NameCensus.

UK surname

Arkless

In the 1881 census there were 283 people recorded with the Arkless surname, ranking it #10,119 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 371, ranked #12,561, down from #10,119 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Evesham St Lawrence and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Gwynedd and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arkless is 401 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.1%.

1881 census count

283

Ranked #10,119

Modern count

371

2016, ranked #12,561

Peak year

2002

401 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arkless had 283 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,119 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016, ranked #12,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Arkless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arkless surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arkless 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 175 #13,409
1881 historical 283 #10,119
1891 historical 321 #10,520
1901 historical 384 #9,745
1911 historical 374 #9,770
1997 modern 385 #11,314
1998 modern 397 #11,400
1999 modern 399 #11,463
2000 modern 394 #11,520
2001 modern 380 #11,660
2002 modern 401 #11,429
2003 modern 366 #12,010
2004 modern 358 #12,252
2005 modern 354 #12,270
2006 modern 356 #12,284
2007 modern 368 #12,125
2008 modern 368 #12,238
2009 modern 394 #11,859
2010 modern 381 #12,436
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 346 #13,070
2013 modern 367 #12,707
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 367 #12,696
2016 modern 371 #12,561

Geography

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Where Arkless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Evesham St Lawrence, Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew and Monkwearmouth (Fulwell), Jarrow (Monkton and Jarrow). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Gwynedd, County Durham, Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Evesham St Lawrence Worcestershire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 Monkwearmouth (Fulwell), Jarrow (Monkton and Jarrow) Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 005 Torridge
2 Gwynedd 005 Gwynedd
3 County Durham 014 County Durham
4 Gateshead 017 Gateshead
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 019 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arkless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arkless

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Arkless surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Arkless household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Arkless is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Arkless is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arkless falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Arkless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arkless 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. Durham leads with 217 Arkless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.42x.

County Total Index
Durham 217 26.42x
Northumberland 37 9.01x
Middlesex 11 0.40x
Surrey 5 0.37x
Hertfordshire 3 1.58x
Hampshire 2 0.35x
Kent 2 0.21x
Warwickshire 2 0.29x
Worcestershire 2 0.55x
Devon 1 0.17x
Lancashire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 58 Arkless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.32x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 58 94.32x
Whickham 46 608.47x
Tanfield 14 143.30x
Winlaton 11 139.59x
Framwellgate 10 205.34x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 28.11x
Brandon Byshottles 9 87.46x
Elswick 9 27.46x
Kensington London 9 5.86x
Kyo 9 232.56x
Cowpen 8 84.57x
Evenwood Barony 8 286.74x
Westoe 8 17.18x
Horton 7 344.83x
Aydon 6 6666.67x
Dawdon 5 49.51x
Cornforth 4 165.29x
Earsdon 4 119.76x
Lambeth 4 1.66x
Crossgate 3 83.57x
Iveston 3 79.37x
Newbottle 3 66.96x
Offley 3 241.94x
Usworth 3 68.81x
Whitworth 3 49.92x
Evesham All Sts 2 119.05x
Greenwich 2 4.55x
Hackney London 2 1.29x
Holmside 2 99.01x
Stockley 2 192.31x
Aston 1 0.52x
Barmston 1 163.93x
Benfieldside 1 18.52x
Croydon 1 1.34x
Easington 1 84.03x
Hartlepool 1 8.57x
Hulme 1 1.46x
Ilfracombe 1 16.89x
Jesmond 1 17.30x
Lynesack Softley 1 45.05x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 6.24x
Northwood 1 12.41x
Portsea 1 0.90x
Tynemouth 1 4.55x
Warwick St Nicholas 1 19.57x
Westgate 1 3.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 16
Isabella 10
Jane 10
Ann 7
Hannah 7
Margaret 7
Alice 4
Ellen 3
Annie 2
Dinah 2
Dorothy 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Louisa 2
Mable 2
Matilda 2
Sarah 2
Adelaide 1
Barbara 1
Charity 1
Charlotta 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Esther 1
Francas 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Letty 1
Margret 1
Margt.A. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marianne 1
Marion 1
Meggie 1
Mildred 1
Nellie 1
Olivia 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
William 20
Thomas 16
Joseph 13
George 11
Benjamin 10
Robert 6
Edward 4
Ralph 4
Francis 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Ben 1
Blyth 1
Charles 1
Cuthbert 1
David 1
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Foster 1
Fred 1
Isace 1
James 1
Mansfield 1
Matthew 1
Oswal 1
Peter 1
Sydney 1
Waltar 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Arkless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arkless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 283 people were recorded with the Arkless surname. That placed it at #10,119 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arkless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016. That gives Arkless a modern rank of #12,561.

What does the Arkless map show?

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