UK surname
A surname derived from the archaic English word meaning a garment that hangs loosely from the shoulders.
In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Cloak surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 52, ranked #34,780, down from #18,412 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Pillaton and Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cloak is 161 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 54.0%.
1881 census count
113
Ranked #18,412
Modern count
52
2016, ranked #34,780
Peak year
1851
161 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cloak surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cloak surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 161 | #12,288 |
| 1861 | historical | 102 | #20,797 |
| 1881 | historical | 113 | #18,412 |
| 1891 | historical | 127 | #20,496 |
| 1901 | historical | 98 | #23,119 |
| 1911 | historical | 94 | #23,391 |
| 1997 | modern | 51 | #32,545 |
| 1998 | modern | 50 | #32,899 |
| 1999 | modern | 48 | #33,233 |
| 2000 | modern | 50 | #33,087 |
| 2001 | modern | 49 | #33,048 |
| 2002 | modern | 47 | #33,548 |
| 2003 | modern | 46 | #33,710 |
| 2004 | modern | 47 | #33,819 |
| 2005 | modern | 44 | #34,255 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 51 | #34,272 |
| 2008 | modern | 52 | #34,381 |
| 2009 | modern | 52 | #34,544 |
| 2010 | modern | 48 | #34,946 |
| 2011 | modern | 52 | #34,688 |
| 2012 | modern | 54 | #34,608 |
| 2013 | modern | 53 | #34,715 |
| 2014 | modern | 51 | #34,865 |
| 2015 | modern | 54 | #34,675 |
| 2016 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Pillaton, Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Bideford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Pillaton | Cornwall |
| 3 | Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh | Kent |
| 4 | St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Bideford | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cloak surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cloak, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cloak surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cloak household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cloak is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cloak is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cloak, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname CLOAK is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'cloc' meaning a bell or a cloak. It first appeared in records during the 13th century, with early spellings including Clok, Cloke, and Cloake.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, a legal document dated 1292, which mentions a John Cloke. The name is also present in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1301, listing a Robert Clok.
In the 14th century, the surname is found in various records across England, such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327, which lists a Richard Cloke. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a John Cloke of Cambridgeshire.
The CLOAK surname may have originated from occupation or location. It could have been given to someone who worked as a maker or seller of cloaks, or it may have derived from a place name containing the word 'cloak' or a related term.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Cloke (c. 1350 - 1415), a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
Another notable figure was Sir William Cloke (c. 1460 - 1537), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of London in the early 16th century. He was involved in the construction of the famous Cloak Lane in London, which may have been named after him or his family.
In the 17th century, Edward Cloak (1621 - 1677) was an English clergyman and author, known for his works on theology and philosophy.
During the 18th century, John Cloak (1743 - 1819) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.
In the 19th century, Thomas Cloak (1818 - 1896) was a prominent Australian politician and landowner, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cloak surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 31 Cloaks recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.84x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 31 | 24.84x |
| Devon | 21 | 9.15x |
| Kent | 16 | 4.25x |
| Yorkshire | 12 | 1.10x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 4.04x |
| Northamptonshire | 5 | 4.82x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 0.31x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 0.36x |
| Surrey | 4 | 0.74x |
| Sussex | 3 | 1.61x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.61x |
| Glamorgan | 2 | 1.04x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.89x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.46x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 8 Cloaks recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.58x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Deptford St Paul | 8 | 27.58x |
| Quethiock | 8 | 4444.44x |
| Tavistock | 8 | 306.51x |
| Budock | 7 | 744.68x |
| Clifton In York | 7 | 307.02x |
| Standard Hill | 6 | 1714.29x |
| Falmouth | 5 | 113.12x |
| Hythe St Leonard | 5 | 375.94x |
| Kettering | 5 | 119.33x |
| Landrake | 5 | 1785.71x |
| Barnstaple | 3 | 83.33x |
| Hartland | 3 | 422.54x |
| Mylor | 3 | 357.14x |
| Spitalfields London | 3 | 36.19x |
| York St Maurice | 3 | 145.63x |
| Aberavon | 2 | 112.99x |
| Bermondsey | 2 | 6.10x |
| Cheetham | 2 | 20.49x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 2 | 19.78x |
| Portsea | 2 | 4.52x |
| St Teath | 2 | 266.67x |
| Alverdiscott | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Bexhill | 1 | 107.53x |
| Charlton Next Woolwich | 1 | 25.51x |
| East Portlemouth | 1 | 833.33x |
| Fulham London | 1 | 6.25x |
| Hartlepool | 1 | 21.46x |
| Horwood | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Iden | 1 | 476.19x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.04x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.26x |
| Marden | 1 | 113.64x |
| Newington | 1 | 2.46x |
| Paignton | 1 | 57.14x |
| Pennington In Leigh | 1 | 39.84x |
| Rye | 1 | 56.50x |
| St Stephens By Saltash | 1 | 185.19x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 6.23x |
| West Ham | 1 | 2.08x |
| Westoe | 1 | 5.38x |
| Woolwich | 1 | 7.20x |
| York Minster Yard W | 1 | 400.00x |
| York St Mary | 1 | 22.12x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cloak surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cloak surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Cloak households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 17 |
| Ag Lab Son | 4 |
| Annuitant | 4 |
| Dressmaker | 4 |
| No Occupation | 4 |
| Ag Lab | 3 |
| Domestic Servant | 3 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| No Profession | 2 |
| Ag Lab Wife | 1 |
| Ag Laborer | 1 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Blacksmith At Kiln Wks | 1 |
| Carrier | 1 |
| Chair Caner | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Dealer | 1 |
| Driver Of Horse & Cart (Agri) | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Farm Serv Indoor | 1 |
| Farm Serv To Mr Pollard (Indoor) | 1 |
| Gardener (N D) | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Laborer (Naval Pensioner) | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Grocer Employing 8 Men | 1 |
| Grocers Clerk | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Laborer Unemployed | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Milliner | 1 |
| No Occ | 1 |
| Pauper | 1 |
| Pawnbroker | 1 |
| Police Constable | 1 |
| Serv | 1 |
| Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Servt | 1 |
| Sewing Machinist | 1 |
| Shipwright | 1 |
| Sign & Glass Writer (Paint) | 1 |
| Washerwoman | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Cloak surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 52 in 2016. That gives Cloak a modern rank of #34,780.
A surname derived from the archaic English word meaning a garment that hangs loosely from the shoulders.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cloak bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.