NameCensus.

UK surname

Charnock

Surname deriving from a place name referring to an oak forest or location.

In the 1881 census there were 1,428 people recorded with the Charnock surname, ranking it #2,917 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,175, ranked #2,976, down from #2,917 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Wigan and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Charnock is 2,334 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.3%.

1881 census count

1,428

Ranked #2,917

Modern count

2,175

2016, ranked #2,976

Peak year

1999

2,334 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Charnock had 1,428 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,917 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,175 in 2016, ranked #2,976.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,076 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Charnock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Charnock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Charnock 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 1,050 #2,667
1861 historical 902 #3,070
1881 historical 1,428 #2,917
1891 historical 1,633 #2,742
1901 historical 1,907 #2,769
1911 historical 2,076 #2,405
1997 modern 2,220 #2,798
1998 modern 2,232 #2,883
1999 modern 2,334 #2,789
2000 modern 2,309 #2,794
2001 modern 2,258 #2,796
2002 modern 2,294 #2,819
2003 modern 2,243 #2,815
2004 modern 2,189 #2,879
2005 modern 2,134 #2,907
2006 modern 2,114 #2,937
2007 modern 2,128 #2,945
2008 modern 2,150 #2,946
2009 modern 2,227 #2,922
2010 modern 2,277 #2,922
2011 modern 2,198 #2,975
2012 modern 2,166 #2,957
2013 modern 2,202 #2,962
2014 modern 2,215 #2,961
2015 modern 2,198 #2,955
2016 modern 2,175 #2,976

Geography

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Where Charnocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Wigan, West Derby, Bradford and Ormskirk. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and West Lancashire. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ormskirk Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 005 Wigan
2 Wigan 014 Wigan
3 Wigan 010 Wigan
4 Wigan 015 Wigan
5 West Lancashire 003 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Charnock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Charnock

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Charnock, 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 Charnock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Charnock 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, Charnock 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

Charnock is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Charnock 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 Charnock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Charnock

The surname Charnock originated in the county of Lancashire, England, during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cærn" meaning a heap of rocks or cairn, and "ac" meaning oak tree. The name likely referred to a prominent oak tree near a cairn or rocky outcrop in the Charnock area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name comes from the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Cherenoc". This suggests the name was well-established in Lancashire before the Norman Conquest. Another early spelling variation was "Chernoc", found in records from the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the spelling evolved closer to its modern form, with instances of "Charnock" appearing in various Lancashire manorial records. The name was particularly associated with the Charnock Richard area, named after a prominent early bearer of the surname.

One notable historical figure with the Charnock surname was Robert Charnock (c. 1663-1696), a Jacobite supporter who was involved in the Assassination Plot against King William III. He was executed for treason in 1696. Another was Job Charnock (c. 1630-1693), an English trader and administrator who founded the city of Calcutta, India, in 1690.

In the 17th century, the Charnock family established themselves as landed gentry in Lancashire, with the Charnocks of Charnock Richard and the Charnocks of Holcroft being two prominent branches. Thomas Charnock (1658-1728) of the Charnock Richard line served as High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1711.

Other notable Charnocks include Sir Esmé William Charnock (1859-1936), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, and John Charnock (1756-1807), an English playwright and actor who authored several popular comedies in the late 18th century.

Throughout its history, the Charnock surname has maintained strong ties to its Lancashire roots, with many bearers continuing to reside in the county and surrounding areas of northern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Charnock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Charnock 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. Lancashire leads with 990 Charnocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.98x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 990 5.98x
Yorkshire 298 2.16x
Cheshire 39 1.27x
Middlesex 20 0.14x
Surrey 17 0.25x
Staffordshire 11 0.23x
Hampshire 8 0.28x
Durham 7 0.17x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 3.47x
Worcestershire 6 0.33x
Shropshire 5 0.41x
Warwickshire 4 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.17x
Northamptonshire 2 0.15x
Royal Navy 2 1.20x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.27x
Essex 1 0.04x
Flintshire 1 0.27x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.17x
Kent 1 0.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 61 Charnocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.60x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 61 12.60x
Ovenden 54 87.78x
Wigan 49 21.18x
Chorley 44 47.37x
Hindley 40 56.68x
Thornton In Bradford 37 80.40x
Halifax 36 17.74x
Ince In Makerfield 34 44.14x
Blackburn 32 7.27x
Little Bolton 32 15.04x
Pemberton 32 48.48x
Toxteth Park 32 5.71x
Warrington 31 15.80x
Scarisbrick 30 156.17x
Leeds 28 3.59x
Great Bolton 23 10.49x
Oswaldtwistle 23 39.33x
Bingley 22 24.99x
Northowram 22 22.70x
Preston 20 4.52x
Manchester 19 2.55x
Wheelton 19 256.41x
Liverpool 16 1.59x
Halsall 15 229.36x
Horton In Bradford 15 6.95x
Litherland 15 43.34x
Newton 15 11.76x
Dutton 14 1129.03x
Rainhill 14 131.95x
Castleton 13 7.86x
Atherton 12 19.92x
Walton On Hill 12 13.38x
Adlington 11 70.97x
Aspull 11 28.26x
Everton 11 2.09x
North Meols 11 6.79x
Wavertree 11 20.76x
Bowland Forest Low 10 689.66x
Bowling 10 7.30x
Standish With Langtree 10 49.07x
Worsbrough 10 24.69x
Abram 9 70.87x
Manningham 9 5.29x
Melling 9 234.99x
Over Darwen 9 6.81x
Rainford 9 50.28x
Anderton 8 512.82x
Clayton 8 23.65x
Halliwell 8 13.28x
Parr 8 13.51x
Salford 8 1.64x
Turton 8 29.52x
Westhoughton 8 18.11x
Dalton In Furness 7 10.96x
Gateshead 7 2.25x
Hulme 7 2.03x
Kirkby 7 104.48x
Leyland 7 24.31x
Monks Coppenhall 7 6.02x
Troqueer 7 26.43x
Fazakerley 6 233.46x
Haworth 6 18.26x
Kirkham 6 27.42x
Lancaster 6 6.09x
Layton With Warbreck 6 9.88x
Oldham 6 1.12x
Poulton Barre 6 31.86x
Tonge With Haulgh 6 18.62x
Upperswinford 6 38.94x
Winstanley 6 230.77x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 1.38x
Dukinfield 5 3.51x
Hambledon 5 51.81x
Lambeth 5 0.41x
Shoreditch London 5 0.83x
Skelmersdale 5 18.13x
Southworth With Croft 5 101.01x
Spotland 5 2.72x
Stillington 5 174.83x
Whittle Le Woods 5 91.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 132
Elizabeth 62
Sarah 52
Ellen 39
Alice 37
Ann 34
Margaret 34
Jane 26
Hannah 21
Martha 20
Emma 16
Annie 15
Catherine 12
Eliza 12
Emily 9
Isabella 9
Harriet 8
Grace 7
Maria 7
Agnes 5
Betty 5
Charlotte 5
Esther 5
Frances 5
Lucy 5
Margt. 5
Rachel 5
Ruth 5
Dinah 4
Eliz. 4
Margeret 4
Nancy 4
Amelia 3
Blanche 3
Deborah 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Gertrude 3
Louisa 3
Rebecca 3
Susannah 3
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Lavinia 2
Peggy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 114
James 66
Thomas 66
William 64
Richard 32
Joseph 31
George 30
Henry 28
Robert 19
Edward 15
Charles 12
David 9
Harry 9
Michael 8
Alfred 7
Roger 7
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Wm. 7
Frederick 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Robt. 4
Eli 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Hugh 3
Jonathan 3
Joshua 3
Mark 3
Peter 3
Richd. 3
Thos. 3
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Jos. 2
Leonard 2
Luke 2
Ralph 2
Wright 2
Bryan 1
Edwd. 1
Emanuel 1

FAQ

Charnock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Charnock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,428 people were recorded with the Charnock surname. That placed it at #2,917 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Charnock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,175 in 2016. That gives Charnock a modern rank of #2,976.

What does the Charnock surname mean?

Surname deriving from a place name referring to an oak forest or location.

What does the Charnock map show?

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