UK surname
A surname of German origin referring to a baker or someone working with baked goods.
In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Boker surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14, ranked #37,178, down from #28,965 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Warbleton, St Marylebone and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boker is 201 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 57.6%.
1881 census count
33
Ranked #28,965
Modern count
14
2016, ranked #37,178
Peak year
1861
201 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Boker surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Boker surname density by area, 1891 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 | 71 | #20,875 |
| 1861 | historical | 201 | #11,949 |
| 1881 | historical | 33 | #28,965 |
| 1891 | historical | 135 | #19,692 |
| 1901 | historical | 17 | #32,146 |
| 1911 | historical | 48 | #28,006 |
| 1997 | modern | 8 | #37,372 |
| 1998 | modern | 8 | #37,334 |
| 1999 | modern | 8 | #37,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 11 | #36,879 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 11 | #36,780 |
| 2003 | modern | 12 | #36,715 |
| 2004 | modern | 11 | #36,969 |
| 2005 | modern | 14 | #36,730 |
| 2006 | modern | 15 | #36,707 |
| 2007 | modern | 15 | #36,793 |
| 2008 | modern | 15 | #36,843 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 13 | #37,215 |
| 2011 | modern | 15 | #37,030 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 14 | #37,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 14 | #37,161 |
| 2015 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2016 | modern | 14 | #37,178 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Warbleton, St Marylebone, West Derby, Comberton and Kennett. 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 | Warbleton | Sussex |
| 2 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | West Derby | Lancashire |
| 4 | Comberton | Cambridgeshire |
| 5 | Kennett | Cambridgeshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Boker 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 Boker, 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 Boker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Boker 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, Boker 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 Boker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Boker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Boker is of German origin, traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "bock," meaning "buck" or "ram," and was likely an occupational name for a breeder of goats or rams. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 14th century in Bavaria, southern Germany.
In the 15th century, the name Boker appeared in various municipal records and tax rolls in the German states of Saxony and Hesse. One notable mention is in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, where a Johannes Boker is listed as a landowner in 1428.
The name Boker also has ties to several place names in Germany, such as Bockenheim and Bockenau, which may have influenced the surname's development. These place names are derived from the same root word, "bock," and were likely named for their proximity to areas known for goat or ram herding.
One of the earliest known Bokers was Hans Boker, a German blacksmith and metalworker born in Remscheid, Rhineland, around 1501. He is credited with developing a technique for forging high-quality steel, which contributed to the region's reputation for metalworking.
Another notable figure was Johann Boker, a German Protestant theologian and reformer born in Aschaffenburg in 1523. He was a influential figure in the spread of Lutheranism in the region and published several theological works during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, Friedrich Boker, a German painter and engraver born in Nuremberg in 1723, gained recognition for his etchings and engravings depicting landscapes and architectural subjects.
During the 19th century, the Boker name gained prominence in the United States with the arrival of German immigrants. One notable American Boker was Henry Charles Boker, a playwright and poet born in Philadelphia in 1824. He wrote several plays and poems, including the tragedy "Francesca da Rimini," which was praised for its lyrical quality.
Another American Boker of note was George Henry Boker, a civil engineer and inventor born in Philadelphia in 1823. He designed and patented several innovations in the field of hydraulic engineering, including a hydraulic dredging machine and a system for removing sediment from rivers and harbors.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boker 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. Worcestershire leads with 7 Bokers recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.67x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Worcestershire | 7 | 16.67x |
| Surrey | 6 | 3.83x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 1.31x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 1.24x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 3.70x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 3.03x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 5.14x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.58x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.91x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 3.60x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.84x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.31x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rock in Worcestershire leads with 7 Bokers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4117.65x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Rock | 7 | 4117.65x |
| Everton | 5 | 41.12x |
| Aston | 3 | 13.43x |
| Newington | 3 | 25.25x |
| Bradford | 1 | 12.95x |
| Brading | 1 | 113.64x |
| Croydon | 1 | 11.49x |
| Hove | 1 | 42.02x |
| Linslade | 1 | 526.32x |
| Maidstone | 1 | 30.58x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 1 | 14.60x |
| Neen Savage | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 8.45x |
| Portsea | 1 | 7.74x |
| Putney | 1 | 68.03x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 15.46x |
| St George In East London | 1 | 33.00x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 5.82x |
| Waltham Holy Cross | 1 | 169.49x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Boker 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 Boker 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 Boker households.
FAQ
In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Boker surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 14 in 2016. That gives Boker a modern rank of #37,178.
A surname of German origin referring to a baker or someone working with baked goods.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Boker 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.