NameCensus.

UK surname

Darker

A surname derived from a descriptive nickname referring to a person with a dark or swarthy complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Darker surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 329, ranked #13,798, down from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barrow-on-Soar, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, North Kesteven and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Darker is 356 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.8%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

329

2016, ranked #13,798

Peak year

1998

356 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Darker had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 329 in 2016, ranked #13,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Darker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Darker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Darker 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 208 #10,107
1861 historical 346 #7,377
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 334 #10,198
1901 historical 259 #12,848
1911 historical 251 #12,870
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 356 #12,399
1999 modern 349 #12,638
2000 modern 327 #13,164
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 330 #13,140
2003 modern 325 #13,104
2004 modern 340 #12,707
2005 modern 320 #13,243
2006 modern 309 #13,633
2007 modern 315 #13,593
2008 modern 316 #13,661
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 340 #13,498
2011 modern 342 #13,314
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 332 #13,713
2014 modern 348 #13,320
2015 modern 343 #13,365
2016 modern 329 #13,798

Geography

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Where Darkers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barrow-on-Soar, London parishes, St Pancras, Nottingham St Mary and Kettering. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, North Kesteven, North Lincolnshire, Herefordshire and Milton Keynes. 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 Barrow-on-Soar Leicestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Kettering Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 006 Kettering
2 North Kesteven 008 North Kesteven
3 North Lincolnshire 013 North Lincolnshire
4 Herefordshire 022 Herefordshire, County of
5 Milton Keynes 027 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Darker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Darker

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Darker is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Darker 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

Darker falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Darker

The surname Darker originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "deorc," meaning dark or swarthy, which was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a dark complexion or hair color.

The earliest recorded instances of the Darker surname can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1273, a William Darker was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, an ancient record of landowners and their properties. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, which listed a John Darker as a taxpayer.

During the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Derker, Derkere, and Derkare, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. One notable bearer of the name was Robert Darker, a landowner in Lincolnshire, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334.

In the 15th century, the surname Darker was found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Lincolnshire. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Darker, who was born in York around 1420 and served as a clerk in the city's guild.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable Darker families. In 1583, John Darker was recorded as a merchant in the city of Bristol, trading goods with other European countries. Another individual, William Darker (1547-1617), was a renowned scholar and clergyman who served as the rector of Bourne Abbey in Lincolnshire.

During the 17th century, the Darker surname continued to spread across England. One remarkable figure was Robert Darker (1612-1688), a Puritan minister who emigrated to New England in 1635 and became a prominent religious leader in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

As the centuries passed, the Darker surname continued to be found in various regions of England, with some families relocating to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. Notable bearers of the name include Sir John Darker (1785-1857), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and Thomas Darker (1819-1892), a renowned English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Darker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Darker 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. Northamptonshire leads with 49 Darkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.84x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 49 29.84x
Leicestershire 29 14.98x
Middlesex 28 1.60x
Nottinghamshire 24 10.20x
Yorkshire 9 0.52x
Hampshire 7 1.96x
Surrey 7 0.82x
Derbyshire 6 2.19x
Lincolnshire 5 1.79x
Bedfordshire 3 3.32x
Lancashire 2 0.10x
Merionethshire 2 6.26x
Rutland 2 15.60x
Staffordshire 2 0.34x
Cardiganshire 1 2.35x
Devon 1 0.28x
Gloucestershire 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 21 Darkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.50x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 21 34.50x
Ecton 10 2702.70x
Brington 9 1836.73x
Kettering 9 135.54x
St Pancras London 9 6.40x
Fareham 7 162.79x
Markfield 7 729.17x
Aylestone 6 392.16x
Hasland 6 215.83x
Quorndon 6 550.46x
Kensington London 5 5.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 14.23x
Ratby 4 412.37x
Ardsley 3 150.75x
Bingley 3 27.22x
Carlton Le Moorland 3 1578.95x
Chelsea London 3 5.70x
Dallington 3 309.28x
Northampton Priory St 3 30.46x
Shoreditch London 3 3.96x
Ampthill 2 148.15x
Arnold 2 58.14x
Brightside Bierlow 2 5.89x
Clerkenwell London 2 4.85x
Hugglescote 2 70.18x
Leicester St Martin 2 153.85x
Rockingham 2 1428.57x
Sywell 2 1428.57x
West Haddon 2 377.36x
Westminster St Margaret 2 23.75x
Winwick In Daventry 2 1818.18x
Aberystwith 1 27.25x
Battersea 1 1.56x
Cheadle 1 35.34x
Clist St George 1 625.00x
Dolgelley 1 42.02x
Edith Weston 1 476.19x
Gretton 1 200.00x
Hackney London 1 1.02x
Handsworth 1 6.88x
Harpole 1 200.00x
Harston 1 1000.00x
Islington London 1 0.59x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.89x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.12x
Liverpool 1 0.79x
Llanfor 1 113.64x
Long Buckby 1 65.79x
Metheringham 1 89.29x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 11.96x
Potsgrove 1 833.33x
Seaton 1 526.32x
Skircoat 1 14.66x
Snenton 1 10.81x
Spratton 1 204.08x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.25x
St Maryle Wigford 1 46.08x
St Marylebone London 1 1.07x
Stroud 1 15.02x
Warkton 1 625.00x
West Derby 1 1.65x
Westerham 1 72.99x
Weston Favell 1 303.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Emma 7
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 6
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Ann 3
Harriet 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizh. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Karan 1
Louisa 1
M.Hetty 1
Mancey 1
Margret 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Miriana 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Sue 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Tabitha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 14
George 10
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Eli 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Amiah 1
Amos 1
Caroline 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
Fredc. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Jack 1
Laurence 1
Obabil 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Solomon 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Darker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Darker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Darker surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Darker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 329 in 2016. That gives Darker a modern rank of #13,798.

What does the Darker surname mean?

A surname derived from a descriptive nickname referring to a person with a dark or swarthy complexion.

What does the Darker map show?

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