NameCensus.

UK surname

Divine

Associated with someone who is godly, holy, or heavenly, or with a person who behaves divinely or righteously.

In the 1881 census there were 453 people recorded with the Divine surname, ranking it #7,289 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #7,289 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Canterbury, North West Leicestershire and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Divine is 765 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 55.8%.

1881 census count

453

Ranked #7,289

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

1851

765 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Divine had 453 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,289 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 765 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Divine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Divine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Divine 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 765 #3,488
1861 historical 708 #3,828
1881 historical 453 #7,289
1891 historical 395 #8,961
1901 historical 357 #10,280
1911 historical 182 #15,859
1997 modern 187 #18,398
1998 modern 196 #18,342
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 181 #19,360
2001 modern 180 #19,161
2002 modern 186 #19,150
2003 modern 179 #19,416
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 178 #19,535
2006 modern 184 #19,254
2007 modern 183 #19,553
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 184 #20,291
2013 modern 199 #19,584
2014 modern 201 #19,641
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Divines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Canterbury, North West Leicestershire, Ashfield, Polwarth and Wakefield. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Canterbury 005 Canterbury
2 North West Leicestershire 001 North West Leicestershire
3 Ashfield 007 Ashfield
4 Polwarth City of Edinburgh
5 Wakefield 016 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Divine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Divine

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Divine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Divine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Divine 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

Divine is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Divine

The surname Divine has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Old French word "devin," which means "divine" or "heavenly." The name likely emerged during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many French words and names were introduced to the English language.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Divine can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners commissioned by King Edward I. The name appears as "Dyvyn" in this document, indicating its French roots and the variation in spelling common during that time period.

During the late medieval period, the surname Divine may have been used as a descriptive name referring to a person's religious or spiritual inclinations, or perhaps as a nickname for someone who was exceptionally pious or virtuous. It's also possible that the name was initially bestowed upon someone who worked in a religious capacity, such as a priest or monk.

In the 16th century, the Divine surname can be found in various parish records across England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset. One notable figure from this era was John Divine (c. 1545 - 1618), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Batheaston in Somerset.

Another prominent individual with the Divine surname was Sir William Divine (1590 - 1660), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Bath during the reign of King Charles I. He was a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War and was knighted by Charles I in 1643.

In the 18th century, the Divine name gained recognition through the work of Samuel Divine (1717 - 1785), an English engraver and printmaker known for his intricate illustrations of botanical subjects. His works were widely published and celebrated during his lifetime.

Moving into the 19th century, Thomas Divine (1826 - 1889) was a notable English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Victorian Gothic Revival style. Some of his most notable works include St. Mary's Church in Moseley, Birmingham, and the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution in London.

While the Divine surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. Today, it can be found among families of English descent in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Divine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Divine 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. Lancashire leads with 69 Divines recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.31x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 69 1.31x
Lanarkshire 58 4.03x
Middlesex 42 0.94x
Yorkshire 42 0.95x
Durham 34 2.57x
Angus 26 6.31x
Midlothian 22 3.69x
Northumberland 15 2.27x
East Lothian 14 23.76x
Surrey 13 0.60x
Devon 11 1.19x
Renfrewshire 11 3.19x
Derbyshire 10 1.44x
Fife 10 3.80x
Flintshire 10 8.36x
Kent 9 0.59x
Warwickshire 8 0.71x
Staffordshire 7 0.47x
Wigtownshire 6 10.16x
Cumberland 5 1.31x
Gloucestershire 5 0.57x
Cheshire 4 0.41x
Cornwall 4 0.79x
Dunbartonshire 4 3.35x
Lincolnshire 3 0.42x
Channel Islands 2 1.52x
Essex 2 0.23x
Herefordshire 2 1.10x
Inverness-shire 2 1.51x
Stirlingshire 2 1.22x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.24x
Glamorgan 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.89x
Somerset 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. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 22 Divines recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.04x.

Place Total Index
Barony 22 6.04x
Liff Benvie 18 28.77x
Manchester 16 6.74x
Heworth 13 49.85x
Leeds 11 4.42x
Westminster St John 11 20.31x
Mold 10 92.17x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 10 65.83x
Ardwick 9 18.90x
Glasgow 9 3.52x
Spitalfields London 9 26.90x
Berwick North 8 193.70x
Birmingham 8 2.14x
Holy Trinity 8 7.55x
North Leith 8 29.01x
Old Monkland 8 14.01x
Ballingry 7 432.10x
Dundee 7 4.55x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 2.92x
Derby All Sts 6 103.09x
East Greenock 6 18.43x
Liverpool 6 1.87x
Skircoat 6 34.52x
Spott 6 681.82x
Tadcaster West 6 171.92x
Thornley 6 125.26x
Cowpen 5 32.81x
Dalziel 5 32.30x
Everton 5 2.97x
Gateshead 5 5.05x
Lambeth 5 1.29x
Limehouse London 5 10.24x
New Monkland 5 11.76x
Rutherglen 5 23.70x
Shoreditch London 5 2.59x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 5 24.41x
Stoke Damerel 5 7.72x
West Calder 5 42.55x
Whitehaven 5 24.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 4.87x
Derby St Peter 4 18.03x
Hamilton 4 9.97x
Inch 4 69.44x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 5.61x
Sunderland 4 17.12x
Toxteth Park 4 2.24x
Walsall Borough 4 34.31x
Westgate 4 9.76x
Heston 3 20.31x
Lapley 3 265.49x
Longbenton 3 10.70x
Normanton 3 22.64x
Paisley High Church 3 10.93x
Plumstead 3 5.93x
Redruth 3 21.05x
Auchterderran 2 30.21x
Castleton 2 3.79x
Chester St John Baptist 2 11.33x
Crompton 2 13.31x
Crossgate 2 34.54x
Croydon 2 1.66x
Dumbarton 2 12.02x
East Ham 2 12.28x
Eynsford 2 76.92x
Fulham London 2 3.10x
Greenwich 2 2.82x
Leominster 2 26.49x
Mochrum 2 56.66x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 2 22.99x
Parr 2 10.59x
Southwark St Olave 2 58.82x
Southwark St Saviour 2 8.75x
St Helier 2 4.66x
Whitechapel London 2 4.56x
Barnsley 1 2.20x
Cardross 1 6.97x
Great Grimsby 1 2.22x
Kingussie Insh 1 32.79x
Mirfield 1 4.13x
Northallerton 1 17.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Ellen 8
Margaret 8
Sarah 8
Bridget 6
Kate 6
Annie 5
Catherine 5
Elizabeth 5
Hannah 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Julia 4
Ada 3
Emily 3
Rose 3
Jane 2
Katherine 2
Susan 2
Winifred 2
Anne 1
Bedelia 1
Bella 1
Brid. 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elisa 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Johanna 1
Julie 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
May 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
James 18
William 18
Thomas 11
Michael 7
Charles 6
Patrick 5
Francis 4
Bernard 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
Hugh 3
Arthur 2
Bryan 2
Daniel 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Lawrence 2
Martin 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Bartley 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Felix 1
Fredrick 1
Hy. 1
J.W. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonquin 1
Micheal 1
Nimrod 1
Rhodes 1
Thos. 1
Victor 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Divine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Divine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 453 people were recorded with the Divine surname. That placed it at #7,289 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Divine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Divine a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Divine surname mean?

Associated with someone who is godly, holy, or heavenly, or with a person who behaves divinely or righteously.

What does the Divine map show?

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