NameCensus.

UK surname

Barkess

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Barkess surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newcastle All Saints and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Selby and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barkess is 185 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.8%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1998

185 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barkess had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 122 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Barkess surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barkess surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barkess 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 27 #28,467
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 83 #26,376
1901 historical 122 #20,344
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 183 #18,642
1998 modern 185 #18,973
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 181 #19,360
2001 modern 172 #19,696
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 179 #19,416
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 168 #20,634
2008 modern 169 #20,745
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 169 #21,499
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Barkess' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newcastle All Saints, Gateshead, Dalton-le-Dale and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Selby and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Dalton-le-Dale Durham
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 015 County Durham
2 County Durham 008 County Durham
3 County Durham 004 County Durham
4 Selby 005 Selby
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 003 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barkess

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barkess

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Barkess 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

Barkess is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barkess falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barkess is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Barkess families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barkess 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 58 Barkess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.80x.

County Total Index
Durham 58 23.80x
Lancashire 10 1.03x
Northumberland 9 7.38x
Cumberland 5 7.09x
Hampshire 1 0.60x
Yorkshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Bolton in Lancashire leads with 10 Barkess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.00x.

Place Total Index
Little Bolton 10 80.00x
Southwick 8 346.32x
Sunderland 8 186.05x
Westoe 8 57.89x
Crook Billy Row 7 224.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 82.42x
Tunstall 6 495.87x
Stanhope 5 198.41x
Workington 5 123.76x
Bishopwearmouth 4 19.12x
Monk Hesleden 4 588.24x
Byker 3 49.83x
Gateshead 3 16.44x
Monkwearmouth 3 128.76x
Dawdon 2 66.67x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 1 48.78x
Millbrook 1 23.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 6
Jane 3
Isabella 2
Margt. 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Dorothey 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
George 1
Hilda 1
Isabel 1
John 1
Margt 1
My.Ellen 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Barkess 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 Barkess households.

FAQ

Barkess surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barkess surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Barkess surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barkess surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Barkess a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Barkess map show?

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