NameCensus.

UK surname

Barkes

A locational surname derived from places named Barkas or Barkas in England.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Barkes surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 264, ranked #16,172, up from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Waveney and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barkes is 504 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 193.3%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

264

2016, ranked #16,172

Peak year

1861

504 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barkes had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016, ranked #16,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 504 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barkes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barkes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barkes 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 182 #11,209
1861 historical 504 #5,194
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 415 #8,610
1901 historical 267 #12,587
1911 historical 343 #10,416
1997 modern 249 #15,319
1998 modern 259 #15,320
1999 modern 255 #15,599
2000 modern 256 #15,510
2001 modern 254 #15,363
2002 modern 249 #15,855
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 236 #16,335
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 241 #16,139
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 247 #16,205
2009 modern 251 #16,368
2010 modern 263 #16,205
2011 modern 262 #16,098
2012 modern 259 #16,126
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 264 #16,186
2016 modern 264 #16,172

Geography

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Where Barkes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead, Monkwearmouth and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Waveney, Melton and Erewash. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Monkwearmouth Durham
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 015 Northumberland
2 Waveney 004 Waveney
3 Northumberland 034 Northumberland
4 Melton 001 Melton
5 Erewash 008 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barkes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barkes

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Barkes is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Barkes 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

Barkes falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barkes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Barkes

The surname BARKES is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "baec," which means "ridge" or "hill." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a prominent ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BARKES can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Barcus" in this ancient document, likely referring to a person residing near a specific geographical feature.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Barkes," "Barkis," and "Barkus," reflecting the dialectal variations and inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time. These variations were often influenced by regional accents and scribal interpretations.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname BARKES include:

1. William Barkes (1547-1609), an English clergyman and author known for his religious works. 2. John Barkes (1675-1743), a prominent English merchant and landowner in the county of Lincolnshire. 3. Elizabeth Barkes (1719-1788), a pioneering educator who established one of the earliest schools for girls in London. 4. Thomas Barkes (1793-1857), a British explorer who led expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. 5. Margaret Barkes (1862-1941), a renowned British suffragette and activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's right to vote.

The name BARKES has also been associated with various place names throughout England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire, where the surname was prevalent. Some examples include Barkes Farm in Yorkshire and Barkes Village in Derbyshire, both of which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the BARKES surname who resided or owned land in those areas.

While the surname BARKES may not be as widespread as some other English surnames, it has a rich historical legacy that stretches back to the Middle Ages and is deeply rooted in the geographical and cultural landscape of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barkes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barkes 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. Durham leads with 41 Barkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.43x.

County Total Index
Durham 41 16.43x
Yorkshire 10 1.20x
Lincolnshire 6 4.47x
Derbyshire 4 3.05x
Kent 4 1.40x
Somerset 4 2.96x
Lancashire 3 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 3 2.65x
Cheshire 2 1.08x
Middlesex 2 0.24x
Staffordshire 2 0.71x
Warwickshire 2 0.95x
Berkshire 1 1.59x
Glamorgan 1 0.68x
Northumberland 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 17 Barkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.37x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 17 79.37x
Monkwearmouth 14 585.77x
Stanhope 6 232.56x
Barnsley 5 58.34x
Scredington 5 5000.00x
Handsworth 4 181.82x
Lewisham 4 26.21x
Radstock 4 449.44x
Stanton By Dale 4 2222.22x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 61.60x
Harborne 2 22.05x
Little Bolton 2 15.63x
Nantwich 2 93.02x
Nottingham Standard 2 689.66x
St Marylebone London 2 4.47x
Stretton On Foss 2 1818.18x
Anwick 1 1000.00x
Bisham 1 500.00x
Bradford 1 4.97x
Cardiff St Mary 1 12.44x
Farnsfield 1 333.33x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 13.42x
Openshaw 1 21.46x
Sunderland 1 22.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 4
Sarah 3
... 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
...ie 1
Adelaide 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Joice 1
Lydia 1
Margt.E. 1
Martha 1
Miriam 1
Rosilie 1
Ruth 1
S. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 6
George 5
Thomas 3
Charles 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alert 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harrison 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Newton 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Barkes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barkes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Barkes surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barkes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016. That gives Barkes a modern rank of #16,172.

What does the Barkes surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places named Barkas or Barkas in England.

What does the Barkes map show?

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