NameCensus.

UK surname

Fawkes

A surname derived from the Norman French word "faucon," meaning falcon.

In the 1881 census there were 755 people recorded with the Fawkes surname, ranking it #4,890 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 780, ranked #7,067, down from #4,890 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Bisley, Miserdon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Stroud and Langholm and Eskdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fawkes is 924 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.3%.

1881 census count

755

Ranked #4,890

Modern count

780

2016, ranked #7,067

Peak year

1911

924 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fawkes had 755 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,890 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 780 in 2016, ranked #7,067.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 924 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fawkes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fawkes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fawkes 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 446 #5,521
1861 historical 449 #5,764
1881 historical 755 #4,890
1891 historical 837 #4,867
1901 historical 903 #5,139
1911 historical 924 #4,849
1997 modern 796 #6,559
1998 modern 826 #6,590
1999 modern 849 #6,493
2000 modern 839 #6,522
2001 modern 824 #6,501
2002 modern 848 #6,466
2003 modern 825 #6,483
2004 modern 818 #6,546
2005 modern 800 #6,615
2006 modern 792 #6,685
2007 modern 780 #6,830
2008 modern 771 #6,950
2009 modern 800 #6,888
2010 modern 793 #7,079
2011 modern 792 #7,009
2012 modern 785 #6,957
2013 modern 804 #6,924
2014 modern 802 #6,989
2015 modern 784 #7,054
2016 modern 780 #7,067

Geography

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Where Fawkes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Bisley, Miserdon, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Luffenham South. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Stroud, Langholm and Eskdale, Allerdale and Annandale East. 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 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Bisley, Miserdon Gloucestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Luffenham South Rutland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 013 Carlisle
2 Stroud 009 Stroud
3 Langholm and Eskdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
5 Annandale East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fawkes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fawkes

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fawkes is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Fawkes is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fawkes falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fawkes

The surname Fawkes is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "falc", meaning "falcon". It was initially used as an occupational name for someone who bred or trained falcons for hunting purposes.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Fawkes can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Falconer" or "Falcun". This suggests that the name has been in use since at least the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Fawkes was most commonly found in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire, where falconry was a popular pursuit among the nobility and gentry.

One of the most notable historical figures with the surname Fawkes was Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), the infamous leader of the Gunpowder Plot, a failed attempt to assassinate King James I of England in 1605. Fawkes was born in York and was a member of the Roman Catholic faith, which was persecuted at the time.

Another prominent individual with the surname Fawkes was Walter Fawkes (1540-1604), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as a Justice of the Peace in Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, the name Fawkes appeared in various spellings, such as Faulks, Faukes, and Faulkes, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in that era.

Among the early settlers in America was Thomas Fawkes, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and became a prominent landowner in the colony.

Other notable individuals with the surname Fawkes include John Fawkes (1725-1777), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Walter Fawkes (1769-1825), an English poet and clergyman.

The name Fawkes has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Fawkeswood in Nottinghamshire and Fawkeshill in Yorkshire, further highlighting its historical ties to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fawkes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fawkes 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. Gloucestershire leads with 81 Fawkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.59x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 81 5.59x
Lancashire 78 0.89x
Cumberland 68 10.70x
Yorkshire 63 0.86x
Middlesex 60 0.81x
Surrey 57 1.58x
Rutland 45 83.00x
Leicestershire 40 4.89x
Warwickshire 33 1.77x
Durham 31 1.41x
Norfolk 29 2.55x
Worcestershire 23 2.39x
Buckinghamshire 18 4.03x
Shropshire 13 2.04x
Wiltshire 13 1.99x
Derbyshire 12 1.04x
Cheshire 11 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.00x
Devon 9 0.59x
Kent 8 0.32x
Sussex 7 0.56x
Bedfordshire 5 1.31x
Lincolnshire 5 0.42x
Somerset 5 0.42x
Hampshire 4 0.26x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Angus 3 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.64x
Midlothian 3 0.30x
Northumberland 3 0.27x
Renfrewshire 3 0.52x
Monmouthshire 2 0.37x
Northamptonshire 2 0.29x
Royal Navy 2 2.27x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Herefordshire 1 0.33x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 24 Fawkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.73x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 24 3.73x
South Luffenham 20 2298.85x
Leicester St Margaret 18 9.02x
Dalston 17 346.23x
Aston 15 2.93x
Bisley 15 114.33x
Stroud 14 49.68x
Newington 13 4.77x
North Meols 13 15.16x
Painswick 13 126.95x
Seaton 13 175.20x
Irthington Newtown 12 1846.15x
Montford 12 952.38x
Sheffield 12 5.15x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 7.39x
Islington London 11 1.54x
Worcester St John 11 95.49x
Horsley 10 155.76x
Medbourne 10 709.22x
Orrell 10 91.83x
Droylsden 9 31.48x
Hingham 9 229.01x
Morcott 9 743.80x
Preston 9 3.84x
Stockport 9 10.73x
Minster In Sheppey 8 19.17x
North Luffenham 8 733.95x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.11x
Ouston 8 249.22x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 44.97x
Birkdale 7 31.57x
Heston 7 28.55x
Pilton 7 5384.62x
Randwick 7 245.61x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 4.71x
West Derby 7 2.73x
Attleborough 6 104.53x
Heckmondwike 6 25.49x
Leamington Priors 6 13.09x
Newbottle 6 50.00x
Quedgley 6 495.87x
Ribbesford 6 74.72x
Swindon 6 11.84x
Woolley 6 394.74x
Coleshill 5 393.70x
Gayton 5 260.42x
Pocklington 5 72.36x
Rockcliff 5 252.53x
St Pancras London 5 0.84x
Tanfield 5 19.14x
Westoe 5 4.01x
Barony 4 0.66x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.29x
Cocken 4 291.97x
Goodmanham 4 506.33x
Kensington London 4 0.97x
Leeds 4 0.97x
Litchurch 4 8.60x
Lutterworth 4 80.16x
Morley 4 571.43x
Pentney 4 296.30x
Polesworth 4 45.25x
Stonehouse 4 48.60x
Stonehouse East 4 51.28x
Swillington 4 192.31x
Wolborough 4 20.59x
Birmingham 3 0.48x
Broughton In Salford 3 3.74x
Castleton 3 3.43x
Edgbaston 3 5.20x
Eggington 3 434.78x
Hammersmith London 3 1.65x
Hampstead London 3 2.61x
Irthington 3 198.68x
Liff Benvie 3 2.89x
Mangotsfield 3 20.78x
Matlock 3 19.33x
Portsea 3 1.01x
St Marylebone London 3 0.76x
Wycombe 3 9.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Elizabeth 32
Sarah 26
Emma 15
Ann 13
Emily 13
Jane 13
Margaret 11
Charlotte 10
Alice 9
Ellen 8
Maria 8
Annie 7
Edith 7
Eliza 7
Ada 6
Caroline 6
Clara 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Frances 5
Harriet 5
Harriett 5
Sophia 5
Ethel 4
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Anne 3
Isabella 3
Rose 3
Violet 3
Allice 2
Catherine 2
Deborah 2
Elizth. 2
Florance 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Catheine 1
Ellenor 1
Elz. 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Isabel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
George 38
John 32
Robert 20
Thomas 19
Henry 15
Frederick 14
Joseph 14
Arthur 13
Charles 13
James 13
Walter 9
Richard 8
Edward 7
Isaac 7
Albert 6
Samuel 5
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Reuben 3
Alfred 2
Frederic 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Marmaduke 2
Oliver 2
Reginald 2
Stephen 2
Askew 1
Chas. 1
Chas.H. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
F.G. 1
F.W. 1
G.W. 1
Gilbert 1
Godfrey 1
Gregory 1
Hannah 1
Jacob 1
Jeffrey 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Livingstone 1
Louis 1
Maurice 1
Ralph 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Fawkes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fawkes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 755 people were recorded with the Fawkes surname. That placed it at #4,890 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fawkes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 780 in 2016. That gives Fawkes a modern rank of #7,067.

What does the Fawkes surname mean?

A surname derived from the Norman French word "faucon," meaning falcon.

What does the Fawkes map show?

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