NameCensus.

UK surname

Chalker

A surname derived from the occupation of making or selling chalk.

In the 1881 census there were 421 people recorded with the Chalker surname, ranking it #7,681 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 382, ranked #12,292, down from #7,681 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Upway, London parishes and Keinton Mansfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Weymouth and Portland and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chalker is 482 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.3%.

1881 census count

421

Ranked #7,681

Modern count

382

2016, ranked #12,292

Peak year

1911

482 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chalker had 421 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,681 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 382 in 2016, ranked #12,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 482 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Chalker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chalker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chalker 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 315 #7,347
1861 historical 293 #8,589
1881 historical 421 #7,681
1891 historical 406 #8,765
1901 historical 443 #8,804
1911 historical 482 #8,054
1997 modern 388 #11,255
1998 modern 394 #11,474
1999 modern 403 #11,382
2000 modern 391 #11,591
2001 modern 383 #11,580
2002 modern 400 #11,443
2003 modern 390 #11,467
2004 modern 388 #11,539
2005 modern 375 #11,752
2006 modern 373 #11,854
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 364 #12,328
2009 modern 363 #12,602
2010 modern 357 #13,036
2011 modern 366 #12,667
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 393 #12,085
2014 modern 398 #12,048
2015 modern 388 #12,188
2016 modern 382 #12,292

Geography

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Where Chalkers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Upway, London parishes, Keinton Mansfield, Melcombe Regis and Walcott, Charlcome. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Weymouth and Portland, Winchester and West Dorset. 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 Upway Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Keinton Mansfield Somerset
4 Melcombe Regis Dorset
5 Walcott, Charlcome Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 073 Cornwall
2 Weymouth and Portland 003 Weymouth and Portland
3 Winchester 008 Winchester
4 West Dorset 011 West Dorset
5 Weymouth and Portland 004 Weymouth and Portland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chalker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chalker

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Chalker 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

Chalker is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chalker falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chalker

The surname Chalker originated in England, specifically in the county of Gloucestershire. It dates back to the 13th century and is derived from the Old English word "chalker," which referred to a worker who dug and processed chalk or lime.

The earliest known record of the name Chalker appears in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, where it is spelled "le Chalker." This suggests that the name was initially an occupational surname given to someone whose primary trade was working with chalk or limestone.

In the 14th century, the name is found in various forms, such as "Chalker," "Chalkere," and "Chalkour," in various tax records and court rolls from Gloucestershire and neighboring counties like Wiltshire and Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Chalker was John Chalker, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327. Another early record is that of William Chalker, who was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1332.

The name Chalker is also found in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, which were lists of individuals who swore allegiance to the Protestant religion. This includes entries for Thomas Chalker of Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, and William Chalker of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

In the 17th century, the surname Chalker began to spread beyond its initial stronghold in the southwest of England. Notable individuals from this period include Robert Chalker (1601-1672), a prominent merchant and landowner from Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and John Chalker (1636-1699), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Wilton, Wiltshire.

By the 18th century, the Chalker surname had become well-established across various parts of England. Some notable individuals from this period include Thomas Chalker (1717-1789), a renowned clockmaker from London, and Elizabeth Chalker (1744-1824), a writer and poet from Bath, Somerset.

Other notable individuals with the surname Chalker over the centuries include Sir Thomas Chalker (1809-1890), a British politician and Member of Parliament, and John Armstrong Chalker (1838-1917), a renowned architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chalker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chalker 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. Dorset leads with 82 Chalkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.14x.

County Total Index
Dorset 82 30.14x
Somerset 71 10.64x
Middlesex 56 1.35x
Surrey 33 1.63x
Norfolk 29 4.55x
Yorkshire 20 0.49x
Cornwall 15 3.20x
Devon 15 1.74x
Gloucestershire 13 1.60x
Hampshire 12 1.41x
Sussex 12 1.72x
Suffolk 10 1.98x
Kent 8 0.57x
Monmouthshire 5 1.67x
Renfrewshire 5 1.56x
Staffordshire 5 0.36x
Channel Islands 4 3.26x
Lancashire 4 0.08x
Oxfordshire 4 1.56x
Essex 3 0.37x
Leicestershire 3 0.65x
Midlothian 3 0.54x
Wiltshire 3 0.82x
Cumberland 2 0.56x
Northumberland 2 0.32x
Warwickshire 2 0.19x
Berkshire 1 0.32x
Hertfordshire 1 0.35x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.18x
Royal Navy 1 2.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keinton Mandeville in Somerset leads with 39 Chalkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5131.58x.

Place Total Index
Keinton Mandeville 39 5131.58x
Hammersmith London 19 18.61x
Upway 18 1747.57x
Halifax 13 21.56x
Lambeth 12 3.32x
Islington London 10 2.49x
Melcombe Regis 10 88.65x
Walcot 10 28.14x
Broadway 9 833.33x
Mile End New Town London 9 109.89x
Netherbury 9 400.00x
Heigham 8 23.39x
Liskeard 8 101.91x
Starston 8 1111.11x
Walberton 8 919.54x
Madron Penzance 7 41.01x
Melbury Bubb 7 3333.33x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 10.53x
Battersea 6 3.93x
Hemsworth 6 254.24x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 6 111.73x
Westbury On Trym 6 21.78x
Bungay Holy Trinity 5 193.05x
Darlaston 5 25.85x
Edenbridge 5 180.51x
Portsea 5 3.00x
Radipole 5 265.96x
Southampton St Mary 5 9.36x
St Woollos 5 14.95x
Wareham St Martin 5 480.77x
West Greenock 5 8.67x
Weston 5 97.47x
Weymouth 5 97.09x
Beccles 4 49.20x
Bristol St Augustine 4 30.49x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 20.24x
Spitalfields London 4 12.83x
St George Hanover Square 4 5.48x
St Helier 4 10.00x
Street 4 110.80x
Wandsworth 4 10.02x
Codford St Peter 3 666.67x
Edinburgh Greenside 3 40.87x
Great Yarmouth 3 5.68x
Loughborough 3 14.38x
Newington 3 1.96x
Preston 3 303.03x
Sculthorpe 3 361.45x
St Luke London 3 4.51x
Warborough 3 306.12x
West Ham 3 1.66x
Wimborne 3 91.19x
Bath St James 2 28.74x
Beckenham 2 10.82x
Coventry St Michael 2 5.96x
Cuddington 2 256.41x
Eaglesfield Abbey 2 2222.22x
Hove 2 6.52x
Liverpool 2 0.67x
Marston Magna 2 465.12x
North Sunderland 2 141.84x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 2 51.55x
Poole St James 2 19.57x
Shipton George 2 454.55x
St Pancras London 2 0.60x
Streatham 2 6.50x
Willand 2 416.67x
Acton 1 4.12x
Ashburton 1 24.21x
Belton 1 112.36x
Camberwell 1 0.38x
Caversham 1 19.53x
Croydon 1 0.89x
Fordington 1 17.06x
Frome Vauchurch 1 588.24x
Putney 1 5.29x
Sandhurst 1 16.58x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 21.05x
Stratton St Mary 1 113.64x
Wimbledon 1 4.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 26
Jane 11
Emma 10
Sarah 10
Emily 9
Annie 8
Ada 7
Harriet 7
Ellen 6
Louisa 6
Sophia 6
Ann 5
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Kate 4
Amelia 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Celia 2
Eleanor 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Susanna 2
Amilea 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bithia 1
Clara 1
Clare 1
Dinah 1
Elizebeth 1
Ethel 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Isabelle 1
Lane 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
Lily 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Thirsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 21
James 14
Charles 11
Alfred 10
George 10
Henry 10
Albert 7
Frederick 5
Joseph 5
Richard 5
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Horace 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Oliver 2
Charle 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Clifford 1
Cyrus 1
Dan 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Japheth 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Ralph 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Victor 1
W. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Chalker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chalker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 421 people were recorded with the Chalker surname. That placed it at #7,681 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chalker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 382 in 2016. That gives Chalker a modern rank of #12,292.

What does the Chalker surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of making or selling chalk.

What does the Chalker map show?

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