NameCensus.

UK surname

Ditchburn

In the 1881 census there were 564 people recorded with the Ditchburn surname, ranking it #6,143 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 979, ranked #5,896, up from #6,143 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Marske, Gateshead and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, County Durham and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ditchburn is 1,037 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.6%.

1881 census count

564

Ranked #6,143

Modern count

979

2016, ranked #5,896

Peak year

2010

1,037 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ditchburn had 564 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,143 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 979 in 2016, ranked #5,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 840 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Ditchburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ditchburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ditchburn 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 372 #6,397
1861 historical 358 #7,132
1881 historical 564 #6,143
1891 historical 611 #6,291
1901 historical 779 #5,767
1911 historical 840 #5,273
1997 modern 951 #5,715
1998 modern 988 #5,724
1999 modern 999 #5,719
2000 modern 983 #5,777
2001 modern 958 #5,783
2002 modern 967 #5,837
2003 modern 921 #5,975
2004 modern 958 #5,810
2005 modern 968 #5,679
2006 modern 956 #5,760
2007 modern 979 #5,707
2008 modern 975 #5,759
2009 modern 994 #5,790
2010 modern 1,037 #5,707
2011 modern 1,012 #5,762
2012 modern 959 #5,932
2013 modern 968 #5,980
2014 modern 974 #5,989
2015 modern 965 #5,987
2016 modern 979 #5,896

Geography

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Where Ditchburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Marske, Gateshead, Monkwearmouth, Guisborough and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, County Durham, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Marske Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Monkwearmouth Durham
4 Guisborough Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 008 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
3 County Durham 039 County Durham
4 Redcar and Cleveland 018 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Stockton-on-Tees 001 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ditchburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ditchburn

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Ditchburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ditchburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ditchburn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Ditchburn is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Ditchburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ditchburn 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 168 Ditchburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.25x.

County Total Index
Durham 168 10.25x
Yorkshire 153 2.80x
Northumberland 90 10.98x
Cumberland 52 10.96x
Fife 31 9.50x
Lancashire 18 0.28x
Kent 15 0.80x
Middlesex 8 0.15x
Northamptonshire 8 1.54x
Hampshire 6 0.53x
Surrey 5 0.19x
Renfrewshire 4 0.94x
Derbyshire 3 0.35x
Lanarkshire 2 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.52x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elswick in Northumberland leads with 31 Ditchburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.36x.

Place Total Index
Elswick 31 47.36x
Monkwearmouth Shore 31 96.84x
Dunfermline 30 59.80x
Flimby 26 648.38x
Marske In Guisbrough 19 195.88x
Ryhope 18 158.17x
Crook Billy Row 16 76.19x
Skelton In Guisbrough 14 94.79x
Guisbrough 13 108.97x
Amble 12 321.72x
Bishopwearmouth 12 8.53x
Harrington 12 209.42x
Moorsholme 12 1621.62x
Gateshead 11 8.96x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 22.46x
Sunderland 11 37.98x
Workington 11 40.49x
Chirton 10 53.88x
Ormesby 10 68.12x
Chatham 9 17.40x
Middlesbrough 9 12.65x
Nether Poppleton 9 1636.36x
Scarborough 9 18.13x
Brandon Byshottles 8 38.95x
Peterborough 8 21.32x
Sherburn 8 160.32x
Trimdon 8 137.93x
Westoe 8 8.61x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 13.48x
Brotton 7 98.18x
Durham St Nicholas 7 173.70x
Prudhoe 7 122.59x
Seaham 7 117.06x
Sutton 7 112.54x
Harton 6 92.59x
Cowpen 5 26.48x
Holy Trinity 5 3.81x
Linthorpe 5 15.34x
Whitby 5 27.16x
Almondbury 4 15.15x
Battersea 4 1.97x
Bothal Demesne 4 102.04x
East Greenock 4 9.92x
Lofthouse 4 49.08x
South Blyth Newsham 4 248.45x
Wykeham 4 370.37x
Chesterfield 3 9.27x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.07x
Hackney London 3 0.97x
Haxby 3 283.02x
Hetton Le Hole 3 14.44x
Liverpool 3 0.76x
Southampton St Mary 3 4.22x
St Mary Extra 3 33.00x
Bromley London 2 1.65x
Carlton Miniott 2 277.78x
Crosscanonby 2 12.75x
Danby 2 90.50x
Darlington 2 3.16x
Everton 2 0.96x
Gillingham 2 5.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 2.82x
Old Monkland 2 2.83x
Shilbottle 2 246.91x
Shoreditch London 2 0.84x
Tudhoe 2 13.94x
Beswick 1 5.98x
Blackburn 1 0.57x
Burntisland 1 10.96x
Collierley 1 13.70x
Dunnington In York 1 71.43x
Fylingdales 1 36.76x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 2.35x
Newington 1 0.49x
Ruswarp 1 16.47x
Spital Hill 1 2500.00x
St Giles 1 9.78x
Stainton Dale 1 222.22x
Toxteth Park 1 0.45x
York Holy Trinity Kings 1 89.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 27
Jane 23
Ann 20
Sarah 12
Margaret 9
Isabella 8
Alice 6
Martha 6
Dorothy 5
Barbara 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Hannah 4
Margt. 4
Caroline 3
Eliz. 3
Isabell 3
Jessie 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Helen 2
Hellen 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Marian 2
Marthar 2
Rachael 2
Barbrey 1
Cathrine 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
L. 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Marion 1
Martilda 1
Thomasina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 46
Thomas 35
William 28
George 23
Robert 22
James 12
Joseph 10
Edward 9
Richard 7
Luke 6
Peter 6
Henry 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Francis 3
Michael 3
Robinson 3
Thos. 3
Aaron 2
Anthony 2
Ernest 2
Geo.Humphrey 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Philip 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Cuthbert 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Gawin 1
Gordon 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
I.N. 1
Ingram 1
J. 1
Lenord 1
Malcom 1
Matthew 1
Newark 1
Ralph 1
Rich. 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Ditchburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ditchburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 564 people were recorded with the Ditchburn surname. That placed it at #6,143 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ditchburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 979 in 2016. That gives Ditchburn a modern rank of #5,896.

What does the Ditchburn map show?

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