NameCensus.

UK surname

Barkas

A surname derived from the Greek word "barka" meaning "boat" or "ship".

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Barkas surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, down from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, South Cambridgeshire and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barkas is 152 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.8%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

1999

152 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barkas had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 137 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Barkas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barkas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barkas 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 84 #26,229
1901 historical 113 #21,296
1911 historical 137 #18,880
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 152 #21,636
2000 modern 147 #22,081
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 134 #23,492
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 129 #26,211
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Barkas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints and Brancepeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, South Cambridgeshire, Scarborough and North Tyneside. 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 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Brancepeth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 015 South Tyneside
2 South Cambridgeshire 001 South Cambridgeshire
3 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
4 South Tyneside 010 South Tyneside
5 North Tyneside 024 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barkas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barkas

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Barkas 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

Barkas is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barkas falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barkas 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
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Barkas, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Barkas

The surname Barkas is believed to have originated in England, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant spelling of the English place name "Barkhouse," derived from the Old English words "bere" (barley) and "hus" (house), likely referring to a residence or dwelling associated with barley cultivation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Barkas can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Barchuse." This historical record suggests that individuals bearing this surname were present in certain parts of England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name Barkas emerged in various documents and records from the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. For instance, a certain Robert de Barkhouse was mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1260, indicating the presence of the name in that region.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Barkhouse, Barkas, and Barcas. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

Historically, the Barkas surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was John Barkas (1642-1702), an English mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Thomas Barkas (1819-1891), a British naturalist and geologist who conducted extensive research on fossil remains and contributed to the understanding of paleontology in the 19th century.

In the literary realm, Elizabeth Barkas (1776-1851), an English writer and poet, gained recognition for her works exploring themes of nature and spirituality.

The name Barkas also appears in the historical records of Scotland, where it is believed to have originated as a variant of the Scottish surname "Barclay." One notable figure was William Barkas (1866-1942), a Scottish architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Additionally, the Barkas surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Barkhouse Farm in Gloucestershire and Barkhouse Lane in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its regional connections.

While the surname Barkas may not be among the most common in modern times, its historical roots and associations with notable individuals from various fields highlight its significance in the context of English and Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barkas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barkas 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. Northumberland leads with 31 Barkas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.42x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 31 31.42x
Durham 26 13.18x
Sussex 8 7.16x
Hampshire 1 0.74x
Surrey 1 0.31x
Yorkshire 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. Byker in Northumberland leads with 13 Barkas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 266.39x.

Place Total Index
Byker 13 266.39x
Preston 8 410.26x
Gateshead 7 47.39x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 136.99x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 70.26x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 84.89x
Crook Billy Row 4 158.10x
Jesmond 3 215.83x
Pittington 3 545.45x
Rothbury 3 1071.43x
Stanhope 3 147.06x
Great Lumley 2 588.24x
Darlington 1 13.12x
Lambeth 1 1.73x
Portsea 1 3.75x
Sandal Magna 1 103.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Isabella 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Mabel 1
P.A. 1
Rachal 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Thomas 5
William 5
Edward 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Harrison 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Micheal 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Victor 1
Wm. 1

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 Barkas households.

FAQ

Barkas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barkas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Barkas surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barkas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Barkas a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Barkas surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek word "barka" meaning "boat" or "ship".

What does the Barkas map show?

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