NameCensus.

UK surname

Dyball

A variant of the Old English surname Dybald, meaning "bold or audacious person".

In the 1881 census there were 560 people recorded with the Dyball surname, ranking it #6,184 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 545, ranked #9,349, down from #6,184 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Martham, London parishes and Walsham, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumry West, Great Yarmouth and Drumry East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dyball is 756 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.7%.

1881 census count

560

Ranked #6,184

Modern count

545

2016, ranked #9,349

Peak year

1901

756 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dyball had 560 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,184 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 545 in 2016, ranked #9,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 756 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dyball surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dyball surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dyball 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 381 #6,712
1881 historical 560 #6,184
1891 historical 616 #6,254
1901 historical 756 #5,902
1911 historical 737 #5,816
1997 modern 576 #8,378
1998 modern 596 #8,434
1999 modern 608 #8,372
2000 modern 595 #8,473
2001 modern 575 #8,530
2002 modern 579 #8,649
2003 modern 541 #8,955
2004 modern 524 #9,198
2005 modern 536 #8,968
2006 modern 533 #9,044
2007 modern 528 #9,174
2008 modern 529 #9,229
2009 modern 541 #9,279
2010 modern 561 #9,214
2011 modern 542 #9,387
2012 modern 544 #9,245
2013 modern 548 #9,359
2014 modern 536 #9,579
2015 modern 535 #9,530
2016 modern 545 #9,349

Geography

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Where Dyballs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Martham, London parishes, Walsham, North, Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Drumry West, Great Yarmouth, Drumry East and North Norfolk. 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 Martham Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Walsham, North Norfolk
4 Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead Surrey
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumry West Glasgow City
2 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth
3 Drumry East Glasgow City
4 Great Yarmouth 006 Great Yarmouth
5 North Norfolk 014 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dyball

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dyball

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Dyball surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dyball household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dyball 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

Dyball 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dyball

The surname DYBALL is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Derbyshire and Leicestershire, during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "dybb" and "hyll," which together translate to "a hill with a ditch or a deep hollow." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a topographical feature or a specific location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1431, where it appears as "Dyball." This document contains legal agreements related to land transactions, indicating that individuals with this surname were already established in the region by the 15th century.

The Dyball surname is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire from 1523, which were tax records used to collect funds for the Crown. This suggests that the name had spread and become more widespread in the East Midlands area of England by the early 16th century.

Notably, the Dyball surname is not found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This absence indicates that the name likely emerged after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname DYBALL was John Dyball, who was born in Leicestershire around 1520. Records show that he was a landowner and farmer in the village of Ratby.

Another notable figure was Thomas Dyball, born in Derbyshire in 1587. He served as a member of the local parish council and was involved in the administration of church affairs in his community.

In the 17th century, William Dyball, born in 1628 in Leicestershire, was a prominent merchant and trader who established business connections with the American colonies, particularly in the tobacco trade.

During the 18th century, Sarah Dyball, born in 1734 in Derbyshire, gained recognition as a skilled weaver and contributed to the local textile industry, which was a significant part of the regional economy at the time.

In the 19th century, James Dyball, born in 1817 in Leicestershire, was a noted architect and designer who was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in the East Midlands region.

It is worth noting that while the Dyball surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and the diaspora of English families over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dyball families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dyball 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. Norfolk leads with 354 Dyballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.15x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 354 42.15x
Surrey 43 1.62x
Middlesex 35 0.64x
Kent 27 1.45x
Leicestershire 12 1.98x
Yorkshire 11 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 10 2.89x
Somerset 10 1.14x
Lanarkshire 9 0.51x
Lancashire 9 0.14x
Northumberland 8 0.98x
Durham 6 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.21x
Cornwall 4 0.65x
Hertfordshire 4 1.06x
Midlothian 3 0.41x
Suffolk 3 0.45x
Hampshire 2 0.18x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.31x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 32 Dyballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.99x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 32 45.99x
Martham 29 1414.63x
North Walsham 24 396.04x
Winterton 23 1554.05x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 16 540.54x
Heigham 16 35.49x
Camberwell 14 4.01x
Deptford St Paul 14 9.74x
Westwick 14 4117.65x
Hemsby 13 1074.38x
Bedminster 10 12.10x
Croydon 9 6.09x
Govan 9 2.06x
Happisburgh 8 761.90x
Norwich St Stephen 8 103.76x
Rackheath 8 1428.57x
Skeyton 8 1355.93x
Sustead 8 3636.36x
West Rainham 8 1269.84x
Willesden 8 15.54x
Blackburn 7 4.06x
Byker 7 17.42x
Carshalton 7 68.69x
Wakefield 7 16.84x
Worstead 7 486.11x
Beeston Regis 6 1666.67x
East Wickham 6 271.49x
Loughborough 6 21.83x
Smallburgh 6 606.06x
Aylsham 5 100.00x
Hempstead 5 641.03x
Ingham 5 581.40x
Norwich St George Tombland 5 337.84x
Swanton Abbott 5 531.91x
Weasenham St Peter 5 1000.00x
Aldborough 4 606.06x
Bradwell 4 86.02x
Brampton 4 1176.47x
Essendon 4 350.88x
Falsgrave 4 50.13x
Fowey 4 140.85x
Gaywood 4 264.90x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 15.86x
Lambeth 4 0.84x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.71x
Ormesby St Margaret W 4 189.57x
Sheringham 4 184.33x
Sprowston 4 107.82x
St Andrewthe Less 4 10.12x
St Marylebone London 4 1.37x
Stranton 4 7.31x
Suffield 4 975.61x
West Somerton 4 909.09x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.26x
Burgh 3 731.71x
Chelsea London 3 1.82x
Duxford 3 206.90x
Filby 3 275.23x
Hackford In Aylsham 3 198.68x
Hickling 3 193.55x
Islington London 3 0.57x
Kensington London 3 0.99x
Norwich St Benedict 3 80.21x
Penge 3 8.60x
South Leith 3 3.64x
St George In East London 3 5.84x
The Holy Sepulchre 3 352.94x
Wroxham 3 422.54x
Bacton 2 229.89x
Epsom 2 15.42x
Hainford 2 169.49x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 2 47.39x
Ridlington 2 540.54x
Southrepps 2 123.46x
St Bartholomew Great 2 40.24x
St Pancras London 2 0.45x
Stalham 2 124.22x
Stockton On Tees 2 2.55x
Tunstead 2 253.16x
Wavertree 2 9.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 17
Eliza 11
Emma 11
Jane 10
Emily 9
Ann 8
Alice 7
Louisa 7
Ellen 6
Hannah 6
Harriet 5
Martha 5
Anna 4
Charlotte 4
Fanny 4
Margaret 4
Sophia 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Mabel 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Ethel 2
Evelline 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Keziah 2
Laura 2
Marian 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Agness 1
Betsey 1
Blanche 1
C. 1
Elvina 1
Esther 1
Etheline 1
Kezia 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 39
Robert 20
George 18
Thomas 18
Charles 14
James 12
Edward 9
Alfred 6
Frederick 6
Henry 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Herbert 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Horace 3
Matthew 3
Alexander 2
Francis 2
Humphrey 2
Humphry 2
Jonathan 2
Percy 2
Allan 1
Brennan 1
Daniel 1
Dygby 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Ephram 1
Fitzwilliam 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Geo 1
Harbert 1
Jno. 1
Johnathan 1
Johnathon 1
Johonthan 1
Laurence 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Nelson 1
Obadiah 1
Percival 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Dyball surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dyball surname in 1881?

In 1881, 560 people were recorded with the Dyball surname. That placed it at #6,184 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dyball surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 545 in 2016. That gives Dyball a modern rank of #9,349.

What does the Dyball surname mean?

A variant of the Old English surname Dybald, meaning "bold or audacious person".

What does the Dyball map show?

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