NameCensus.

UK surname

Dyer

An occupational surname referring to someone who dyed fabrics or worked with dyes.

In the 1881 census there were 11,556 people recorded with the Dyer surname, ranking it #368 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,595, ranked #403, down from #368 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Herefordshire and West Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dyer is 16,041 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.0%.

1881 census count

11,556

Ranked #368

Modern count

15,595

2016, ranked #403

Peak year

1999

16,041 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dyer had 11,556 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #368 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,595 in 2016, ranked #403.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,630 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dyer 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 7,671 #361
1861 historical 7,705 #362
1881 historical 11,556 #368
1891 historical 12,191 #366
1901 historical 14,071 #372
1911 historical 14,630 #337
1997 modern 15,436 #392
1998 modern 15,971 #395
1999 modern 16,041 #397
2000 modern 15,781 #402
2001 modern 15,463 #400
2002 modern 15,688 #402
2003 modern 15,243 #405
2004 modern 15,278 #402
2005 modern 15,003 #405
2006 modern 15,051 #403
2007 modern 15,170 #403
2008 modern 15,211 #405
2009 modern 15,527 #405
2010 modern 15,851 #405
2011 modern 15,607 #405
2012 modern 15,370 #404
2013 modern 15,741 #403
2014 modern 15,852 #403
2015 modern 15,696 #402
2016 modern 15,595 #403

Geography

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Where Dyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Newchurch and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Herefordshire, West Somerset and Cotswold. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight
2 Herefordshire 004 Herefordshire, County of
3 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
4 West Somerset 001 West Somerset
5 Cotswold 002 Cotswold

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dyer

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Dyer 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

Dyer is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dyer falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dyer 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 Dyer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dyer

The surname DYER originated in England and has its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "deogere," which means one who dyes cloth or other materials. The name is closely associated with the medieval textile industry, particularly in areas where wool production and dyeing were prominent trades.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DYER can be found in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a person named Robert le Deyere. The Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273 also reference a John le Deyere. These early records indicate the surname's widespread use in medieval England.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname DYER was Sir James Dyer (c. 1512-1582), an English judge and Speaker of the House of Commons during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Dyer (1543-1607), an English courtier, poet, and diplomat who served under both Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

In the 17th century, William Dyer (c. 1627-1676) gained notoriety as a Puritan settler in colonial America. He was executed in Boston for defying the Massachusetts Bay Colony's laws against Quakerism, becoming one of the four Quakers known as the Boston Martyrs.

The name DYER also has connections to various place names in England, such as Dyer's Green in Hertfordshire, Dyer's Farm in Oxfordshire, and Dyer's Hill in Surrey. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname DYER who lived or owned property in these areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname DYER include Sir Thomas Dyer (1804-1888), an English lawyer and judge; John Dyer (1699-1758), an English poet and painter; and George Dyer (1755-1841), an English writer and critic who was a close friend of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Throughout its history, the surname DYER has been closely tied to the textile industry and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including judges, poets, settlers, and craftsmen. Its enduring presence in various historical records and its association with place names reflect its deep roots in English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dyer 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. Middlesex leads with 1,432 Dyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,432 1.27x
Somerset 1,012 5.56x
Devon 896 3.80x
Hampshire 797 3.44x
Surrey 776 1.41x
Gloucestershire 752 3.39x
Lancashire 502 0.37x
Cornwall 452 3.53x
Essex 450 2.01x
Yorkshire 367 0.33x
Warwickshire 350 1.23x
Kent 324 0.84x
Sussex 312 1.64x
Wiltshire 307 3.07x
Worcestershire 241 1.63x
Glamorgan 238 1.21x
Lanarkshire 191 0.52x
Suffolk 182 1.32x
Berkshire 173 2.04x
Durham 134 0.40x
Staffordshire 129 0.34x
Hertfordshire 120 1.54x
Monmouthshire 116 1.42x
Oxfordshire 101 1.45x
Cheshire 95 0.38x
Nottinghamshire 89 0.58x
Derbyshire 84 0.47x
Herefordshire 65 1.40x
Leicestershire 63 0.50x
Bedfordshire 62 1.06x
Carmarthenshire 61 1.28x
Shropshire 61 0.62x
Angus 52 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 50 0.73x
Norfolk 50 0.29x
Dorset 45 0.61x
Northamptonshire 41 0.39x
Ayrshire 37 0.44x
Midlothian 35 0.23x
Stirlingshire 34 0.81x
Royal Navy 33 2.45x
Cumberland 32 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 25 0.35x
Channel Islands 24 0.72x
Renfrewshire 21 0.24x
Northumberland 20 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 16 0.53x
Perthshire 16 0.32x
Lincolnshire 15 0.08x
West Lothian 14 0.82x
Fife 13 0.19x
Brecknockshire 12 0.53x
Clackmannanshire 12 1.28x
Peeblesshire 12 2.25x
Pembrokeshire 11 0.31x
Rutland 11 1.32x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.08x
Wigtownshire 8 0.53x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.18x
Denbighshire 2 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.08x
Isle of Man 2 0.10x
East Lothian 1 0.07x
Orkney 1 0.08x
Westmorland 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 175 Dyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.92x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 175 1.92x
Lambeth 130 1.32x
Portsea 119 2.62x
Hackney London 117 1.84x
Islington London 98 0.89x
Bedminster 97 5.67x
Aston 87 1.11x
Camberwell 87 1.20x
St Austell 86 19.64x
Stoke Damerel 84 5.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 83 4.57x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 82 3.92x
Battersea 73 1.75x
Croydon 72 2.35x
Ryde 72 14.45x
Brighton 69 1.79x
Paddington London 69 1.66x
Cheltenham 68 3.97x
Birmingham 66 0.69x
Mile End Old Town London 66 2.74x
Kensington London 65 1.03x
Reading St Giles 65 7.80x
Walcot 65 6.70x
Ilfracombe 63 25.98x
Shoreditch London 63 1.28x
Bethnal Green London 60 1.22x
Martock 60 50.67x
Newington 60 1.44x
Alverstoke 57 6.79x
Eastbourne 56 6.38x
Hammersmith London 54 1.94x
Roche 52 79.90x
Burnham 51 36.73x
Clerkenwell London 51 1.91x
Weston Super Mare 50 10.87x
Bermondsey 49 1.45x
St Helens 49 29.06x
Trowbridge 49 11.08x
Bromley London 48 1.93x
Glasgow 48 0.74x
Liverpool 48 0.59x
Govan 45 0.50x
Waltham Holy Cross 43 20.59x
St Marylebone London 42 0.70x
Moreton In Marsh 40 71.96x
Tormoham 40 4.01x
Southampton St Mary 39 2.67x
Horsley 38 38.65x
Blackburn 36 1.01x
Chelsea London 36 1.06x
Poplar London 36 1.69x
Rotherhithe 36 2.57x
Arkesden 35 215.12x
Frome 35 8.03x
Nottingham St Mary 35 0.89x
St Luke London 35 1.93x
Kenwyn 34 10.15x
Lewisham 33 1.60x
Plymouth Charles The 33 3.18x
Royal Navy 33 2.86x
West Derby 33 0.84x
Bristol St Augustine 32 8.93x
Kidderminster Borough 32 3.70x
Paignton 32 17.85x
St Woollos 32 3.50x
Bromsgrove 31 6.23x
Richmond 31 4.01x
Taunton St Mary 31 9.27x
West Ham 31 0.63x
Brading 30 9.73x
Brandon 30 32.08x
Carisbrooke 30 9.32x
Cullompton 30 29.17x
Bristol St Paul In 29 4.90x
Clifton 29 2.58x
Barrow In Furness 28 1.53x
Barony 27 0.29x
Brixham 27 9.89x
Dundee 27 0.69x
Bowling 26 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 725
Elizabeth 405
Sarah 331
Ann 196
Ellen 196
Emma 191
Jane 189
Eliza 175
Emily 165
Annie 159
Alice 158
Louisa 111
Hannah 109
Harriet 87
Martha 87
Margaret 81
Fanny 79
Florence 77
Edith 74
Charlotte 73
Kate 70
Caroline 63
Catherine 58
Ada 57
Maria 57
Susan 55
Clara 54
Lucy 48
Amelia 45
Frances 44
Anne 40
Rose 37
Harriett 36
Amy 35
Bessie 35
Lydia 33
Bridget 32
Sophia 31
Julia 30
Minnie 27
Agnes 25
Matilda 25
Jessie 24
Laura 24
Esther 23
Anna 20
Rebecca 20
Rosina 20
Beatrice 19
Gertrude 19

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 711
John 594
George 348
James 338
Henry 295
Thomas 287
Charles 260
Frederick 152
Alfred 138
Joseph 117
Edward 116
Albert 104
Robert 103
Arthur 102
Richard 98
Walter 96
Samuel 86
Frank 83
Ernest 66
Herbert 63
Harry 54
Edwin 53
Francis 41
David 34
Daniel 33
Wm. 31
Benjamin 26
Patrick 25
Andrew 22
Stephen 22
Thos. 22
Michael 21
Geo. 19
Sidney 19
Peter 18
Sydney 17
Fred 16
Fredrick 16
Mark 16
Tom 16
Fredk. 15
Martin 15
Isaac 14
Edmund 13
Chas. 11
Bernard 10
Jesse 10
Percy 10
Lewis 9
Louis 9

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dyer households.

FAQ

Dyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,556 people were recorded with the Dyer surname. That placed it at #368 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,595 in 2016. That gives Dyer a modern rank of #403.

What does the Dyer surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who dyed fabrics or worked with dyes.

What does the Dyer map show?

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