NameCensus.

UK surname

Back

An occupational surname referring to a baker or someone living near a bakery or bake house.

In the 1881 census there were 1,616 people recorded with the Back surname, ranking it #2,641 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,679, ranked #3,725, down from #2,641 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Exeter, Rugby and Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Back is 2,051 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.9%.

1881 census count

1,616

Ranked #2,641

Modern count

1,679

2016, ranked #3,725

Peak year

1911

2,051 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Back had 1,616 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,641 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,679 in 2016, ranked #3,725.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,051 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Back surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Back surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Back 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 1,220 #2,337
1861 historical 1,452 #1,957
1881 historical 1,616 #2,641
1891 historical 1,747 #2,609
1901 historical 1,867 #2,818
1911 historical 2,051 #2,433
1997 modern 1,822 #3,295
1998 modern 1,857 #3,367
1999 modern 1,876 #3,360
2000 modern 1,844 #3,390
2001 modern 1,764 #3,451
2002 modern 1,816 #3,423
2003 modern 1,733 #3,517
2004 modern 1,711 #3,565
2005 modern 1,717 #3,509
2006 modern 1,716 #3,516
2007 modern 1,719 #3,541
2008 modern 1,713 #3,573
2009 modern 1,747 #3,585
2010 modern 1,764 #3,621
2011 modern 1,725 #3,650
2012 modern 1,697 #3,649
2013 modern 1,708 #3,693
2014 modern 1,721 #3,683
2015 modern 1,688 #3,711
2016 modern 1,679 #3,725

Geography

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Where Backs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, Lambeth and Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Exeter, Rugby, Rossendale, Ashford and Maidstone. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Exeter 015 Exeter
2 Rugby 005 Rugby
3 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
4 Ashford 011 Ashford
5 Maidstone 013 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Back

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Back

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Back is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Back is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Back 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 Back 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 Back, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Back

The surname BACK originated in Germany and the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. It derived from the Low German word "bak," meaning "back" or "ridge," referring to someone who lived near a ridge or hillside. The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century.

In the Netherlands, the name was often spelled "Bak" or "Backer," and it appeared in various records and documents from that period. One notable example is Johannes Backer, a Dutch painter born in 1636 who was known for his portraiture and genre scenes.

In Germany, the name BACK was more commonly used, and it can be found in historical records from various regions, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Konrad Back, a merchant from Nuremberg who lived in the 15th century.

As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Backe, Bäck, and Bäcker. These variations often reflected regional dialect or occupational associations, with "Bäcker" meaning "baker" in German.

One notable individual with the surname BACK was Johann Friedrich Back, a German explorer and naval officer born in 1765. He led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the exploration of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Another prominent figure was Sir George Back, a British naval officer and explorer born in 1796. He led two expeditions to the Canadian Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage and was knighted for his achievements in 1835.

In the United States, the surname BACK has been present since the early days of European settlement. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Johann Back, a German immigrant who arrived in Pennsylvania in the 18th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname BACK include Karl Henry Adolf Back, a German-American botanist and explorer born in 1819, who conducted extensive studies of the flora and fauna of the American West, and George Woodward Bacon Back, an American lawyer and politician born in 1842, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Back families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Back 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. Kent leads with 363 Backs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.82x.

County Total Index
Kent 363 6.82x
Devon 254 7.82x
Middlesex 241 1.54x
Norfolk 197 8.21x
Surrey 127 1.67x
Sussex 105 3.99x
Essex 44 1.43x
Somerset 33 1.31x
Yorkshire 31 0.20x
Lancashire 29 0.16x
Gloucestershire 21 0.69x
Suffolk 20 1.05x
Warwickshire 18 0.46x
Hampshire 17 0.53x
Northamptonshire 12 0.82x
Cornwall 9 0.51x
Glamorgan 9 0.33x
Shropshire 9 0.67x
Derbyshire 6 0.25x
Cheshire 5 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 5 1.61x
Angus 4 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.42x
Durham 4 0.09x
East Lothian 4 1.93x
Royal Navy 4 2.15x
Bedfordshire 3 0.37x
Fife 3 0.32x
Worcestershire 3 0.15x
Berkshire 2 0.17x
Cumberland 2 0.15x
Leicestershire 2 0.12x
Northumberland 2 0.09x
Staffordshire 2 0.04x
Westmorland 2 0.58x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 44 Backs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.91x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 44 2.91x
Rodmell 42 3387.10x
Lambeth 30 2.20x
Dawlish 28 115.56x
West Ham 26 3.82x
Ashford 24 46.28x
Brighton 21 3.96x
Selling 21 480.55x
West Bilney 21 1764.71x
Folkestone 20 19.36x
St Pancras London 20 1.59x
Camberwell 19 1.91x
Aldington 17 470.91x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 17 23.60x
St George Hanover Square 17 6.18x
Hethersett 16 263.59x
Brandon 15 116.28x
Greenwich 15 6.04x
Woodchurch 15 226.24x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 4.86x
Hampstead London 14 5.76x
Bermondsey 13 2.80x
Bishopsteignton 13 211.38x
Oare 13 479.70x
Exeter St Edmund 12 171.18x
Faversham 12 23.63x
Plymouth Charles The 12 8.38x
Tiverton 12 21.44x
Willesborough 12 83.80x
Woodbury 12 124.61x
Bow London 11 5.54x
Charlton 11 31.10x
Hingham 11 132.37x
Hougham 11 34.73x
Paddington London 11 1.92x
Tormoham 11 8.00x
Brabourne 10 250.00x
Taunton St James 10 27.29x
Cruwys Morchard 9 276.92x
Exeter Allhallows On The 9 168.86x
Exeter St Mary Major 9 45.94x
Harrietsham 9 247.93x
Hove 9 7.79x
Langley 9 454.55x
Mersham 9 233.16x
Portsea 9 1.44x
Stratton St Mary 9 271.08x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.18x
Birmingham 8 0.61x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 10.75x
Exeter St Thomas The 8 24.15x
Fersfield 8 519.48x
Kensington London 8 0.92x
Limehouse London 8 4.67x
Plumstead 8 4.51x
Rotherhithe 8 4.15x
St Marylebone London 8 0.96x
Tottenham 8 3.22x
Westerham 8 65.15x
Withycombe Rawleigh 8 47.25x
Battersea 7 1.22x
Bramley In Bramley 7 11.82x
Downham Market 7 42.45x
East Walton 7 714.29x
Exeter St Olave 7 167.06x
Falmer 7 227.27x
Heigham 7 5.43x
Ilminster 7 39.89x
Kenn 7 138.34x
Lynsted 7 101.45x
Milton In Gravesend 7 8.77x
North Lynn 7 1428.57x
Onibury 7 285.71x
Plymstock 7 41.15x
Stowlangtoft 7 736.84x
Swansea Town 7 3.14x
Willesden 7 4.76x
Windle 7 6.72x
Wye 7 84.95x
Edmonton 6 4.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 102
John 75
George 59
Henry 50
Thomas 44
Charles 35
James 34
Alfred 24
Frederick 23
Edward 22
Robert 22
Samuel 19
Richard 18
Walter 18
Albert 15
Arthur 14
Herbert 14
Ernest 12
Edwin 9
Francis 9
Percy 7
Stephen 7
Joseph 6
Frank 5
Leonard 5
Philip 5
Thos. 4
Chas. 3
Fred 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Wm. 3
Charley 2
Edgar 2
Edwd. 2
Ezra 2
Fredk. 2
Henery 2
Phillip 2
Reuben 2
Richd.H. 2
Sidney 2
Silas 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2
Wm.R. 2
Andrew 1
Chal 1
Elisha 1
Ellis 1

FAQ

Back surname: questions and answers

How common was the Back surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,616 people were recorded with the Back surname. That placed it at #2,641 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Back surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,679 in 2016. That gives Back a modern rank of #3,725.

What does the Back surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a baker or someone living near a bakery or bake house.

What does the Back map show?

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