NameCensus.

UK surname

Chalke

A surname derived from a location name, likely originating from Chilcombe, England.

In the 1881 census there were 139 people recorded with the Chalke surname, ranking it #16,228 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 285, ranked #15,286, up from #16,228 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bowerchalk and Barford St Martin, Baverstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, North Dorset and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chalke is 288 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.0%.

1881 census count

139

Ranked #16,228

Modern count

285

2016, ranked #15,286

Peak year

2013

288 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chalke had 139 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,228 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016, ranked #15,286.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chalke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chalke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chalke 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 139 #16,228
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 248 #15,363
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 251 #15,751
2000 modern 246 #15,914
2001 modern 238 #16,004
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 233 #16,471
2005 modern 252 #15,551
2006 modern 264 #15,170
2007 modern 270 #15,080
2008 modern 281 #14,782
2009 modern 267 #15,661
2010 modern 274 #15,705
2011 modern 276 #15,471
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 288 #15,192
2014 modern 285 #15,416
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 285 #15,286

Geography

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Where Chalkes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bowerchalk, Barford St Martin, Baverstock, Tormoham with Torquay and Salisbury St Edmund. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, North Dorset and Hertsmere. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bowerchalk Wiltshire
3 Barford St Martin, Baverstock Wiltshire
4 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
5 Salisbury St Edmund Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 052 Wiltshire
2 Wiltshire 053 Wiltshire
3 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
4 Hertsmere 004 Hertsmere
5 Wiltshire 051 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chalke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chalke

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chalke, 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 Chalke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Chalke 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Chalke is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Chalke 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

Chalke falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chalke

The surname Chalke is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "chalc" meaning chalk or limestone. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a chalky or limestone area.

The earliest known record of the name Chalke dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cealc" in Somerset and Wiltshire. This suggests that the name was prevalent in these counties during the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also recorded in various forms such as "Chalke," "Chalke," and "Chalke" in various medieval records and manuscripts.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John de Chalke, who lived in Wiltshire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was William Chalke, a wealthy merchant from Bristol who lived in the 15th century.

The name Chalke is also associated with several place names in England, such as Chalke Valley in Wiltshire and Chalke Hill in Hampshire. These place names likely influenced the development of the surname in these areas.

In the 16th century, the name was found in various records, including the marriage of Johanna Chalke to Thomas Smyth in 1575 in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Other notable figures with the surname Chalke include: 1. Sir John Chalke (1590-1670), an English politician and landowner from Wiltshire. 2. Thomas Chalke (1675-1742), a renowned clockmaker from Salisbury, Wiltshire. 3. Reverend James Chalke (1731-1809), a Church of England clergyman from Dorset. 4. Elizabeth Chalke (1797-1875), a British novelist and writer from Somerset. 5. Sir William Chalke (1846-1923), a British industrialist and philanthropist from Gloucestershire.

Overall, the surname Chalke has a rich history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, with strong roots in the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, and Dorset, where it was often associated with chalky or limestone areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chalke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chalke 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. Wiltshire leads with 67 Chalkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.88x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 67 55.88x
Hampshire 13 4.68x
Middlesex 11 0.81x
Berkshire 10 9.83x
Sussex 9 3.94x
Essex 8 2.99x
Gloucestershire 7 2.63x
Carmarthenshire 4 7.00x
Warwickshire 4 1.17x
Devon 2 0.71x
Somerset 2 0.92x
Surrey 2 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wilton in Wiltshire leads with 13 Chalkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1529.41x.

Place Total Index
Wilton 13 1529.41x
Bower Chalk 10 5263.16x
South Newton 10 3225.81x
Milford 8 1250.00x
Millbrook 8 114.29x
Reading St Giles 8 80.16x
West Ham 8 13.54x
Fugglestone St Peter 6 1276.60x
Idmiston 5 1851.85x
Aston 4 4.25x
Barford St Martin 4 1818.18x
Bexhill 4 350.88x
Llanboidy 4 555.56x
Shoreditch London 4 6.81x
Winterslow 4 1000.00x
Cheltenham 3 14.62x
Fisherton Anger 3 135.14x
Teddington London 3 97.72x
Woolbeding 3 1764.71x
Abingdon St Helen 2 67.11x
Butleigh 2 555.56x
Clapham 2 11.80x
Eastbourne 2 19.01x
Hewelsfield 2 1052.63x
Salisbury St Martin 2 160.00x
St Thomas Winchester 2 102.04x
Tormoham 2 16.75x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.70x
Great Wishford 1 588.24x
Hackney London 1 1.32x
Holy Rood 1 178.57x
Kensington London 1 1.33x
Newent 1 74.07x
Portsea 1 1.84x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 105.26x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.19x
Stapleton 1 19.84x
Ventnor 1 37.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Henry 10
John 7
George 5
William 5
Alfred 4
Harry 4
James 4
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Arthur 1
Bertrand 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.E. 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Chalke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chalke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 139 people were recorded with the Chalke surname. That placed it at #16,228 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chalke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016. That gives Chalke a modern rank of #15,286.

What does the Chalke surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name, likely originating from Chilcombe, England.

What does the Chalke map show?

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