NameCensus.

UK surname

Dukes

Derived from the noble title of duke, indicating an ancestor who was a ruler or high-ranking nobleman.

In the 1881 census there were 1,115 people recorded with the Dukes surname, ranking it #3,577 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,517, ranked #4,078, down from #3,577 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, Walsall and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dukes is 1,586 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

1,115

Ranked #3,577

Modern count

1,517

2016, ranked #4,078

Peak year

2010

1,586 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dukes had 1,115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,577 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,517 in 2016, ranked #4,078.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,436 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dukes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dukes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dukes 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 773 #3,457
1861 historical 977 #2,846
1881 historical 1,115 #3,577
1891 historical 1,270 #3,401
1901 historical 1,310 #3,812
1911 historical 1,436 #3,369
1997 modern 1,486 #3,938
1998 modern 1,533 #3,975
1999 modern 1,566 #3,935
2000 modern 1,527 #4,001
2001 modern 1,503 #3,975
2002 modern 1,564 #3,939
2003 modern 1,511 #3,977
2004 modern 1,503 #3,987
2005 modern 1,459 #4,052
2006 modern 1,467 #4,042
2007 modern 1,491 #4,018
2008 modern 1,518 #3,979
2009 modern 1,565 #3,957
2010 modern 1,586 #3,987
2011 modern 1,576 #3,965
2012 modern 1,523 #4,023
2013 modern 1,567 #3,986
2014 modern 1,555 #4,036
2015 modern 1,542 #4,022
2016 modern 1,517 #4,078

Geography

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Where Dukes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Oldswinford and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, Walsall, Swansea and Dudley. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
2 Walsall 010 Walsall
3 Walsall 021 Walsall
4 Swansea 002 Swansea
5 Dudley 035 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dukes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dukes

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

Dukes is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dukes falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dukes

The surname DUKES is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "duc" which translates to "duke" or "leader." The name initially referred to someone who held the prestigious title of duke or was in service to a duke.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "le Duc" and "de Duc." These early spellings suggest that the name was initially used as a descriptive byname for someone associated with a duke or ducal household.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the name began to appear in various records across England, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Dukes" in Oxfordshire. During this time, the name also started to be adopted as a hereditary surname by families who had previously used it as a descriptive byname.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Dukes (c. 1350-1412), a prominent English knight and landowner from Gloucestershire. He served as a member of Parliament and fought in the Hundred Years' War under King Edward III.

Another early example is John Dukes (c. 1470-1544), a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London during the reign of Henry VIII. He was a benefactor of several churches and charitable institutions in the capital.

In the 16th century, the name DUKES was also found in the parish records of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. One entry from 1596 mentions a John Dukes, who may have been a contemporary of the famous playwright.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a prominent Royalist soldier named Sir Robert Dukes (1609-1680) fought for King Charles I. He was knighted for his military service and later became a Member of Parliament.

Another noteworthy figure was Sir Samuel Dukes (1738-1815), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was awarded several honors for his distinguished service.

Over the centuries, the surname DUKES has been associated with various localities across England, such as Dukes Priory in Essex and Dukes Wood in Buckinghamshire, further reinforcing its connection to noble or influential individuals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dukes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dukes 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. Middlesex leads with 193 Dukes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 193 1.79x
Staffordshire 193 5.29x
Yorkshire 184 1.72x
Warwickshire 82 3.01x
Hampshire 69 3.12x
Worcestershire 52 3.69x
Wiltshire 32 3.35x
Kent 30 0.81x
Surrey 30 0.57x
Lancashire 26 0.20x
Somerset 26 1.50x
Nottinghamshire 21 1.44x
Essex 19 0.89x
Cheshire 17 0.71x
Bedfordshire 15 2.68x
Sussex 15 0.82x
Devon 14 0.62x
Buckinghamshire 13 1.99x
Monmouthshire 12 1.54x
Derbyshire 10 0.59x
Hertfordshire 10 1.34x
Shropshire 8 0.86x
Durham 6 0.19x
Herefordshire 5 1.13x
Lincolnshire 5 0.29x
Glamorgan 4 0.21x
Lanarkshire 4 0.11x
Kinross-shire 3 10.99x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.46x
Suffolk 2 0.15x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 37 Dukes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.93x.

Place Total Index
Aston 37 4.93x
St Pancras London 34 3.91x
Birmingham 33 3.64x
Stourbridge 20 55.13x
Brockenhurst 19 496.08x
Mile End Old Town London 18 7.83x
Bethnal Green London 16 3.41x
Holy Trinity 16 6.22x
Rugeley 16 61.16x
Wolstanton 16 14.45x
Yoxall 16 332.64x
Luton 15 15.50x
Portsea 15 3.46x
Sculcoates 15 8.84x
Worksop 15 34.75x
Willenhall 14 20.51x
Wednesbury 13 14.27x
Amblecote 12 115.50x
Charlton Musgrove 12 794.70x
Chelsea London 12 3.69x
Islington London 12 1.15x
St Giles In Fields London 12 22.65x
Paddington London 11 2.77x
Wolstanton Chatterly 11 294.12x
Wombwell 11 35.26x
Aylesbury 10 34.57x
Beverley St Martin 10 55.99x
Pelsall 10 92.25x
Tipton 10 8.96x
Trevethin 10 13.56x
Walsall Foreign 10 5.31x
Walthamstow 10 13.03x
Hornsea 9 132.55x
Kingswinford 9 6.80x
North Brewham 9 1071.43x
St Marylebone London 9 1.56x
Bridlington 8 32.65x
East Knoyle 8 246.15x
Hackney London 8 1.32x
Lambeth 8 0.85x
Manley 8 707.96x
Newport 8 66.61x
North South Anston 8 170.94x
Scagglethorpe 8 851.06x
Scarborough 8 8.23x
Stoke Damerel 8 5.09x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 7 66.16x
Brighton 7 1.91x
Dudley 7 4.08x
Hindon 7 341.46x
Plumstead 7 5.70x
Rugby 7 19.00x
Salisbury St Thomas 7 92.47x
South Stoneham 7 14.58x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.22x
St George In East London 7 6.89x
Washington 7 224.36x
Watford 7 12.13x
Brightside Bierlow 6 2.86x
Cradley 6 47.06x
Enfield 6 8.47x
Eston 6 25.74x
Handsworth 6 6.68x
Kearsley 6 22.26x
Ormesby 6 20.86x
West Bromwich 6 2.88x
Acomb 5 89.45x
Ampleforth Oswaldkirk 5 467.29x
Barton Under Needwood 5 75.53x
Cannock 5 7.86x
Chatham 5 4.93x
Cottingham 5 21.68x
Croydon 5 1.71x
Kings Norton 5 3.95x
Leyton Low 5 11.54x
Lichfield St Michael 5 43.71x
Monks Coppenhall 5 5.56x
Plymouth Charles The 5 5.05x
Stockley 5 122.85x
Tonge With Haulgh 5 20.05x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 88
John 71
George 53
Thomas 43
James 32
Charles 26
Henry 17
Frederick 15
Arthur 13
Joseph 13
Robert 13
Alfred 12
Edward 9
Albert 8
David 8
Richard 8
Daniel 6
Edwin 6
Francis 6
Harry 6
Mark 6
Walter 6
Benjamin 5
Frank 5
Samuel 5
Fred 4
Edwd. 3
Ernest 3
Clement 2
Herbert 2
Julian 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Wm.Wilson 2
Augustus 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Edgar 1
Elias 1
Enoch 1
Esquire 1
Everard 1
Freden 1
Hezekiah 1
Hillary 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Jas.Robt. 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Young 1

FAQ

Dukes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dukes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,115 people were recorded with the Dukes surname. That placed it at #3,577 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dukes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,517 in 2016. That gives Dukes a modern rank of #4,078.

What does the Dukes surname mean?

Derived from the noble title of duke, indicating an ancestor who was a ruler or high-ranking nobleman.

What does the Dukes map show?

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