NameCensus.

UK surname

Auker

A surname derived from a Germanic personal name consisting of the elements "aw" (possessed of) and "hari" (army).

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Auker surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 193, ranked #20,039, up from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Snettisham, Docking and Boston (incl. Boston allotments). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Auker is 207 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 138.3%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

193

2016, ranked #20,039

Peak year

2011

207 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Auker had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016, ranked #20,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Auker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Auker surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Auker 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 97 #21,503
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 198 #17,729
1998 modern 206 #17,796
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 192 #19,143
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 203 #19,264
2011 modern 207 #18,841
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 193 #19,997
2014 modern 193 #20,159
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 193 #20,039

Geography

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Where Aukers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Snettisham, Docking, Boston (incl. Boston allotments), King's Lynn All Saints, South Lynn and Titchwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Snettisham Norfolk
2 Docking Norfolk
3 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
4 King's Lynn All Saints, South Lynn Norfolk
5 Titchwell Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 006 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 009 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Auker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Auker

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Auker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Auker household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Auker is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Auker is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Auker falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Auker

The surname Auker has its roots in Anglo-Saxon England, originating from the Old English word 'auk' which meant 'oak tree'. It likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent oak tree or oak grove. The earliest recorded spelling was Aucor in 1086, found in the Domesday Book for Yorkshire.

Another variation, Auchere, appeared in 1199 in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire. This suggests the name was well-established in northern England by the 12th century. In 1379, Roger Auker from Wakefield, Yorkshire was recorded in the Poll Tax Returns, providing one of the first recorded instances of the modern spelling.

During the 16th century, the name spread to other parts of England. Robert Auker was born in 1531 in Nottinghamshire. William Auker, born in 1587 in Somerset, was among the first recorded with this surname in the southwest. The varied regional recordings indicate the name had become widely dispersed by this era.

Notable bearers include Sir Francis Auker (1584-1644), an English lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General under Charles I. John Auker (1673-1751) was a pioneering English astronomer who calculated the orbit of Halley's Comet. Samuel Auker (1722-1792) gained renown as a master clockmaker in London.

Moving into the 19th century, Mary Auker (1801-1889) was a noted English painter and etcher. Her works are held in galleries across Britain. Reverend Thomas Auker (1833-1910) emigrated to America and became a prominent Baptist minister in Philadelphia.

While tracing very far back is difficult, the surname Auker undoubtedly has ancient Anglo-Saxon origins tied to oak trees and place names derived from such meanings. Over the centuries, it spread across England before some bearers ventured to new lands, carrying this distinctive name with them.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Auker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Auker 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. Norfolk leads with 54 Aukers recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.46x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 54 44.46x
Lincolnshire 9 7.13x
Staffordshire 6 2.25x
Yorkshire 4 0.51x
Hampshire 3 1.85x
Surrey 2 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 1 2.00x
Hertfordshire 1 1.84x
Lancashire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Snettisham in Norfolk leads with 27 Aukers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7941.18x.

Place Total Index
Snettisham 27 7941.18x
Docking 9 2368.42x
Boston 6 156.66x
Walsall Foreign 6 43.57x
Harpley 5 4545.45x
South Lynn 5 364.96x
Houghton In Hole 4 10000.00x
West Winch 4 3636.36x
Bramshott 3 750.00x
Hessle In Sculcoates 2 289.86x
Bermondsey 1 4.25x
Clee With Weelsby 1 36.10x
Cleethorpes 1 135.14x
Great Grimsby 1 12.47x
Huyton With Roby 1 90.91x
Lambeth 1 1.45x
Manningham 1 10.37x
Skipton 1 40.65x
St Albans St Stephen 1 208.33x
Thorney 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

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 Auker households.

FAQ

Auker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Auker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Auker surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Auker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016. That gives Auker a modern rank of #20,039.

What does the Auker surname mean?

A surname derived from a Germanic personal name consisting of the elements "aw" (possessed of) and "hari" (army).

What does the Auker map show?

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