NameCensus.

UK surname

Corker

A surname referring to someone who made or sold corks.

In the 1881 census there were 732 people recorded with the Corker surname, ranking it #4,995 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,062, ranked #5,497, down from #4,995 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Barnsley and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corker is 1,081 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.1%.

1881 census count

732

Ranked #4,995

Modern count

1,062

2016, ranked #5,497

Peak year

1999

1,081 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corker had 732 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,995 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,062 in 2016, ranked #5,497.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 918 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Corker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corker surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corker 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 460 #5,388
1861 historical 528 #4,969
1881 historical 732 #4,995
1891 historical 710 #5,533
1901 historical 898 #5,154
1911 historical 918 #4,875
1997 modern 1,029 #5,355
1998 modern 1,078 #5,343
1999 modern 1,081 #5,359
2000 modern 1,062 #5,418
2001 modern 1,030 #5,460
2002 modern 1,017 #5,616
2003 modern 989 #5,642
2004 modern 1,005 #5,574
2005 modern 998 #5,562
2006 modern 1,013 #5,503
2007 modern 1,034 #5,463
2008 modern 1,058 #5,392
2009 modern 1,062 #5,494
2010 modern 1,067 #5,574
2011 modern 1,052 #5,580
2012 modern 1,044 #5,523
2013 modern 1,044 #5,643
2014 modern 1,067 #5,553
2015 modern 1,062 #5,527
2016 modern 1,062 #5,497

Geography

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Where Corkers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Sheffield, Frodsham and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Barnsley, Sheffield and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Frodsham Cheshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 026 County Durham
2 Barnsley 013 Barnsley
3 Sheffield 009 Sheffield
4 Barnsley 029 Barnsley
5 Derbyshire Dales 005 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corker

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Corker 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

Corker is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Corker 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 Corker 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 Corker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Corker

The surname "CORKER" is of English origin, derived from an occupational name for a maker or seller of corks. It is first recorded in the early 14th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1313 as "William le Corkere".

The name is derived from the Old English word "corc" meaning "bark", specifically the bark used to make bottle stoppers or corks. This suggests that early bearers of this surname were likely involved in the cork-making trade or worked with bark in some capacity.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a "John le Corker" is listed. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of England by the early 14th century.

In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, a "Richard le Corker" is mentioned, providing another early example of the surname in a different region of England. This suggests that the name was becoming more widely distributed throughout the country during this time period.

By the 16th century, the surname had evolved to its modern spelling of "CORKER". One notable bearer of this name was William Corker, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich, who lived from 1532 to 1604.

Another historical figure with the surname "CORKER" was John Corker, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who was born in 1628 and served as the rector of Mancetter in Warwickshire.

In the 18th century, the name can be found in various records, including the marriage of Thomas Corker to Mary Pickering in Rotherham, Yorkshire, in 1743. This highlights the continued presence of the surname in its traditional strongholds in the north of England.

One of the most notable figures with the surname "CORKER" was James Corker, an English architect who lived from 1783 to 1849. He was responsible for the design of several important buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Church of St. George's in Bloomsbury.

Another individual of note was William Corker, a 19th-century English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club between 1849 and 1853. He was born in 1822 and played as a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corker 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. Yorkshire leads with 333 Corkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.71x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 333 4.71x
Cheshire 128 8.12x
Lancashire 83 0.98x
Middlesex 52 0.73x
Durham 40 1.88x
Derbyshire 29 2.59x
Essex 13 0.92x
Kent 13 0.53x
Surrey 13 0.37x
Glamorgan 8 0.64x
Staffordshire 8 0.33x
Hampshire 3 0.21x
Worcestershire 3 0.32x
Devon 2 0.13x
Hertfordshire 2 0.41x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Handsworth in Yorkshire leads with 41 Corkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 219.13x.

Place Total Index
Handsworth 41 219.13x
Frodsham 36 589.20x
Brightside Bierlow 32 23.06x
Sheffield 28 12.43x
Ecclesall Bierlow 26 18.07x
Barnsley 25 34.26x
Kimberworth 24 61.12x
Urpeth 23 555.56x
Leeds 17 4.25x
Runcorn 17 46.78x
Ripon 14 85.26x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 13 19.72x
Knaresborough 13 117.01x
Leftwich 13 185.71x
Preston 12 5.29x
Salford 12 4.82x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 11 45.45x
West Ham 11 3.53x
Birkenhead 10 7.96x
Manchester 9 2.36x
Potter Newton 9 72.12x
St Pancras London 9 1.57x
Bold 8 380.95x
Chelsea London 8 3.72x
Dronfield 8 55.83x
Holbeck 8 17.06x
Islington London 8 1.16x
Limehouse London 8 10.21x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 8 305.34x
Stayley 8 44.40x
Denaby 7 175.00x
Dukinfield 7 9.61x
Felliscliffe 7 875.00x
Garston 7 27.99x
Lostock Gralam 7 368.42x
Lynesack Softley 7 121.95x
Mexborough 7 49.86x
Stockton On Tees 7 6.84x
Thornton In Bradford 7 29.72x
Warrington 7 6.97x
Whitwell 7 157.30x
Wolverhampton 7 3.78x
Brampton 6 38.39x
Chapel Allerton 6 56.66x
Norton 6 65.15x
Oldham 6 2.19x
Plumstead 6 7.39x
Southcoates 6 15.27x
Weston In Runcorn 6 146.34x
Bermondsey 5 2.35x
Bow London 5 5.50x
Dylais Higher 5 240.38x
Hartford 5 140.06x
Hunslet 5 4.53x
Lewisham 5 3.85x
Rusholme 5 22.12x
Stretford 5 10.73x
Tranmere 5 8.63x
Broughton In Salford 4 5.16x
Tooting Graveney 4 41.32x
Castle Northwich 3 57.47x
Halton 3 85.23x
Kensington London 3 0.76x
Kirkdale 3 2.10x
Mile End Old Town London 3 1.97x
Normanton 3 14.11x
Oldbury 3 6.54x
Rotherham 3 7.52x
Shoreditch London 3 0.97x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 3 21.38x
Ardwick 2 2.62x
Briton Ferry 2 13.49x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 14.79x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.06x
Derby St Werburgh 2 3.10x
Gateshead 2 1.26x
Rokeby 2 416.67x
St Albans St Michael 2 36.36x
Stock 2 133.33x
Westminster St James 2 2.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 65
Elizabeth 32
Sarah 30
Ann 22
Hannah 14
Alice 13
Jane 13
Eliza 12
Emily 11
Ellen 10
Emma 9
Annie 8
Harriet 7
Charlotte 6
Martha 6
Ada 5
Louisa 5
Clara 4
Frances 4
Margaret 4
Susan 4
Betsy 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Minnie 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Matilda 2
Nancy 2
Anne 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ethelwyn 1
Eva 1
Kerzia 1
Kezia 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Louie 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 43
Thomas 36
Joseph 31
George 23
James 20
Henry 18
Alfred 13
Samuel 13
Arthur 9
Charles 8
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Robert 7
Albert 6
Richard 6
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Edwin 3
Walter 3
Adam 2
Alfd. 2
David 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Mark 2
Richd. 2
Sam 2
Thos. 2
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Caleb 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Edwn. 1
Egbert 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Joe 1
Joel 1
Julius 1
Lewis 1
Louisa 1
Major 1
Reuben 1
Zenas 1

FAQ

Corker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 732 people were recorded with the Corker surname. That placed it at #4,995 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,062 in 2016. That gives Corker a modern rank of #5,497.

What does the Corker surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who made or sold corks.

What does the Corker map show?

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