NameCensus.

UK surname

Boak

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 280 people recorded with the Boak surname, ranking it #10,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 468, ranked #10,507, down from #10,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Pickering and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, North Tyneside and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boak is 499 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.1%.

1881 census count

280

Ranked #10,202

Modern count

468

2016, ranked #10,507

Peak year

2002

499 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boak had 280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 468 in 2016, ranked #10,507.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 358 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Boak surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boak surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boak 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 188 #10,939
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 280 #10,202
1891 historical 358 #9,655
1901 historical 346 #10,516
1911 historical 336 #10,563
1997 modern 485 #9,512
1998 modern 485 #9,825
1999 modern 494 #9,752
2000 modern 485 #9,853
2001 modern 492 #9,592
2002 modern 499 #9,648
2003 modern 485 #9,701
2004 modern 467 #10,013
2005 modern 461 #10,022
2006 modern 461 #10,054
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 474 #10,461
2011 modern 459 #10,607
2012 modern 448 #10,702
2013 modern 460 #10,661
2014 modern 471 #10,541
2015 modern 452 #10,785
2016 modern 468 #10,507

Geography

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Where Boaks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Pickering, London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Lakeland, South Cambridgeshire and Carlisle. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Pickering Yorkshire, North Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
2 North Tyneside 026 North Tyneside
3 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
4 South Cambridgeshire 010 South Cambridgeshire
5 Carlisle 011 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boak

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boak

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Boak 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

Boak is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boak falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Boak

The surname BOAK is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "boc," which means "beech tree," suggesting that the name was initially associated with people who lived near or worked with beech trees.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest records of surnames in England, there are entries for individuals with the names "de Boc" and "atte Boc," which are considered early variations of the BOAK surname. These entries indicate that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BOAK surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Roger Boc is mentioned. This indicates that the surname had taken on its modern spelling by the 12th century.

The name BOAK has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Boak's Hill in Gloucestershire and Boak's Farm in Berkshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and the beech tree.

One notable person with the BOAK surname was Sir John Boak (1510-1578), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent figure in the English textile trade and played a crucial role in establishing England's wool industry.

Another individual of historical significance was Richard Boak (1622-1698), a Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of the First Church of Christ in Hingham, Massachusetts. He was known for his influential sermons and publications on religious topics.

In the 18th century, Samuel Boak (1738-1813) was a prominent Scottish merchant and landowner who owned extensive properties in the West Indies and Scotland. He was also a member of the Royal Company of Archers, the King's Bodyguard for Scotland.

In the field of literature, Martha Boak (1884-1969) was an American writer and educator who published several books on children's literature and teaching methods. Her works were widely used in teacher training programs across the United States.

Finally, John Boak (1915-1998) was a Canadian diplomat and civil servant who served as the Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1975 to 1979. He played a significant role in promoting Canada's international relations and trade initiatives.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boak families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boak 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. Cumberland leads with 46 Boaks recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.42x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 46 19.42x
Yorkshire 44 1.61x
Fife 24 14.74x
Surrey 22 1.64x
Middlesex 21 0.76x
Midlothian 19 5.16x
Northumberland 19 4.64x
Lanarkshire 17 1.91x
Lancashire 15 0.46x
Kent 12 1.28x
Derbyshire 10 2.32x
Nottinghamshire 10 2.70x
Westmorland 9 14.89x
Durham 4 0.49x
Perthshire 4 3.24x
Clackmannanshire 3 13.20x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Glamorgan 1 0.21x
Herefordshire 1 0.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkcaldy in Fife leads with 23 Boaks recorded in 1881 and an index of 284.65x.

Place Total Index
Kirkcaldy 23 284.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 8.09x
Penrith 12 137.14x
New Monkland 11 41.83x
St Cuthbert Within 11 401.46x
Fernilee 10 1000.00x
Pickering 10 291.55x
Nottingham St Mary 9 9.38x
Sundridge 9 576.92x
Caldewgate 8 61.63x
Hackney London 8 5.19x
Thornaby 8 78.51x
Westgate 8 31.56x
Streatham 7 34.30x
Bermondsey 6 7.33x
Bethnal Green London 6 5.02x
Cadder 6 91.32x
Lambeth 6 2.50x
Salford 6 6.25x
Great Driffield 5 89.45x
Kinniside 5 2173.91x
Alyth 4 120.48x
Arlecdon 4 63.49x
Kendal 4 36.13x
Mason 4 425.53x
Mile End Old Town London 4 6.83x
Tong 4 75.90x
Yedingham 4 3076.92x
Battersea 3 2.96x
Canterbury St Mary 3 47.62x
Edinburgh Canongate 3 31.98x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 8.47x
Jesmond 3 52.08x
Lancaster 3 15.45x
Middlesbrough 3 8.45x
North Leith 3 17.60x
Tillicoultry 3 59.41x
Barrow In Furness 2 4.51x
Brawby 2 1250.00x
Bridlington 2 32.05x
Brough 2 338.98x
Longframlington 2 512.82x
Millom 2 27.55x
North Bierley 2 13.59x
Paddington London 2 1.98x
St Cuthbert W O 2 17.33x
Toxteth Park 2 1.81x
Bampton 1 196.08x
Bradford 1 1.52x
Colinton 1 24.33x
East Broughton 1 107.53x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.80x
Garston 1 10.38x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 1 68.49x
Hornsea 1 57.80x
Kinghorn 1 28.90x
Kington 1 35.84x
Kirkland 1 77.52x
Limehouse London 1 3.31x
Liscard 1 9.14x
Nottingham Standard 1 105.26x
Penarth 1 21.37x
Setmurthy 1 625.00x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.53x
Tynemouth 1 4.56x
Weetslade 1 140.85x
Whitby 1 10.88x
Workington 1 7.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Jane 10
Elizabeth 9
Alice 5
Annie 5
Hannah 5
Sarah 5
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Elizbeth 2
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Laura 2
Leah 2
Martha 2
Anna 1
Barbara 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Janett 1
Jemima 1
Jesse 1
Kate 1
Kini 1
Lusia 1
Maggie 1
Marry 1
Pheobe 1
Rossana 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Boak surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boak surname in 1881?

In 1881, 280 people were recorded with the Boak surname. That placed it at #10,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boak surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 468 in 2016. That gives Boak a modern rank of #10,507.

What does the Boak surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Scotland.

What does the Boak map show?

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