NameCensus.

UK surname

Bostock

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "a dwelling by the wood or stump."

In the 1881 census there were 2,810 people recorded with the Bostock surname, ranking it #1,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,010, ranked #1,692, down from #1,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bostock is 4,210 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.7%.

1881 census count

2,810

Ranked #1,587

Modern count

4,010

2016, ranked #1,692

Peak year

2010

4,210 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bostock had 2,810 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,010 in 2016, ranked #1,692.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,983 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Bostock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bostock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bostock 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 1,616 #1,780
1861 historical 1,388 #2,066
1881 historical 2,810 #1,587
1891 historical 3,033 #1,552
1901 historical 3,635 #1,543
1911 historical 3,983 #1,281
1997 modern 3,881 #1,671
1998 modern 4,207 #1,605
1999 modern 4,194 #1,624
2000 modern 4,140 #1,635
2001 modern 4,071 #1,623
2002 modern 4,161 #1,624
2003 modern 4,113 #1,592
2004 modern 4,079 #1,609
2005 modern 3,994 #1,630
2006 modern 4,025 #1,612
2007 modern 4,023 #1,635
2008 modern 4,081 #1,621
2009 modern 4,150 #1,634
2010 modern 4,210 #1,645
2011 modern 4,158 #1,647
2012 modern 4,010 #1,676
2013 modern 4,084 #1,682
2014 modern 4,097 #1,683
2015 modern 4,042 #1,689
2016 modern 4,010 #1,692

Geography

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Where Bostocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Manchester, Nottingham St Mary and Ilkeston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash and Tewkesbury. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 003 Erewash
2 Erewash 001 Erewash
3 Erewash 006 Erewash
4 Erewash 007 Erewash
5 Tewkesbury 003 Tewkesbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bostock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bostock

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Bostock 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

Bostock 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

Bostock falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bostock

The surname Bostock has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Cheshire. It dates back to the 13th century and is derived from the Old English words "boc" meaning beech tree and "stoc" meaning a place or stock, indicating that the name likely referred to a person who lived near or was associated with a beech tree or grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire from the year 1260, where a person named William de Bockestudde is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Bockestudde," reflects the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era.

The Bostock name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest of England. This early reference suggests that the name had already been established by the late 11th century.

In the 14th century, the name is recorded as "Bokestok" in the Cheshire Chamberlain's accounts from 1337. This spelling variation further illustrates the evolution of the name over time.

One notable historical figure bearing the Bostock surname was John Bostock (1543-1598), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929.

Another prominent individual was Samuel Bostock (1676-1738), an English non-conformist minister and author who wrote several works on religious subjects, including "The Doctrine of the Holy Apostles and Prophets" published in 1728.

In the 19th century, Robert Bostock (1803-1875) was a renowned English botanist and horticulturist who established the Bostock Nursery in Worcestershire and contributed significantly to the cultivation of many plant species.

Similarly, Joseph Bostock (1819-1898) was a British geologist and paleontologist who made notable contributions to the study of fossil fish and reptiles. He served as the president of the Geological Society of London from 1892 to 1894.

Finally, Ina Donna Bostock (1915-2001) was a Canadian artist and sculptor known for her abstract works and public installations. Her pieces can be found in various galleries and public spaces across Canada.

These examples demonstrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have carried the Bostock surname throughout the centuries, originating from its roots in the English county of Cheshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bostock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bostock 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. Cheshire leads with 602 Bostocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.94x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 602 9.94x
Lancashire 536 1.65x
Staffordshire 385 4.16x
Derbyshire 313 7.29x
Nottinghamshire 219 5.92x
Middlesex 124 0.45x
Leicestershire 79 2.60x
Yorkshire 78 0.29x
Warwickshire 63 0.91x
Surrey 51 0.38x
Sussex 44 0.95x
Gloucestershire 39 0.72x
Denbighshire 38 3.67x
Shropshire 30 1.27x
Durham 27 0.33x
Essex 24 0.44x
Flintshire 23 3.12x
Kent 22 0.24x
Herefordshire 13 1.16x
Norfolk 11 0.26x
Worcestershire 10 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.52x
Northamptonshire 9 0.35x
Somerset 8 0.18x
Hampshire 6 0.11x
Wiltshire 5 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.36x
Channel Islands 4 0.49x
Cumberland 4 0.17x
Dorset 4 0.22x
Isle of Man 3 0.59x
Lincolnshire 3 0.07x
Monmouthshire 3 0.15x
Bedfordshire 2 0.14x
Berkshire 2 0.10x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Northumberland 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 0.61x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.16x
Westmorland 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ilkeston in Derbyshire leads with 211 Bostocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 175.25x.

Place Total Index
Ilkeston 211 175.25x
Manchester 85 5.81x
Stoke Upon Trent 56 5.70x
Stockport 53 17.01x
Chorlton On Medlock 50 9.67x
Nottingham St Mary 48 5.02x
Radford 43 22.89x
Checkley 42 174.64x
Burslem 33 12.44x
Over 33 53.62x
Dukinfield 31 11.08x
Sandbach 29 56.16x
Selston 29 70.22x
Burton Upon Trent 28 12.93x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 3.80x
Greasley 27 32.37x
Salford 26 2.72x
Winchcomb 26 97.41x
Castle Church 23 41.33x
Hulme 23 3.38x
Wolstanton Chesterton 23 48.61x
Toxteth Park 22 2.00x
Bermondsey 21 2.57x
Gresford Gwersyllt 21 65.34x
West Derby 21 2.21x
Liverpool 20 1.01x
Runcorn 20 14.33x
Audley 19 20.74x
Biddulph 18 34.46x
Everton 18 1.74x
Hyde 18 10.07x
Monks Coppenhall 18 7.88x
Newton 18 7.18x
Wolstanton 18 6.40x
Kirkdale 17 3.10x
Swettenham 17 1049.38x
Bow London 16 4.58x
Brinnington 15 26.52x
Oldham 15 1.43x
Stone 15 12.67x
Leftwich 14 52.06x
Wistaston 14 366.49x
Ashby De La Zouch 13 18.44x
Church Coppenhall 13 48.02x
Haslington 13 76.34x
Horsham 13 14.47x
Leicester St Margaret 13 1.75x
Appleton 12 87.46x
Ardwick 12 4.09x
Aston 12 0.63x
Cheadle 11 24.74x
Hackney London 11 0.72x
Hartford 11 80.29x
Hucknall Under 11 57.68x
Kington 11 39.50x
Wharton 11 33.35x
Birkenhead 10 2.07x
Bromley London 10 1.66x
Chelsea London 10 1.21x
Cheltenham 10 2.41x
Cuddington In Northwich 10 261.10x
Henbury Cum Pexhall 10 243.90x
Hurdsfield 10 26.84x
Leicester St Mary 10 4.07x
Mold Bistree 10 83.40x
Nantwich 10 14.21x
Prestwich 10 12.32x
Stanhope 10 11.87x
Tarporley 10 78.86x
Basford 9 5.28x
Broughton In Salford 9 3.02x
Chorley In Nantwich 9 576.92x
Codnor Loscoe 9 26.46x
Denton 9 12.48x
Derby St Werburgh 9 3.63x
Gorton 9 2.94x
Handsworth 9 12.52x
Ilkestonderbypart 9 71.66x
Macclesfield 9 3.34x
Wanstead 9 9.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 202
Elizabeth 124
Sarah 120
Ann 62
Eliza 59
Hannah 56
Jane 55
Ellen 45
Alice 43
Emma 42
Annie 37
Martha 33
Emily 22
Harriet 21
Maria 18
Catherine 17
Ada 15
Edith 14
Fanny 14
Margaret 14
Louisa 13
Lydia 13
Agnes 12
Florence 12
Esther 11
Gertrude 11
Sophia 11
Clara 10
Eleanor 9
Frances 9
Lucy 9
Selina 9
Susan 9
Anne 8
Harriett 8
Kate 8
Ruth 8
Charlotte 7
Jessie 7
Lizzie 7
Amy 6
Beatrice 6
Bertha 6
Elizth. 6
Grace 5
Amelia 4
Isabella 4
Julia 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 187
William 170
Thomas 122
James 96
George 70
Joseph 61
Samuel 48
Arthur 45
Henry 44
Charles 37
Edward 33
Robert 28
Richard 26
Frederick 23
Alfred 22
Albert 20
Edwin 17
Harry 15
Herbert 15
Frank 14
Walter 14
Wm. 13
Daniel 7
David 7
Enoch 7
Fred 7
Ernest 6
Isaac 6
Job 6
Moses 6
Peter 6
Thos. 6
Tom 6
Francis 5
Ralph 5
Benjamin 4
Aaron 3
Fredk. 3
Godfrey 3
Harold 3
Jesse 3
Jonathan 3
Jos. 3
Joshua 3
Owen 3
Percy 3
Saml. 3
Stephen 3
Mark 2
Matthias 2

FAQ

Bostock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bostock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,810 people were recorded with the Bostock surname. That placed it at #1,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bostock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,010 in 2016. That gives Bostock a modern rank of #1,692.

What does the Bostock surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "a dwelling by the wood or stump."

What does the Bostock map show?

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