NameCensus.

UK surname

Barks

An English surname derived from a nickname for a loud or noisy person.

In the 1881 census there were 414 people recorded with the Barks surname, ranking it #7,778 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 584, ranked #8,891, down from #7,778 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barks is 724 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.1%.

1881 census count

414

Ranked #7,778

Modern count

584

2016, ranked #8,891

Peak year

1891

724 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barks had 414 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,778 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 584 in 2016, ranked #8,891.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 724 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Barks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barks surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Barks 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 301 #7,626
1861 historical 699 #3,872
1881 historical 414 #7,778
1891 historical 724 #5,456
1901 historical 594 #7,127
1911 historical 677 #6,239
1997 modern 623 #7,941
1998 modern 622 #8,181
1999 modern 618 #8,282
2000 modern 618 #8,263
2001 modern 597 #8,321
2002 modern 617 #8,293
2003 modern 598 #8,358
2004 modern 590 #8,453
2005 modern 596 #8,313
2006 modern 591 #8,380
2007 modern 571 #8,665
2008 modern 582 #8,612
2009 modern 598 #8,620
2010 modern 591 #8,884
2011 modern 600 #8,696
2012 modern 589 #8,726
2013 modern 593 #8,818
2014 modern 600 #8,807
2015 modern 590 #8,843
2016 modern 584 #8,891

Geography

Back to top

Where Barks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, St Werburgh, Mansfield Woodhouse and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Mansfield Woodhouse Nottinghamshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 007 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 006 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 010 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Barks

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Barks

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Barks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Barks household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Barks is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Barks is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Barks

The surname BARKS is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bærc," which means "bark" or "the outer covering of a tree." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a prominent tree or in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BARKS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Richard Barke is mentioned. The variant spelling "Barke" was quite common in medieval records, and it's possible that the surname was initially derived from a place name containing the word "bark," such as Barking in Essex.

The BARKS surname appears in various historical documents throughout the centuries. For example, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a William Barke is listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the name is found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1672, which mentions a John Barkes.

Notably, the BARKS surname is associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. One of the earliest known was Sir William Barks (c. 1390-1452), a member of the English gentry and a landowner in Hertfordshire. Another notable figure was Sir John Barkes (1532-1605), a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Samuel Barks (1619-1683) was a renowned English Puritan minister and author, known for his sermons and religious writings. A century later, Joseph Barks (1734-1811) gained recognition as a pioneering English naturalist and botanist, contributing significantly to the study of plant life in his time.

One of the most famous individuals with the BARKS surname was Sir Henry Barks (1816-1892), a British naval officer and explorer who played a crucial role in the search for the ill-fated Arctic expedition led by Sir John Franklin in the mid-19th century. His exploits and contributions to Arctic exploration earned him numerous honors and accolades.

Throughout the centuries, the BARKS surname has been found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Hertfordshire, and Essex, where the name has deep historical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Barks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barks 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 156 Barks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.73x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 156 28.73x
Derbyshire 59 9.35x
Lincolnshire 53 8.23x
Staffordshire 53 3.90x
Yorkshire 32 0.80x
Middlesex 21 0.52x
Lancashire 13 0.27x
Surrey 8 0.41x
Durham 6 0.50x
Essex 3 0.38x
Hampshire 3 0.36x
Kent 2 0.15x
Shropshire 2 0.57x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Northumberland 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 36 Barks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.63x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 36 25.63x
Ipstones 31 1589.74x
Heanor 22 233.30x
Radford 22 79.74x
Rempstone 15 3488.37x
Mansfield 13 69.19x
Alton 12 821.92x
Pinxton 12 373.83x
Kimberworth 11 49.64x
Carrington 9 2195.12x
Derby St Werburgh 9 24.71x
Ilkestonderbypart 9 486.49x
Basford 8 31.96x
Fledborough 8 5333.33x
Kirton 7 271.32x
Shipley 7 700.00x
Spalford 7 4117.65x
Bishopwearmouth 6 5.83x
Bloxholm 6 4615.38x
Waterfall 6 1052.63x
Beeston 5 80.13x
Billinghay 5 251.26x
Bow London 5 9.75x
Cropwell Butler 5 675.68x
Great Hale 5 510.20x
Heap 5 19.72x
Heckington 5 204.08x
Lambeth 5 1.42x
Ripley 5 64.10x
St Pancras London 5 1.54x
Wales 5 158.73x
York St Maurice 5 66.49x
Brightside Bierlow 4 5.11x
Lenton 4 31.27x
North Collingham 4 312.50x
Pentrich 4 112.68x
Radford Lenton 4 296.30x
St George Bloomsbury 4 17.31x
Timberland 4 579.71x
Islington London 3 0.77x
Newark Upon Trent 3 15.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.70x
St Bartholomew Hyde 3 152.28x
St George Hanover Square 3 4.23x
Waddington 3 254.24x
Balderton 2 134.23x
Cheadle 2 30.63x
Dawley 2 15.80x
Huddersfield 2 3.44x
Langham 2 215.05x
Layton With Warbreck 2 11.40x
Mansfield Woodhouse 2 55.40x
Plumstead 2 4.36x
Swinethorpe 2 3333.33x
Alfreton 1 5.22x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 2.78x
Bilston 1 3.80x
Burton Pedwardine 1 357.14x
Byker 1 3.38x
Castleton 1 2.09x
Derby All Sts 1 18.98x
Digby 1 238.10x
Doncaster 1 3.43x
Dunham 1 270.27x
Gorton 1 2.23x
Hampstead London 1 1.59x
Harthill Cum Woodall 1 65.36x
Litherland 1 10.01x
Loughborough 1 4.93x
Nottingham St Peter 1 16.53x
Ordsall 1 24.04x
Radcliffe 1 4.34x
Ragnall 1 400.00x
Rowston 1 322.58x
Sculcoates 1 1.58x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 50.25x
Stapleford 1 22.68x
Welbourn 1 129.87x
West Hallam 1 121.95x
Wolverhampton 1 0.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Sarah 23
Elizabeth 14
Ann 9
Annie 9
Emma 8
Eliza 6
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Jane 5
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Charlotte 3
Dorothy 3
Florence 3
Gertrude 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Louisa 2
Olave 2
Aulila 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elenor 1
Elizabth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Franas 1
Frances 1
Hephzibah 1
Hester 1
Jabez 1
Laura 1
Lidia 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 34
William 19
Thomas 18
George 13
Samuel 12
James 9
Joseph 8
Frank 6
Henry 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
Tom 5
Herbert 4
Moses 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
David 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Josh. 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Charles 1
Cornelius 1
Edwd. 1
Eliza 1
Fred 1
Fredk.G. 1
Freeman 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Fred 1
Geo.W. 1
Horatio 1
Josiah 1
Mills 1
Nelson 1
Oscar 1
Ralph 1
Ricsd. 1
Sam. 1
Saml. 1
Will. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Barks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 414 people were recorded with the Barks surname. That placed it at #7,778 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 584 in 2016. That gives Barks a modern rank of #8,891.

What does the Barks surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a loud or noisy person.

What does the Barks map show?

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