NameCensus.

UK surname

Calkin

Variant of "calkin", referring to someone who made calkins or caulkers for horse shoes.

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Calkin surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newbury, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Wiltshire and Bournemouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calkin is 193 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.5%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1999

193 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Calkin had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Calkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Calkin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Calkin 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 145 #18,426
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 193 #18,642
2000 modern 174 #19,829
2001 modern 166 #20,129
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 169 #20,092
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 159 #20,983
2006 modern 154 #21,576
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 156 #21,862
2009 modern 171 #21,024
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 165 #22,163
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 163 #22,407
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Calkins are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Wiltshire, Bournemouth, Basingstoke and Deane and Nottingham. 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 Newbury Berkshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 020 Flintshire
2 Wiltshire 024 Wiltshire
3 Bournemouth 008 Bournemouth
4 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Nottingham 013 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Calkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Calkin

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Calkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Calkin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Calkin is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Calkin is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Calkin falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Calkin

The surname Calkin originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "calc" or "calce," which referred to chalk or limestone, and "hyll," meaning hill. This suggests that the name may have been associated with people who lived near or on a chalky hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Calkin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1196, which mention a person named Willelmus de Calchulle (William of the Chalk Hill). This provides evidence that the name was in use during the Middle Ages and was likely related to a specific geographic location.

The Calkin surname also appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals with the surname in several counties across England. This indicates that the name had spread to different regions by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name Calkin was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, which listed several individuals with variations of the spelling, including Calkhyll, Calkhil, and Calchill. This further demonstrates the evolving nature of the surname and its connection to place names.

Notable individuals with the surname Calkin throughout history include:

1. John Calkin (c. 1560-1630), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Salisbury. 2. Robert Calkin (1670-1719), a British composer and organist known for his church music compositions. 3. William Calkin (1799-1850), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Philatelic Society headquarters. 4. George Calkin (1877-1949), a British artist and illustrator renowned for his portrait paintings and illustrations for books and magazines. 5. Cedric Calkin (1908-1964), an Australian cricketer who played Test cricket for the Australian national team in the 1930s.

The surname Calkin has endured for centuries, with its roots deeply embedded in the historical and geographic context of England. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was associated with specific locations and likely referred to individuals living near chalky hills or limestone areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Calkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calkin 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. Middlesex leads with 44 Calkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.80x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 44 4.80x
Surrey 16 3.58x
Staffordshire 15 4.85x
Nottinghamshire 8 6.47x
Wiltshire 5 6.17x
Warwickshire 2 0.87x
Derbyshire 1 0.70x
Kent 1 0.32x
Leicestershire 1 0.98x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 16 Calkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.68x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 16 21.68x
Lambeth 11 13.76x
Finchley 10 284.90x
Nottingham St Mary 6 18.77x
Islington London 5 5.63x
Newington 5 14.77x
Salisbury St Edmund 5 384.62x
Wolstanton Knutton 4 211.64x
Bilston 3 50.00x
Hackney London 3 5.84x
Hampstead London 3 21.01x
Kensington London 3 5.89x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 9.14x
Wolverhampton 3 12.61x
Birmingham 2 2.60x
Nottingham St Nicholas 2 119.05x
Trentham 2 76.05x
Bromley 1 20.96x
Halifax 1 7.50x
Hinckley 1 41.49x
Snelston 1 1000.00x
St George Martyr London 1 53.76x
St Marylebone London 1 2.04x
St Sepulchre London 1 74.63x
Westminster St Margaret 1 22.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 6
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Charles 3
George 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Oscar 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Bertram 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Joseph 1
Jullien 1
Peirre 1
Pierre 1
Robert 1
Stanley 1
Walter 1
William 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 Calkin households.

FAQ

Calkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Calkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Calkin surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Calkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Calkin a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Calkin surname mean?

Variant of "calkin", referring to someone who made calkins or caulkers for horse shoes.

What does the Calkin map show?

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