UK surname
A habitational surname derived from a place name associated with birch trees.
In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Birck surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #32,243 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kingston-on-Thames, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birck is 216 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 80.0%.
1881 census count
10
Ranked #32,243
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1891
216 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Birck surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Birck surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 115 | #15,634 |
| 1861 | historical | 11 | #32,452 |
| 1881 | historical | 10 | #32,243 |
| 1891 | historical | 216 | #14,107 |
| 1901 | historical | 62 | #27,252 |
| 1911 | historical | 138 | #18,811 |
| 1997 | modern | 5 | #37,891 |
| 1998 | modern | 4 | #38,082 |
| 1999 | modern | 5 | #37,872 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 3 | #38,546 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kingston-on-Thames, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland), Manchester, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingston-on-Thames | Surrey |
| 2 | Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Birmingham Town: Birmingham | Warwickshire |
| 5 | Walsall | Staffordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Birck surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Birck, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Birck surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Birck household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Birck is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Birck is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Birck, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BIRCK is of German origin and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the Old High German word "birka," which means "birch tree."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BIRCK can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Bavaria, dating back to 1487. The name was also mentioned in a manuscript from the nearby town of Ulm in 1521, referring to a local landowner named Hans BIRCK.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the BIRCK name began to spread across various regions of Germany as families migrated and settled in new areas. Some variations of the spelling, such as BIRCKE and BIRK, were also documented in historical records from this period.
A notable figure from the 17th century was Johann BIRCK (1591-1659), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Marburg. He was widely recognized for his contributions to the field of metaphysics and his influential works on Christian ethics.
In the 18th century, the BIRCK name was found in various German-speaking territories, including the Palatinate region, where a family of wine merchants bearing the name was well-established. One member of this family, Johann Philipp BIRCK (1725-1798), gained recognition for his expertise in viticulture and the production of high-quality Riesling wines.
Another notable individual was Friedrich Wilhelm BIRCK (1789-1844), a German botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant species native to central Europe. His extensive herbarium collection is still preserved at the University of Göttingen.
In the 19th century, some members of the BIRCK family emigrated to other parts of Europe and beyond, carrying the name with them. One such individual was Carl BIRCK (1814-1891), a German-born engineer who settled in Sweden and played a crucial role in the development of the Swedish railway system.
As the BIRCK name spread across various regions, it also gave rise to place names like Birckau, a village in Saxony, and Birckfeld, a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, both of which were likely named after early settlers bearing the surname.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birck surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 3 Bircks recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.81x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 3 | 14.81x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 9.14x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 14.90x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 3.18x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 6.43x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 1.03x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plympton St Mary in Devon leads with 3 Bircks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2500.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Plympton St Mary | 3 | 2500.00x |
| Cannock | 2 | 350.88x |
| Barony | 1 | 12.56x |
| Bethnal Green London | 1 | 23.64x |
| Heckington | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Northchurch | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 1 | 28.74x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Birck surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Birck surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Birck households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Cork Cutter | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| General Laboror | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Retail Grocer | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Birck surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Birck a modern rank of #38,825.
A habitational surname derived from a place name associated with birch trees.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Birck bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.