NameCensus.

UK surname

Binks

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly from a nickname referring to a chubby person.

In the 1881 census there were 1,761 people recorded with the Binks surname, ranking it #2,456 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,385, ranked #2,753, down from #2,456 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Haverhill, Little Wratting and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Doncaster and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Binks is 2,598 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.4%.

1881 census count

1,761

Ranked #2,456

Modern count

2,385

2016, ranked #2,753

Peak year

1911

2,598 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Binks had 1,761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,456 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,385 in 2016, ranked #2,753.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,598 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Binks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Binks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Binks 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 1,161 #2,428
1861 historical 1,116 #2,514
1881 historical 1,761 #2,456
1891 historical 1,989 #2,318
1901 historical 2,441 #2,230
1911 historical 2,598 #1,971
1997 modern 2,469 #2,539
1998 modern 2,517 #2,594
1999 modern 2,520 #2,615
2000 modern 2,512 #2,604
2001 modern 2,446 #2,609
2002 modern 2,498 #2,619
2003 modern 2,439 #2,618
2004 modern 2,412 #2,644
2005 modern 2,374 #2,651
2006 modern 2,355 #2,674
2007 modern 2,380 #2,674
2008 modern 2,367 #2,706
2009 modern 2,421 #2,713
2010 modern 2,482 #2,715
2011 modern 2,435 #2,727
2012 modern 2,351 #2,761
2013 modern 2,390 #2,768
2014 modern 2,407 #2,754
2015 modern 2,391 #2,757
2016 modern 2,385 #2,753

Geography

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Where Binks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Haverhill, Little Wratting, Bradford, Sculcoates and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Doncaster, Leeds, Harrogate 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Haverhill, Little Wratting Suffolk
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 015 Darlington
2 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
3 Leeds 107 Leeds
4 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
5 North Tyneside 015 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Binks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Binks

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Binks is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Binks is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Binks falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Binks 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 Binks, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Binks

The surname Binks has its origins in England, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bink," which referred to a bench or raised wooden platform. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational name for someone who worked with benches or wooden furniture.

The earliest recorded instance of the Binks surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1230, where a person named Adam Bink is mentioned. In the 13th century, the name is also found in various tax records and legal documents across northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

One notable historical reference to the name can be found in the Borthwick Institute for Archives, which houses a collection of medieval manuscripts. Among these is a document from 1378 that mentions a John Binks, a landowner and local official in the village of Kirkby Malzeard, North Yorkshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Bincks, Binkes, and Bynkes. These were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time. In 1592, a certain Thomas Bincks was recorded as a freeman (a person with legal and economic privileges) in the city of York.

In the 18th century, the Binks surname spread to other parts of England, and even to Scotland and Ireland. One notable figure from this period was Robert Binks (1713-1782), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including the Foundling Hospital and the Middlesex Hospital.

Other individuals of note bearing the Binks surname include:

1. William Binks (1798-1857), an English mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. 2. Mary Binks (1836-1913), a Scottish writer and poet who published several collections of verse in the late 19th century. 3. Albert Binks (1883-1956), an Australian soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for bravery in the British Commonwealth. 4. James Binks (1901-1979), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the 1920s and 1930s. 5. Edward Binks (1924-2007), a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who founded the successful automotive parts company Magna International Inc.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Binks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Binks 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. Yorkshire leads with 809 Binks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 809 4.74x
Durham 177 3.45x
Lancashire 130 0.64x
Middlesex 128 0.74x
Essex 122 3.59x
Suffolk 52 2.48x
Lincolnshire 40 1.45x
Nottinghamshire 37 1.59x
Surrey 30 0.36x
Northumberland 26 1.01x
Lanarkshire 24 0.43x
Westmorland 23 6.07x
Norfolk 20 0.75x
Kent 19 0.32x
Staffordshire 18 0.31x
Cheshire 17 0.45x
Warwickshire 15 0.35x
Derbyshire 12 0.44x
Dorset 10 0.88x
Rutland 7 5.53x
Isle of Man 6 1.87x
Montgomeryshire 6 1.52x
Glamorgan 5 0.17x
Worcestershire 5 0.22x
Gloucestershire 4 0.12x
Hampshire 4 0.11x
Midlothian 4 0.17x
Stirlingshire 4 0.63x
Cumberland 3 0.20x
Angus 2 0.13x
Leicestershire 2 0.10x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.14x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Somerset 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 56 Binks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.81x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 56 5.81x
Armley 42 55.75x
Pudsey 36 39.43x
Hunslet 26 9.76x
Sculcoates 25 9.23x
Well 25 1315.79x
Basford 24 22.41x
Little Bolton 23 8.75x
Scarborough 23 14.82x
Great Bolton 22 8.12x
Wyke In Bradford 20 65.47x
Brightside Bierlow 19 5.67x
Islington London 19 1.14x
West Auckland 19 101.33x
Haxey 17 145.30x
Holy Trinity 17 4.14x
Morley 17 19.14x
Shoreditch London 17 2.28x
Bramley In Bramley 16 24.47x
Halstead 15 37.79x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 15 18.90x
Westoe 15 5.16x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 14 22.57x
Kedington 14 252.25x
Little Wratting 14 886.08x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 14 22.95x
West Ardsley 14 68.09x
Gateshead 13 3.39x
St Pancras London 13 0.94x
Wath In Ripon Norton 13 628.02x
Wortley In Bramley 13 9.61x
Bishop Auckland 12 17.44x
Byers Green 12 82.93x
East Ardsley 12 81.14x
Soothill 12 19.45x
Thornley 12 64.66x
West Tanfield 12 369.23x
Everton 11 1.69x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 10.00x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.34x
Brough Sowerby 10 1265.82x
Framwellgate 10 32.92x
Portland 10 16.44x
Reeth 10 236.97x
Sedgeford 10 223.21x
Tollesbury 10 117.37x
Bradford 9 2.18x
Churwell 9 77.25x
Colchester St James 9 65.26x
Elswick 9 4.40x
Hackney London 9 0.93x
Kimberworth 9 9.49x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 9 43.23x
Maryhill 9 8.25x
Stockton On Tees 9 3.64x
West Bromwich 9 2.70x
West Thurrock 9 79.58x
Bromley London 8 2.11x
Carlton In Leyburn 8 536.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.46x
Ecclesfield 8 6.39x
Govan 8 0.58x
Kirkleatham 8 34.69x
Mile End Old Town London 8 2.18x
Pebmarsh 8 261.44x
Rotherham 8 8.31x
Ashwell 7 482.76x
Birmingham 7 0.48x
Broughton In Salford 7 3.74x
Cheetham 7 4.59x
Ferry Fryston 7 105.11x
Gildersome 7 34.10x
Liverpool 7 0.56x
Middlestone 7 68.09x
Northallerton 7 32.11x
Richmond 7 5.95x
Sandal Magna 7 27.71x
Walkerfield 7 921.05x
Whorlton 7 173.70x
York St John Micklegate 7 169.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 127
Elizabeth 81
Sarah 73
Ann 33
Jane 32
Eliza 28
Emma 28
Alice 26
Annie 26
Margaret 25
Hannah 23
Martha 18
Ellen 15
Maria 14
Emily 13
Clara 12
Elizth. 12
Florence 10
Kate 10
Louisa 10
Edith 9
Ada 8
Anne 8
Isabella 8
Catherine 7
Fanny 7
Frances 7
Harriet 7
Rebecca 7
Rose 7
Caroline 6
Eleanor 6
Esther 6
Gertrude 6
Lucy 6
Beatrice 5
Agnes 4
Betsy 4
Ethel 4
Laura 4
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Harriett 3
Julia 3
Lavinia 3
Lily 3
Mabel 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 128
William 94
George 70
Thomas 65
James 45
Joseph 41
Charles 31
Robert 19
Arthur 18
Edward 18
Henry 18
Richard 16
Alfred 15
Samuel 13
Walter 10
Albert 9
Benjamin 8
Ernest 8
Francis 8
Harry 8
Herbert 8
Christopher 7
Cornelius 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Frank 5
Matthew 5
Reuben 5
Isaac 4
Jonathan 4
Tom 4
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Edwd. 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Mark 3
Septimus 3
Stephen 3
Anthony 2
Dan 2
David 2
E. 2
Luke 2
Noah 2
Saml. 2

FAQ

Binks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Binks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,761 people were recorded with the Binks surname. That placed it at #2,456 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Binks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,385 in 2016. That gives Binks a modern rank of #2,753.

What does the Binks surname mean?

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly from a nickname referring to a chubby person.

What does the Binks map show?

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