NameCensus.

UK surname

Fake

An English surname referring to someone deceitful or fraudulent.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Fake surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St James, King's Lynn St Margaret and Wortham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Dacorum and St Albans.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fake is 215 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.6%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

1911

215 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fake had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 215 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fake surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fake 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 118 #15,362
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 180 #16,143
1901 historical 193 #15,469
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 181 #18,763
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 201 #18,152
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 167 #20,901
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 170 #21,560
2011 modern 160 #22,282
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Fakes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St James, King's Lynn St Margaret, Wortham, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos 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 King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Dacorum, St Albans and Three Rivers. 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 St James Suffolk
2 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
3 Wortham Suffolk
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Dacorum 013 Dacorum
3 Dacorum 015 Dacorum
4 St Albans 008 St Albans
5 Three Rivers 001 Three Rivers

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fake

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fake, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Fake surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Fake household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Fake is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fake 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

Fake falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fake is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fake, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fake

The surname FAKE is believed to have originated in the regions of southern Germany and northern Switzerland during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old German word "fak," which means "enclosed field" or "small area of land." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived or worked on a small, enclosed piece of farmland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FAKE can be found in the Zürcher Bürgerbuch, a register of citizens in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, dating back to the late 15th century. In this document, the name is spelled as "Fakke," indicating a potential variation in the spelling over time.

The FAKE surname is also mentioned in several historical records from the region, including the Urkundenbuch der Stadt Basel, a collection of documents from the city of Basel, Switzerland, which dates back to the 13th century. In these records, the name is sometimes spelled as "Fack" or "Facke."

One notable figure with the surname FAKE was Hans Fake (1480-1542), a Swiss Protestant reformer and theologian who was a contemporary of Martin Luther. He played a significant role in the Reformation movement in Switzerland and was known for his writings and sermons advocating for religious reform.

Another individual of historical significance was Anna Fake (1540-1612), a German midwife and herbalist who was renowned for her knowledge of traditional medicine and her contributions to the field of obstetrics. Her writings and teachings were influential in her time and helped to advance the understanding of childbirth and women's health.

In the 17th century, Johann Fake (1612-1678) was a prominent German architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings, including churches and public buildings, in the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.

Moving forward to the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Fake (1720-1789) was a German composer and organist who is remembered for his contributions to church music and his compositions for organ and choir.

Finally, in the 19th century, Wilhelm Fake (1845-1918) was a German painter and art educator who was known for his landscape paintings and his teachings at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.

While the origins of the surname FAKE can be traced back to the medieval period in southern Germany and northern Switzerland, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with various spellings and variations emerging over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fake families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fake 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. Norfolk leads with 44 Fakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.26x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 44 17.26x
Suffolk 33 16.34x
Surrey 28 3.47x
Middlesex 26 1.57x
Durham 14 2.84x
Berkshire 10 8.03x
Hampshire 5 1.47x
Derbyshire 4 1.54x
Devon 2 0.58x
Gloucestershire 2 0.62x
Leicestershire 1 0.54x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Norwich St Clement in Norfolk leads with 16 Fakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 540.54x.

Place Total Index
Norwich St Clement 16 540.54x
Battersea 15 24.58x
Wortham 14 2592.59x
Bury St Edmunds St James 13 241.19x
Chelsea London 13 26.02x
Harpley 10 4166.67x
Reading St Mary 10 100.30x
Westoe 10 35.75x
Clapham 7 33.77x
Newington 6 9.80x
Methwold 5 609.76x
Portsea 5 7.51x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 4 105.54x
Horsley 4 256.41x
Southwick 4 85.65x
St Pancras London 4 3.00x
Fulham London 3 12.47x
Heigham 3 21.93x
Westminster St James 3 17.60x
Bristol St George 2 13.30x
Castle Acre 2 263.16x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 26.14x
Rickinghall Superior 2 625.00x
Tilney St Lawrence 2 487.80x
Barnstaple 1 18.45x
Congham 1 526.32x
Cromer 1 109.89x
Eston 1 27.93x
Hackney London 1 1.08x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.23x
Limehouse London 1 5.49x
Rougham 1 454.55x
Sandringham 1 2000.00x
South Molton 1 52.63x
St George In East London 1 6.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Alice 7
Annie 5
Emma 5
Elizabeth 4
Harriet 4
Sarah 4
Florence 3
Laura 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Susannah 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elen 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Georgany 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Jenny 1
Kate 1
Laurie 1
Leah 1
Lena 1
Margaret 1
Margett 1
Phebe 1
Rosemari 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 12
Thomas 8
George 7
Robert 6
James 5
Samuel 5
Richard 3
Edward 2
Herbert 2
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Clarke 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Goss 1
Henry 1
Isacc 1
Job 1
Jone 1
Josiah 1
Philip 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Fake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Fake surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Fake a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Fake surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone deceitful or fraudulent.

What does the Fake map show?

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