NameCensus.

UK surname

Divers

A surname originating from the French word meaning "varied" or "diverse".

In the 1881 census there were 301 people recorded with the Divers surname, ranking it #9,694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 986, ranked #5,869, up from #9,694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Sunderland and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ08, Carfin and Cleekhimin and Keppochhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Divers is 986 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 227.6%.

1881 census count

301

Ranked #9,694

Modern count

986

2016, ranked #5,869

Peak year

2014

986 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Divers had 301 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 986 in 2016, ranked #5,869.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 459 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Divers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Divers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Divers 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 220 #9,671
1861 historical 207 #11,687
1881 historical 301 #9,694
1891 historical 324 #10,453
1901 historical 459 #8,577
1911 historical 302 #11,394
1997 modern 876 #6,091
1998 modern 894 #6,196
1999 modern 887 #6,280
2000 modern 900 #6,177
2001 modern 868 #6,229
2002 modern 904 #6,179
2003 modern 877 #6,199
2004 modern 885 #6,178
2005 modern 880 #6,123
2006 modern 878 #6,149
2007 modern 900 #6,084
2008 modern 896 #6,150
2009 modern 924 #6,131
2010 modern 944 #6,151
2011 modern 919 #6,225
2012 modern 943 #6,019
2013 modern 961 #6,018
2014 modern 986 #5,928
2015 modern 983 #5,893
2016 modern 986 #5,869

Geography

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Where Divers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Sunderland, London parishes, Ashford and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ08, Carfin and Cleekhimin, Keppochhill, Ruchill 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Sunderland Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ashford Kent
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ08 West Dunbartonshire
2 Carfin and Cleekhimin North Lanarkshire
3 Keppochhill Glasgow City
4 Ruchill Glasgow City
5 County Durham 014 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Divers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Divers

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Divers 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

Divers 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

Divers 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 Divers is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Divers

The surname Divers has its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages around the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "diveor," which means "one who dives" or "a diver." This occupational surname was likely given to someone whose profession involved diving, such as a pearl diver or a fisherman who retrieved items from the depths of bodies of water.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Divers can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing the name Divers might have been among the Norman settlers who arrived in England following the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Divers, who was born in Normandy, France, around 1150. He is mentioned in historical records as a skilled pearl diver and is believed to have been part of the crew that accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Invasion of England in 1066.

Another notable individual with the surname Divers was Sir John Divers, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the early 14th century. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, around 1280 and was renowned for his bravery and skill in battle.

In the 16th century, the Divers family established themselves in the coastal regions of Cornwall, England, where many of them worked as fishermen and divers. One notable member of this branch was William Divers, born in 1546, who is credited with pioneering new techniques for pearl diving and retrieving sunken treasures from shipwrecks.

The name Divers can also be found in various place names around Europe, such as Divers-sur-Mer in Normandy, France, and Divers Cove in Cornwall, England, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its occupational origins.

Over the centuries, the surname Divers has undergone several spelling variations, including Diveris, Dyvors, and Dyveres, reflecting the regional dialects and phonetic variations of different areas where the name was prevalent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Divers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Divers 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. Kent leads with 122 Divers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.02x.

County Total Index
Kent 122 12.02x
Lanarkshire 44 4.57x
Yorkshire 16 0.54x
Renfrewshire 15 6.51x
Surrey 15 1.03x
Middlesex 14 0.47x
Norfolk 14 3.06x
Sussex 8 1.59x
Durham 7 0.79x
Hertfordshire 7 3.41x
Channel Islands 6 6.81x
Dunbartonshire 6 7.50x
Aberdeenshire 5 1.81x
Caithness 5 12.28x
Lancashire 5 0.14x
Midlothian 4 1.00x
Devon 2 0.32x
Hampshire 2 0.33x
Northumberland 2 0.45x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.52x
Essex 1 0.17x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 2.32x
Northamptonshire 1 0.36x
Stirlingshire 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 14 Divers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.75x.

Place Total Index
Barony 14 5.75x
Petham 12 1714.29x
Govan 9 3.78x
Leeds 9 5.41x
Upper Hardres 9 3000.00x
Brabourne 8 1052.63x
Burnham Westgate 7 707.07x
Canterbury St Mary 7 102.79x
Chatham 7 25.06x
Lewes St John Southover 7 207.72x
Thanington Wilton In 7 1458.33x
Abbey 6 17.06x
Bridge 6 689.66x
Eastwood 6 42.25x
Glasgow 6 3.51x
Greenwich 6 12.67x
Old Kilpatrick 6 63.49x
Old Monkland 6 15.72x
Shettleston 6 69.69x
Stanford 6 2000.00x
Wye 6 382.17x
Ashford 5 50.56x
Thurso 5 78.74x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 6.95x
Battersea 4 3.65x
Croydon 4 4.97x
Dunkirk 4 526.32x
Gillingham 4 19.11x
Islington London 4 1.39x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 4 111.42x
Milton In Milton 4 92.81x
St Peter 4 157.48x
Sturry 4 333.33x
Sunderland 4 25.59x
Accrington 3 9.35x
Charlton 3 44.51x
Drypool 3 66.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.87x
Hemel Hempstead 3 32.47x
Monkwearmouth 3 35.42x
Shoreditch London 3 2.33x
Barham 2 194.17x
Boughton Monchelsea 2 178.57x
Byker 2 9.14x
Camberwell 2 1.05x
Molash 2 588.24x
Old Romney 2 1333.33x
Plumstead 2 5.91x
Portsea 2 1.67x
Rutherglen 2 14.16x
Scarning 2 294.12x
Sheldwich 2 307.69x
South Creake 2 192.31x
St Brelade 2 88.11x
St Pancras London 2 0.84x
Stoke Damerel 2 4.61x
Tilney All Sts 2 344.83x
Watford 2 12.58x
Wheathampstead 2 84.39x
Barnack 1 166.67x
Boughton Under Blean 1 58.82x
Canterbury St Peter 1 87.72x
Carlaverock 1 93.46x
Chilham 1 68.97x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 12.90x
Folkestone 1 5.08x
Hackney London 1 0.60x
Hampstead London 1 2.16x
Hougham 1 16.56x
Larbert 1 15.24x
Liverpool 1 0.47x
Neilston 1 8.64x
Ospringe 1 80.00x
Paddington London 1 0.91x
Queenborough 1 100.00x
Reigate Foreign 1 6.37x
Stockport 1 2.96x
Stone In Faversham 1 1428.57x
Toxteth Park 1 0.84x
Whitechapel London 1 3.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 14
Henry 13
Thomas 12
John 9
George 7
Frederick 5
James 5
Alfred 4
Edward 3
Harry 3
Charles 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Hammond 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Giffard 1
Jesse 1
Jonas 1
Lewis 1
Mary 1
Osborn 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Thom.Collins 1
Willie 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Divers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Divers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 301 people were recorded with the Divers surname. That placed it at #9,694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Divers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 986 in 2016. That gives Divers a modern rank of #5,869.

What does the Divers surname mean?

A surname originating from the French word meaning "varied" or "diverse".

What does the Divers map show?

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