NameCensus.

UK surname

Dawkes

In the 1881 census there were 224 people recorded with the Dawkes surname, ranking it #11,970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 282, ranked #15,406, down from #11,970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Denton, Rochdale and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford, Warwick and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dawkes is 363 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.9%.

1881 census count

224

Ranked #11,970

Modern count

282

2016, ranked #15,406

Peak year

1911

363 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dawkes had 224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 282 in 2016, ranked #15,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 363 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dawkes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dawkes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dawkes 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 224 #11,970
1891 historical 320 #10,546
1901 historical 346 #10,516
1911 historical 363 #10,005
1997 modern 299 #13,563
1998 modern 328 #13,100
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 325 #13,221
2001 modern 313 #13,361
2002 modern 309 #13,733
2003 modern 305 #13,662
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 282 #14,368
2006 modern 277 #14,667
2007 modern 281 #14,660
2008 modern 288 #14,537
2009 modern 289 #14,809
2010 modern 299 #14,769
2011 modern 294 #14,798
2012 modern 281 #15,198
2013 modern 289 #15,142
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 286 #15,270
2016 modern 282 #15,406

Geography

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Where Dawkes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Denton, Rochdale, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Leamington Priors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford, Warwick, Herefordshire, Huntingdonshire and Merthyr Tydfil. 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 Denton Northamptonshire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Leamington Priors Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 016 Stafford
2 Warwick 007 Warwick
3 Herefordshire 016 Herefordshire, County of
4 Huntingdonshire 015 Huntingdonshire
5 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dawkes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dawkes

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dawkes is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dawkes is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Dawkes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dawkes 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 78 Dawkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.78x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 78 37.78x
Warwickshire 22 3.97x
Surrey 15 1.40x
Huntingdonshire 12 27.54x
Hampshire 11 2.45x
Buckinghamshire 10 7.54x
Staffordshire 10 1.35x
Derbyshire 9 2.62x
Lancashire 9 0.35x
Gloucestershire 8 1.86x
Middlesex 8 0.36x
Cardiganshire 6 11.21x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.03x
Yorkshire 6 0.28x
Bedfordshire 3 2.64x
Devon 2 0.44x
Essex 2 0.46x
Leicestershire 2 0.82x
Oxfordshire 2 1.48x
Royal Navy 1 3.82x
Rutland 1 6.20x
Shropshire 1 0.53x
Worcestershire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leamington Priors in Warwickshire leads with 21 Dawkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 154.19x.

Place Total Index
Leamington Priors 21 154.19x
Denton 20 4878.05x
Croydon 11 18.53x
Vernham Dean 11 2444.44x
Northampton All Sts 10 142.65x
Ecton 9 1956.52x
Alfreton 8 76.63x
Great Staughton 8 941.18x
Moreton In Marsh 8 740.74x
Spotland 8 27.62x
Whiston 7 11666.67x
Brightside Bierlow 6 14.06x
Lampeterpont Stephen 6 666.67x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 57.14x
Pinxton 6 342.86x
Wolverhampton 6 10.53x
Earls Barton 4 227.27x
Hartwell 4 1052.63x
Paulerspury 4 465.12x
Ravenstone 4 1428.57x
Stafford St Mary 4 38.13x
Tottenham 4 11.44x
Warkworth 4 215.05x
Buckden 3 384.62x
Luton 3 15.25x
Newington 3 3.70x
Stoke Goldington 3 491.80x
Wellingborough 3 28.90x
Islip 2 444.44x
Leyton Low 2 22.70x
Newport Pagnell 2 72.20x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.68x
Shoreditch London 2 2.10x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.76x
Berrington 1 135.14x
Bradwell 1 53.48x
Broughton 1 454.55x
Church Gresley 1 18.28x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.93x
Cold Ashby 1 400.00x
Duston 1 53.48x
Great Doddington 1 222.22x
Great Malvern 1 16.72x
Hillingdon 1 14.29x
Kingsthorpe 1 43.67x
Leamington 1 27.25x
Leicester St Mary 1 5.09x
Northampton Priory St 1 8.07x
Northampton St Peter 1 80.00x
Richmond 1 6.67x
Royal Navy 1 4.47x
Tilton 1 526.32x
Towcester 1 46.95x
Uppingham 1 52.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 9
Emma 7
Ann 5
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Ellen 4
Louisa 4
Amelia 3
Jane 3
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elener 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helinor 1
Henrietta 1
Leah 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Mercy 1
Millie 1
Nelly 1
Phobe 1
Sophia 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
George 10
Henry 10
Charles 7
James 7
Harry 5
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
John 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
David 2
Joseph 2
Archilae 1
Bennett 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Edw.T. 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Josiah 1
Levi 1
Morriss 1
Silby 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Dawkes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dawkes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 224 people were recorded with the Dawkes surname. That placed it at #11,970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dawkes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 282 in 2016. That gives Dawkes a modern rank of #15,406.

What does the Dawkes map show?

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