NameCensus.

UK surname

Dinsdale

From a valley where beeches grew.

In the 1881 census there were 1,551 people recorded with the Dinsdale surname, ranking it #2,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,146, ranked #3,011, down from #2,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Hull Holy Trinity and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmondshire, Craven and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dinsdale is 2,300 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.4%.

1881 census count

1,551

Ranked #2,717

Modern count

2,146

2016, ranked #3,011

Peak year

2002

2,300 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dinsdale had 1,551 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,146 in 2016, ranked #3,011.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,298 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dinsdale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dinsdale surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dinsdale 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 1,074 #2,610
1861 historical 1,084 #2,591
1881 historical 1,551 #2,717
1891 historical 1,559 #2,844
1901 historical 2,059 #2,602
1911 historical 2,298 #2,208
1997 modern 2,121 #2,912
1998 modern 2,268 #2,844
1999 modern 2,274 #2,851
2000 modern 2,275 #2,837
2001 modern 2,258 #2,796
2002 modern 2,300 #2,806
2003 modern 2,249 #2,804
2004 modern 2,240 #2,824
2005 modern 2,153 #2,887
2006 modern 2,153 #2,886
2007 modern 2,164 #2,898
2008 modern 2,183 #2,899
2009 modern 2,218 #2,929
2010 modern 2,282 #2,917
2011 modern 2,246 #2,926
2012 modern 2,191 #2,927
2013 modern 2,195 #2,973
2014 modern 2,202 #2,980
2015 modern 2,178 #2,983
2016 modern 2,146 #3,011

Geography

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Where Dinsdales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Hull Holy Trinity, Bradford, Bishop Wearmouth and Aysgarth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmondshire, Craven and Eden. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Aysgarth Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmondshire 005 Richmondshire
2 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire
3 Craven 003 Craven
4 Eden 007 Eden
5 Eden 006 Eden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dinsdale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dinsdale

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

Dinsdale 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

Dinsdale 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 Dinsdale 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dinsdale

The surname Dinsdale has its origins in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dene," meaning a valley or hollow, and "dale," meaning a valley or glen. The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing as "de Denedale" in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273.

Dinsdale is a locational surname, indicating that the original bearer of the name hailed from a place called Dinsdale or a similar-sounding place name. Several villages and hamlets in Yorkshire bear names like Dinsdale or Dendale, suggesting that the surname may have originated from one of these places.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England, there are no direct references to the name Dinsdale. However, the book does mention several places with similar-sounding names, such as Denebi and Deneuuald, which could be related to the origin of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Dinsdale was John Dinsdale, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379. Another early record is of Robert Dinsdale, who was listed in the Register of the Freemen of York in 1519.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Dinsdale. Sir John Dinsdale (1570-1628) was an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. William Dinsdale (1774-1837) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

Another prominent figure was Walter Dinsdale (1870-1938), a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Yorkshire. John Dinsdale (1897-1982) was a British politician and Labour Party member who served as a Member of Parliament for Warrington from 1945 to 1970.

More recently, Peter Dinsdale (1924-2005) was a British actor best known for his role in the sitcom "Keeping Up Appearances." He enjoyed a long career in television and theater spanning over five decades.

While the surname Dinsdale is not among the most common surnames in England, it has a rich history and strong connections to the northern counties, particularly Yorkshire, where it is believed to have originated from the Old English words referring to valleys and dales.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dinsdale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dinsdale 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. Yorkshire leads with 924 Dinsdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.20x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 924 6.20x
Durham 207 4.63x
Lancashire 139 0.78x
Lincolnshire 59 2.45x
Middlesex 59 0.39x
Northumberland 51 2.28x
Westmorland 21 6.35x
Kent 18 0.35x
Derbyshire 17 0.72x
Surrey 13 0.18x
Norfolk 6 0.26x
Worcestershire 6 0.31x
Cumberland 4 0.31x
Midlothian 3 0.15x
Sussex 3 0.12x
Berkshire 2 0.18x
Essex 2 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.10x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.81x
Devon 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hawes in Yorkshire leads with 163 Dinsdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 1671.79x.

Place Total Index
Hawes 163 1671.79x
Bishopwearmouth 37 9.63x
Bradford 34 9.42x
Darlington 31 17.94x
Redmire 29 1620.11x
Stockton On Tees 25 11.59x
Islington London 24 1.65x
Holy Trinity 18 5.02x
Holy Trinity St Mary 18 79.33x
Newton 18 13.08x
Askrigg 17 527.95x
Horton In Bradford 17 7.30x
Clint 16 792.08x
Earsdon 16 87.86x
High Abbotside 16 629.92x
Liverpool 16 1.48x
Newbiggen 16 2962.96x
Shipley 16 20.69x
Halifax 13 5.94x
Thirsk 13 75.58x
Thoralby 13 1171.17x
Bowling 12 8.13x
Garsdale 12 387.10x
Morton In Keighley 12 102.48x
Richmond 12 51.52x
Ardwick 11 6.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 3.88x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 11.46x
Marrick 11 696.20x
Bingley 10 10.53x
Bolton In Bradford 10 104.60x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 10 183.15x
Hunslet 10 4.30x
Ingleton 10 119.19x
Middleham 10 236.97x
Sedbergh 10 182.15x
Tottenham 10 4.17x
Bedlington 9 12.04x
Dacre 9 271.08x
Eckington 9 15.73x
Merrington 9 104.53x
Ovenden 9 13.57x
Aiskew 8 186.92x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 2.05x
Bewerley 8 130.51x
Caistor 8 83.59x
Crook Billy Row 8 13.96x
Falsgrave 8 36.41x
Gargrave 8 120.48x
Gateshead 8 2.39x
High Low Bishopside 8 60.51x
Hipperholme Cum 8 12.22x
Horsforth 8 24.48x
Manningham 8 4.36x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 6.90x
North South Killingholme 8 200.50x
Sculcoates 8 3.39x
Skipton 8 17.05x
Stranton 8 5.31x
Sunderland 8 10.12x
Baldersby 7 469.80x
Castle Bolton 7 804.60x
Coniston Cold 7 402.30x
Dronfield 7 23.19x
Everton 7 1.23x
Goxhill 7 118.04x
Hackney London 7 0.83x
Hovingham 7 226.54x
Knaresborough 7 29.90x
Leeds 7 0.83x
Manchester 7 0.87x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 8.01x
Steeton Cum Eastburn 7 136.72x
Thornaby 7 12.57x
Tudhoe 7 17.88x
Welton Melton 7 160.55x
Burley In Wharfdale 6 45.59x
Low Dinsdale 6 461.54x
Walkington 6 118.81x
York St Saviour 6 42.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 114
Elizabeth 71
Jane 53
Sarah 53
Margaret 41
Hannah 31
Ann 29
Isabella 26
Alice 25
Annie 19
Ellen 19
Agnes 15
Martha 14
Emma 13
Eliza 12
Emily 11
Ada 10
Dorothy 10
Louisa 10
Anne 8
Caroline 7
Eleanor 7
Clara 5
Elizth. 5
Florence 5
Grace 5
Harriet 5
Lucy 5
Rose 5
Betsy 4
Catherine 4
Esther 4
Ethel 4
Jessie 4
Amy 3
Barbara 3
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Christiana 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Lydia 3
Margt. 3
Maria 3
Minnie 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Susannah 3
Deborah 2
Dinah 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 140
William 83
Thomas 75
James 69
George 54
Joseph 23
Henry 19
Charles 16
Robert 15
Matthew 13
Edward 12
Richard 12
Alfred 10
Arthur 10
Francis 10
Owen 9
Alexander 8
Harry 7
Jeffrey 7
Walter 7
Albert 6
Christopher 6
Herbert 6
Isaac 6
Ernest 5
Fred 5
Anthony 4
Frederick 4
Michael 4
Simon 4
Benjamin 3
Hugh 3
Ralph 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Adam 2
Andrew 2
Cuthbert 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Metcalfe 2
Miles 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Samuel 2
Spencer 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Dinsdale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dinsdale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,551 people were recorded with the Dinsdale surname. That placed it at #2,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dinsdale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,146 in 2016. That gives Dinsdale a modern rank of #3,011.

What does the Dinsdale surname mean?

From a valley where beeches grew.

What does the Dinsdale map show?

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