NameCensus.

UK surname

Atack

An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "attache" meaning gatekeeper or warden.

In the 1881 census there were 434 people recorded with the Atack surname, ranking it #7,512 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 583, ranked #8,899, down from #7,512 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leeds, Whitkirk and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atack is 716 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.3%.

1881 census count

434

Ranked #7,512

Modern count

583

2016, ranked #8,899

Peak year

1911

716 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atack had 434 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,512 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 583 in 2016, ranked #8,899.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 716 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Atack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atack 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 274 #8,176
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 434 #7,512
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 624 #6,856
1911 historical 716 #5,971
1997 modern 662 #7,571
1998 modern 667 #7,764
1999 modern 679 #7,694
2000 modern 659 #7,852
2001 modern 649 #7,803
2002 modern 661 #7,847
2003 modern 665 #7,693
2004 modern 660 #7,748
2005 modern 635 #7,922
2006 modern 631 #7,983
2007 modern 629 #8,061
2008 modern 628 #8,121
2009 modern 630 #8,271
2010 modern 632 #8,438
2011 modern 622 #8,447
2012 modern 621 #8,359
2013 modern 607 #8,662
2014 modern 600 #8,807
2015 modern 593 #8,806
2016 modern 583 #8,899

Geography

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Where Atacks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leeds, Whitkirk, Wakefield, Bradford and Methley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford. 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 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Whitkirk Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Methley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 074 Leeds
2 Leeds 102 Leeds
3 Wakefield 004 Wakefield
4 Wakefield 011 Wakefield
5 Bradford 002 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atack

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Atack 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

Atack 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

Atack falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Atack

The surname ATACK originates from England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a variation of the Old English word "ættec," which means "dweller at the oak tree." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to identify people who lived near a prominent oak tree or in an area with a significant presence of oak trees.

In medieval England, surnames were often derived from physical attributes, occupations, or geographical locations. The ATACK surname likely evolved from a place name or a description of an individual's residence near an oak tree. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a person named William Attok.

During the 14th century, the ATACK surname appeared in various records across different regions of England. In the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, a person named John Attok is mentioned. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include a reference to a person named Richard Attok.

One notable historical figure with the ATACK surname was Sir Robert Atack (1558-1637), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Devizes in 1604 and later became a Serjeant-at-Law in 1617.

Another individual of note was John Atack (1714-1794), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He rose to the rank of Vice Admiral and was known for his involvement in several notable naval battles.

In the 19th century, James Atack (1808-1890) was a prominent English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style. He was particularly renowned for his work on the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Radcliffe, Lancashire.

The ATACK surname also has connections to literary figures. Thomas Atack (1766-1846) was an English poet and writer who published several works, including "The Wandering Pedestrian" and "The Juvenile Muse."

Furthermore, the ATACK surname has been associated with various place names throughout England. For instance, the village of Attock in Yorkshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English word "ættec," which may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atack 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 397 Atacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.48x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 397 9.48x
Lancashire 26 0.52x
Selkirkshire 5 13.09x
Cumberland 3 0.83x
Durham 1 0.08x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 41 Atacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.35x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 41 17.35x
Bradford 35 34.54x
Methley 31 526.32x
Templenewsam 23 759.08x
Dewsbury 21 48.92x
Wakefield 20 62.25x
Seacroft 19 959.60x
Soothill 18 119.05x
Barwick In Elmet 16 498.44x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 15 441.18x
Sharlston 11 400.00x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 11 56.58x
Holbeck 10 36.06x
Hunslet 10 15.32x
East Ardsley 9 248.62x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 7 46.05x
Liversedge 7 37.57x
Potter Newton 7 94.85x
Doncaster 6 19.62x
Morley 6 27.57x
North Bierley 6 26.55x
Allerton Bywater 5 220.26x
Barugh 5 141.64x
Chadderton 5 20.41x
Melrose 5 51.98x
Salford 5 3.39x
Blackburn 4 3.00x
Little Smeaton In 4 952.38x
Newton 4 10.35x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 4 26.76x
Warmfield Cum Heath 4 283.69x
Castleford 3 19.69x
Chapel Allerton 3 47.92x
Cheetham 3 8.03x
Heckmondwike 3 22.29x
Manningham 3 5.82x
Oldham 3 1.85x
Pontefract 3 33.26x
Stansfield 3 19.48x
Walden Stubbs 3 1428.57x
Whitehaven 3 15.48x
Whitwood 3 50.42x
Altofts 2 43.29x
Batley 2 5.03x
Beeston 2 47.28x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 7.42x
Hulme 2 1.91x
Lockwood 2 13.28x
Pudsey 2 8.94x
Barnsley 1 2.32x
Bowling 1 2.41x
Esh 1 10.94x
Halifax 1 1.63x
Hemsworth 1 41.67x
Hunshelf 1 48.78x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 1 9.47x
Normanton 1 7.95x
Sandal Magna 1 16.16x
St Botolph Lincoln 1 20.62x
West Clayton 1 48.08x
Wyke In Bradford 1 13.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Sarah 23
Ann 12
Annie 12
Elizabeth 11
Emma 11
Eliza 10
Hannah 9
Harriet 6
Caroline 5
Emily 5
Jane 5
Martha 5
Ellen 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Margaret 3
Polly 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Betty 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Lydia 2
May 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Clary 1
Elzabeth 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Lois 1
Lucy 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Rebbea 1
Rebecca 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
Joseph 21
John 17
George 14
James 12
Thomas 9
Charles 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Fred 4
Harry 4
Henry 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Enock 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Benjn. 2
David 2
Edmond 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Jesse 2
Benjimin 1
Benjm. 1
Caleb 1
Claud 1
Edgar 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Ezra 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.R. 1
Gilbert 1
Gledhill 1
Isaac 1
Joshua 1
Lawrance 1
Lewis 1
Mathew 1
Matthias 1
Moses 1
Noah 1
Octavius 1
Percy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Atack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 434 people were recorded with the Atack surname. That placed it at #7,512 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 583 in 2016. That gives Atack a modern rank of #8,899.

What does the Atack surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "attache" meaning gatekeeper or warden.

What does the Atack map show?

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