DIBBEN
The surname Dibben is of English origin and is recorded as a habitational and dialectal name. It has been documented in the British Isles from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, with its earliest known spelling appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273 as Randolph de Depeden.
Its formation is patronymic, the suffix -en signifying “son of”. The base of the name is the medieval personal name Dibb, itself a diminutive of Dobbe or Robert. Consequently, Dibben conveys the meaning “son of Dibb” or “son of Dobbe/Robert”. Variants such as Dibbens and Dibbin are also attested, and the name remains predominantly associated with the southern counties of England.
In addition to its patronymic origin, Dibben has a habitat connection. Two villages, Depden in Suffolk and Dibden in Hampshire, are potential sources of the surname. Both place‑names are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086; the name is derived from the Old English pre‑seventh‑century words deop, meaning “deep”, and denu, meaning “valley”. The pronunciation of the village names aligns with that of the surname, giving rise to forms such as Diben and Dibben.
Documentary evidence for the surname dates back to the fourteenth century. In 1379 the Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire contain an entry for Ricardus Depeden, and in 1399 the Close Rolls of Cambridge record a Richard Depeden. The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries provide further examples, including Suzan Dibbine, who married Thomas Clement at Almer, Dorset, on 4 September 1563, and Thomas Diben, whose christening as the son of John Diben is recorded in 1590. A notable bearer, Thomas Dibben, served as chaplain to the Lord Privy Seal of Great Britain during the Congress of Utrecht in 1713 and died in 1741.
Throughout its history, the surname has survived in a stable, predominantly rural form, with most bearers living in the south of England. Its survival as a distinct family name, despite linguistic evolution, attests to the strength of local identity and the continuity of English naming practices.
Typical given names associated with the Dibben surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Martin
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
Female
- Ann
- Carolyn
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jill
- Kate
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Sheila
- Susan
- Sylvia
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Dibben in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 771 people named Dibben in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,029th most common surname in Britain. Around 12 in a million people in Britain are named Dibben.
Surname type: Diminutive
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Dibben
- Jonathan Dibben - Road cyclist
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.