NameCensus.

UK surname

Akeroyd

Derived from a place name meaning "oak clearing" or "oak rod" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 366 people recorded with the Akeroyd surname, ranking it #8,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 340, ranked #13,456, down from #8,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Birstall, High Hoyland and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Calderdale and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Akeroyd is 500 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.1%.

1881 census count

366

Ranked #8,490

Modern count

340

2016, ranked #13,456

Peak year

1901

500 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Akeroyd had 366 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 340 in 2016, ranked #13,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 500 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Akeroyd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Akeroyd surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Akeroyd 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 336 #6,970
1861 historical 306 #8,296
1881 historical 366 #8,490
1891 historical 475 #7,734
1901 historical 500 #8,060
1911 historical 474 #8,162
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 394 #11,474
1999 modern 386 #11,740
2000 modern 383 #11,779
2001 modern 373 #11,830
2002 modern 399 #11,460
2003 modern 385 #11,570
2004 modern 377 #11,776
2005 modern 376 #11,730
2006 modern 370 #11,940
2007 modern 369 #12,098
2008 modern 371 #12,155
2009 modern 379 #12,224
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 357 #12,915
2012 modern 370 #12,417
2013 modern 371 #12,597
2014 modern 362 #12,955
2015 modern 354 #13,063
2016 modern 340 #13,456

Geography

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Where Akeroyds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Birstall, High Hoyland, Batley, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Calderdale, Barnsley and Kirklees. 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 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
2 High Hoyland Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 001 Scarborough
3 Calderdale 002 Calderdale
4 Barnsley 004 Barnsley
5 Kirklees 002 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Akeroyd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Akeroyd

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Akeroyd, 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 Akeroyd surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Akeroyd 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Akeroyd is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Akeroyd 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

Akeroyd falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Akeroyd is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Akeroyd

The surname Akeroyd has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "æc" and "ryd," which translate to "oak" and "clearing" or "assart," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked in an oak clearing or a forest clearing.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Akeroyd can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273 and the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379. These documents mention individuals with the surname spelled as "Akerode," "Akrode," or similar variations.

In the late 16th century, the surname Akeroyd appeared in the parish registers of Crofton, a village in the West Riding of Yorkshire. One notable entry was the baptism of Robert Akeroyd in 1583. This suggests that the Akeroyd family had established roots in the Yorkshire region by that time.

The Akeroyd name is also linked to several place names in Yorkshire, such as Akeroyd Hill and Akeroyd Bridge, both located near the town of Keighley. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating the presence of Akeroyd families in those areas.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Akeroyd:

1. John Akeroyd (born c. 1650), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Marton-cum-Grafton in Yorkshire. 2. Samuel Akeroyd (1745-1818), a British landowner and businessman who owned several mills and estates in Yorkshire. 3. Edward Akeroyd (1810-1887), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist from Halifax, Yorkshire, who founded the Akroyd family of industrialists. 4. William Akeroyd (1832-1903), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Sowerby from 1892 to 1895. 5. James Akeroyd (1873-1947), a professional footballer who played for several English clubs, including Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the Akeroyd surname has its roots in England, particularly in the county of Yorkshire, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and descendants of the original Akeroyd families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Akeroyd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Akeroyd 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. Yorkshire leads with 329 Akeroyds recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.30x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 329 9.30x
Lancashire 14 0.33x
Northumberland 9 1.69x
Lincolnshire 4 0.70x
Middlesex 4 0.11x
Warwickshire 4 0.44x
Surrey 2 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gomersal in Yorkshire leads with 28 Akeroyds recorded in 1881 and an index of 169.59x.

Place Total Index
Gomersal 28 169.59x
Leeds 28 14.02x
Wortley In Bramley 22 78.52x
Horton In Bradford 21 38.01x
Armley 18 115.38x
Batley 17 50.57x
Manningham 15 34.42x
Gildersome 12 282.35x
Potter Newton 12 192.31x
West Clayton 12 681.82x
Bradford 11 12.84x
Alnwick 9 98.58x
Barnsley 9 24.66x
Bowling 9 25.68x
Holbeck 9 38.40x
Morley 9 48.94x
Drighlington 8 155.34x
Bramley In Bramley 7 51.70x
Snydale 7 958.90x
Hunslet 6 10.88x
Scarborough 6 18.66x
Huddersfield 5 9.70x
Pleasington 5 877.19x
Whitwood 5 99.40x
Aston 4 1.61x
Glanford Brigg 4 196.08x
Horbury 4 64.62x
Liversedge 4 25.40x
Preston 4 3.53x
Roundhay 4 404.04x
Wakefield 4 14.73x
Whitby 4 33.56x
Blackburn 3 2.66x
Goole 3 50.59x
Haworth 3 35.67x
Pudsey 3 15.86x
Sandal Magna 3 57.36x
Sheffield 3 2.66x
Shoreditch London 3 1.94x
Skelmanthorpe 3 78.53x
Ilkley 2 34.60x
Newington 2 1.52x
Rothwell 2 27.97x
Thornton In Bradford 2 16.98x
Bradfield 1 7.33x
Burnley 1 2.80x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.39x
Gate Fulford 1 12.11x
Heckmondwike 1 8.79x
North Meols 1 2.41x
Pannal 1 29.50x
Penistone 1 36.23x
Sculcoates 1 1.78x
Soothill 1 7.82x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 24.45x
Stainland Cum Old 1 16.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 17
Ann 12
Hannah 9
Emily 7
Emma 7
Jane 6
Ada 4
Harriet 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Grace 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Susannah 2
Adeliza 1
Bertha 1
Carrie 1
Christiana 1
Constance 1
Elizabath 1
Emmeline 1
Estella 1
Ethel 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harmel 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Kathleen 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Mancy 1
Marget. 1
Margrate 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Marugeritte 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 13
James 10
Thomas 9
Joseph 8
George 7
Alfred 5
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Harry 4
Charles 3
Henry 3
Isaac 3
Jas. 3
Joe 3
Jonathan 3
Samuel 3
Charley 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Luke 2
Richard 2
Ben 1
Branwell 1
Christopher 1
Christr. 1
Dan 1
David 1
Eli 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Hanson 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Hornby 1
Ingham 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Joish 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Lucas 1
Martin 1
Nelson 1
Zackheus 1

FAQ

Akeroyd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Akeroyd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 366 people were recorded with the Akeroyd surname. That placed it at #8,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Akeroyd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 340 in 2016. That gives Akeroyd a modern rank of #13,456.

What does the Akeroyd surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "oak clearing" or "oak rod" in Old English.

What does the Akeroyd map show?

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