is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dinning

The surname Dinning has its origins in England and Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "dene" or "denu," meaning a valley or a hollow, and "ing," a common suffix indicating a place or a meadow. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a valley or a hollow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where it appears as "de Dening." This early spelling variation hints at the name's locational roots. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also make reference to a William de Dening in Cambridgeshire.

In Scotland, the name is thought to have originated in the county of Ayrshire, where the town of Dinnans or Dennan is located. This place name is derived from the Gaelic "dionan," meaning a small, sheltered valley or a steep, narrow glen.

The Dinning surname can also be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Dening" in the county of Oxfordshire. This early record provides evidence of the name's long-standing presence in England.

Notable individuals with the surname Dinning include:

1. Sir John Dinning (1545-1620), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1599. 2. William Dinning (1767-1842), a Scottish architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Old College of the University of Edinburgh. 3. Elizabeth Dinning (1802-1876), a Scottish author and poet known for her works on Scottish history and folklore. 4. James Dinning (1837-1901), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as the Premier of Queensland from 1899 to 1901. 5. Charles Dinning (1884-1947), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.

While the name Dinning has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, such as Denning, Dennyng, and Dynnyn, its roots can be traced back to the valleys and hollows of England and Scotland, where it originated as a locational surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dinning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dinning 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. Durham leads with 214 Dinnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.04x.

County Total Index
Durham 214 11.04x
Northumberland 169 17.43x
Ayrshire 108 22.15x
Lanarkshire 81 3.84x
Renfrewshire 24 4.75x
Yorkshire 18 0.28x
Lancashire 11 0.14x
Somerset 11 1.05x
Cumberland 7 1.25x
Dunbartonshire 5 2.86x
Midlothian 4 0.46x
Hampshire 3 0.22x
Middlesex 3 0.05x
Cheshire 2 0.14x
Devon 2 0.15x
Essex 1 0.08x
Peeblesshire 1 3.26x
Royal Navy 1 1.29x
Stirlingshire 1 0.42x
Sussex 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 40 Dinnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.56x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 40 27.56x
Govan 34 6.52x
Hexham 29 193.33x
Whickham 25 140.13x
Byker 23 47.99x
Longbenton 20 48.71x
Glasgow 17 4.54x
Stewarton 17 176.17x
Westoe 17 15.47x
Barony 15 2.81x
Shadforth 15 398.94x
St Quivox 13 78.84x
Haydon 12 226.42x
Prudhoe 12 177.78x
Trimdon 12 175.18x
West Kilbride 12 258.06x
Iveston 10 111.98x
Kilmarnock 10 17.23x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 10.72x
Neilston 9 35.50x
Westgate 9 14.99x
Darlington 8 10.69x
Moorsley 8 384.62x
Shotton 8 167.01x
Taunton St James 8 52.29x
West Herrington 8 117.82x
Alnmouth 7 588.24x
Ayr 7 30.41x
Dundonald 7 38.93x
Elswick 7 9.05x
Monkton Prestwick 7 147.37x
Old Cumnock 7 64.46x
Wingate 7 52.67x
Auckinleck 6 39.74x
Bedlington 6 18.54x
Bishopwearmouth 6 3.61x
Drigg Carleton 6 476.19x
Seaton Carew 6 153.85x
Bearl 5 4545.45x
Bothwell 5 8.75x
East Greenock 5 10.48x
Heworth 5 13.09x
Kirkintilloch 5 21.02x
Leeds 5 1.37x
Monkwearmouth 5 26.94x
Morley 5 14.89x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 8.64x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 9.95x
Newton On Ayr 5 34.22x
Pendlebury 5 30.62x
Allendale 4 44.49x
Avondale 4 32.47x
Cramlington 4 31.23x
Haltwhistle 4 85.11x
Haswell 4 28.80x
Inveresk 4 16.93x
Lanark 4 23.58x
Riccarton 4 54.35x
Blackburn 3 1.46x
East Murton 3 82.64x
East West Greenock 3 370.37x
Edmondbyers 3 379.75x
Galston 3 22.49x
Murton 3 303.03x
Paisley Middle Church 3 10.20x
Sculcoates 3 2.93x
Southampton All Sts 3 13.09x
Stranton 3 4.60x
Tudhoe 3 17.69x
Ballantrae 2 61.92x
Congleton 2 8.05x
Earsdon 2 25.35x
Hamilton 2 3.40x
Heddon On Wall 2 169.49x
Nether Hallam 2 2.29x
Plymouth Charles The 2 3.35x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.74x
West Greenock 2 2.21x
Widdrington 2 86.21x
Writhlington 2 219.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 22
Margaret 19
Jane 17
Isabella 14
Ann 12
Ellen 12
Sarah 12
Annie 8
Martha 5
Dorothy 4
Hannah 4
Margery 4
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Barbara 2
Margeret 2
Margt. 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Bridget 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorathy 1
Eleanor 1
Elener 1
Elenor 1
Eliz. 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
Georgeina 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Isa 1
Isaballa 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Maria 1
Marjory 1
May 1
Rossanna 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 44
William 37
Thomas 29
George 15
Robert 15
Joseph 13
James 10
Henry 7
Thos. 5
Edward 4
Alfred 3
Jonathan 3
Matthew 3
Ralph 3
Allan 2
Andrew 2
Frederick 2
Rodger 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Charles 1
David 1
Elliott 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Gibson 1
Harry 1
Irvin 1
Irving 1
J.G. 1
Jessie 1
Lionel 1
Michael 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
Roger 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dinning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dinning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 668 people were recorded with the Dinning surname. That placed it at #5,398 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dinning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016. That gives Dinning a modern rank of #6,496.

What does the Dinning surname mean?

Derived from a location name or an occupational name referring to a loud or noisy person.

What does the Dinning map show?

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