UK surname
A toponymic surname denoting someone from a location with baken in its name.
In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Baken surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #32,581 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Ilminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baken is 207 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.0%.
1881 census count
8
Ranked #32,581
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1861
207 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Baken surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Baken surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 21 | #29,550 |
| 1861 | historical | 207 | #11,687 |
| 1881 | historical | 8 | #32,581 |
| 1891 | historical | 189 | #15,547 |
| 1901 | historical | 7 | #33,435 |
| 1911 | historical | 38 | #29,147 |
| 1997 | modern | 2 | #38,557 |
| 2000 | modern | 2 | #38,472 |
| 2002 | modern | 1 | #38,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 4 | #38,130 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 5 | #38,122 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 5 | #38,195 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Ilminster, Banbury and Saxlingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Ilminster | Somerset |
| 4 | Banbury | Oxfordshire |
| 5 | Saxlingham | Norfolk |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Baken surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Baken, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Baken surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Baken household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Baken is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Baken is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Baken, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Baken is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the medieval period. It is derived from the Dutch word "baken," which means "beacon" or "signal fire." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a prominent landmark or who worked as a signalman or lighthouse keeper.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Baken can be found in the archives of the city of Amsterdam, where a man named Pieter Baken was listed as a resident in the year 1543. This suggests that the name had already become established in the region by the 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Baken name appeared in various records and documents related to the Dutch East India Company (VOC), indicating that some families with this surname may have been involved in the company's maritime activities or colonial ventures.
A notable figure with the surname Baken was Jan Baken, a Dutch painter who lived from 1630 to 1701. He was known for his landscape paintings and depictions of rural life in the Netherlands.
Another historical figure with the Baken name was Willem Baken, a Dutch naval officer who served in the late 18th century. He played a role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain and participated in several naval battles during the Batavian Revolution.
In the 19th century, the Baken surname appears to have spread beyond the Netherlands, with records showing individuals with this name living in other parts of Europe and even in North America. For example, a man named Heinrich Baken was born in Germany in 1829 and later immigrated to the United States, where he settled in Wisconsin.
Another notable individual with the Baken surname was Pieter Baken, a Dutch architect who lived from 1853 to 1925. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in the Netherlands, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Throughout its history, the Baken surname has also been associated with various place names and locations in the Netherlands, such as the town of Bakkum and the village of Bakkeveen, both of which contain variations of the root word "baken."
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baken surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Suffolk leads with 4 Bakens recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.11x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | 4 | 42.11x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 16.38x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 6.25x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 1.28x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Corton in Suffolk leads with 3 Bakens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Corton | 3 | 15000.00x |
| Sawley | 2 | 5000.00x |
| Ixworth | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 23.04x |
| Millbrook | 1 | 250.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Baken surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Baken surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Baken households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Fisherman | 2 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| General Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Groom (8) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Baken surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Baken a modern rank of #38,419.
A toponymic surname denoting someone from a location with baken in its name.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Baken bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.