NameCensus.

UK surname

Bookless

A surname denoting a person who lacked books or literacy.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Bookless surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 135, ranked #25,505, down from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Swinton and Darlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Auchterarder, Caerphilly and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bookless is 192 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.2%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

135

2016, ranked #25,505

Peak year

1891

192 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bookless had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016, ranked #25,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 192 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Bookless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bookless surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bookless 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 177 #11,441
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 185 #15,892
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 163 #20,582
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 156 #21,261
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 154 #22,034
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 135 #25,505

Geography

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Where Bookless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Swinton, Darlington, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Auchterarder, Caerphilly, Stockton-on-Tees, Maxwell Park and Wyre. 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 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Swinton Berwick
3 Darlington Durham
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Auchterarder Perth and Kinross
2 Caerphilly 004 Caerphilly
3 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Maxwell Park Glasgow City
5 Wyre 006 Wyre

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bookless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bookless

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

Established Mature Families

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Bookless is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bookless 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

Bookless falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bookless is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bookless, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bookless

The surname BOOKLESS originated in England in the early 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "boc" meaning book and "leas" meaning without or lacking, essentially translating to "without books" or "bookless."

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Essex Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a William Booklees is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use in the county of Essex during that time period.

In the later part of the 14th century, records show a John Bokeles listed in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. This variation in spelling, with the addition of the letter "e" at the end, was a common occurrence in those times due to the inconsistencies in written English.

The surname BOOKLESS is also mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1524, where a Thomas Bokeles is recorded. This further reinforces the presence of the name in various parts of England during the late medieval and early modern periods.

One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Richard Bookless, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1542 and served as a merchant in Bristol. His son, William Bookless, born in 1578, was a prominent figure in the cloth trade and served as a member of the Common Council of Bristol.

Another notable individual with this surname was John Bookless, born in 1621 in Oxfordshire. He was a scholar and author who wrote several treatises on theology and philosophy, including "A Discourse on the Nature of Truth" published in 1678.

In the 18th century, Elizabeth Bookless, born in 1712 in Warwickshire, gained recognition for her charitable works and establishing a school for underprivileged children in her hometown.

Furthermore, the surname BOOKLESS has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Bookless Farm in Dorset and Bookless Hill in Somerset, though the exact origins of these place names are not entirely clear.

These examples demonstrate the historical presence of the surname BOOKLESS in various regions of England, dating back to the 14th century and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in fields such as commerce, academia, and philanthropy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bookless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bookless 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. Midlothian leads with 29 Bookless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.45x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 29 13.45x
Lanarkshire 28 5.38x
Berwickshire 27 138.53x
Northumberland 18 7.52x
Middlesex 14 0.87x
Yorkshire 12 0.75x
Cumberland 10 7.22x
Durham 9 1.88x
Roxburghshire 4 13.72x
Surrey 4 0.51x
Renfrewshire 2 1.60x
Ross-shire 2 4.52x
Selkirkshire 2 13.74x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.31x
Gloucestershire 1 0.32x
Kent 1 0.18x
West Lothian 1 4.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 14 Bookless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.14x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 14 16.14x
Bow London 13 63.45x
Glasgow 13 14.07x
Swinton 11 2075.47x
Coldstream 9 638.30x
Govan 9 6.99x
Carham 8 1290.32x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 38.57x
Skinningrove 7 714.29x
Barony 6 4.55x
Elswick 6 31.40x
Crosscanonby 5 109.17x
West Newton Allonby 5 1041.67x
Cockpen 4 158.73x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 78.43x
Wimbledon 4 45.45x
Avoch 2 215.05x
Currie 2 151.52x
Edinburgh Newington 2 526.32x
Edrom 2 240.96x
Galashiels 2 37.17x
Hauxley 2 377.36x
Kilmalcolm 2 134.23x
Middlesbrough 2 9.63x
Redcar 2 157.48x
Roxburgh 2 357.14x
South Leith 2 8.24x
Borthwick 1 104.17x
Bristol All Sts 1 1428.57x
Coldingham 1 57.14x
Dumbarton 1 16.61x
Dunse 1 54.05x
Eccles 1 117.65x
Eyemouth 1 61.35x
Great Driffield 1 30.58x
Horncliffe 1 526.32x
Kirkton 1 555.56x
Langton 1 357.14x
Maxton 1 400.00x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 6.99x
St Marylebone London 1 1.16x
Stockton On Tees 1 4.33x
Tunstall 1 666.67x
Whitburn 1 28.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
William 6
Alexander 3
John 3
David 2
George 2
Amos 1
Archbold 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Henry 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

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 Bookless households.

FAQ

Bookless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bookless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Bookless surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bookless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016. That gives Bookless a modern rank of #25,505.

What does the Bookless surname mean?

A surname denoting a person who lacked books or literacy.

What does the Bookless map show?

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