UK surname
An English surname derived from the Old English word "folc," meaning people or common people.
In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Folks surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 67, ranked #33,884, down from #18,126 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Kempston and Coggeshall, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Folks is 124 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.2%.
1881 census count
116
Ranked #18,126
Modern count
67
2016, ranked #33,884
Peak year
1851
124 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Folks surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Folks surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 124 | #14,792 |
| 1861 | historical | 117 | #18,635 |
| 1881 | historical | 116 | #18,126 |
| 1891 | historical | 100 | #24,045 |
| 1901 | historical | 95 | #23,462 |
| 1911 | historical | 77 | #25,106 |
| 1997 | modern | 58 | #31,831 |
| 1998 | modern | 53 | #32,633 |
| 1999 | modern | 59 | #32,174 |
| 2000 | modern | 57 | #32,417 |
| 2001 | modern | 53 | #32,674 |
| 2002 | modern | 57 | #32,661 |
| 2003 | modern | 53 | #33,076 |
| 2004 | modern | 54 | #33,248 |
| 2005 | modern | 54 | #33,433 |
| 2006 | modern | 54 | #33,780 |
| 2007 | modern | 55 | #33,965 |
| 2008 | modern | 55 | #34,165 |
| 2009 | modern | 59 | #34,072 |
| 2010 | modern | 59 | #34,273 |
| 2011 | modern | 61 | #34,121 |
| 2012 | modern | 59 | #34,352 |
| 2013 | modern | 61 | #34,317 |
| 2014 | modern | 70 | #33,782 |
| 2015 | modern | 67 | #33,911 |
| 2016 | modern | 67 | #33,884 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Kempston, Coggeshall, Great, EIstow and Dunstable. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silkstone | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Kempston | Bedfordshire |
| 3 | Coggeshall, Great | Essex |
| 4 | EIstow | Bedfordshire |
| 5 | Dunstable | Bedfordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Folks surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Folks, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Folks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Folks household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Folks is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Folks is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Folks, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname FOLKS is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "folc," which meant "people" or "nation." This name likely originated as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived among or served the common people.
The earliest recorded use of the surname FOLKS dates back to the 13th century. It appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England, where it is spelled as "Folke."
In the 14th century, the surname FOLKS can be found in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it is listed as "Folkes." This suggests that the name was well-established in various regions of England during this period.
One notable early bearer of the surname was John Folks, a merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 14th century. Records show that he was involved in trade with various European countries.
Another significant figure was Sir William Folks, a knight and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire, England, in the 15th century. He is mentioned in the Inquisitions Post Mortem of 1467, a record of land holdings and inheritances.
During the 16th century, the surname FOLKS appeared in various forms, such as "Folkes" and "Foulkes." One notable individual from this period was Edward Foulkes, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Salisbury in 1563.
In the 17th century, the surname FOLKS continued to be prominent in England. One notable bearer was Thomas Folks, a scholar and writer who was born in Warwickshire in 1628 and authored several works on theology and philosophy.
In the 18th century, the FOLKS surname can be found in various regions of England, as well as in the American colonies. One notable figure was Benjamin Folks, a farmer and Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia, who was born in 1746 and fought in several battles against the British forces.
As the centuries progressed, the FOLKS surname spread to various parts of the world, carried by immigrants and settlers from England. Today, it can be found in numerous countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Folks surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Bedfordshire leads with 34 Folks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.03x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | 34 | 58.03x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.15x |
| Lancashire | 11 | 0.82x |
| Surrey | 11 | 2.00x |
| Warwickshire | 9 | 3.15x |
| Durham | 8 | 2.38x |
| Essex | 6 | 2.69x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.45x |
| Buckinghamshire | 3 | 4.39x |
| Shropshire | 3 | 3.07x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 0.79x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.90x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.52x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 1.35x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.28x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.66x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 1.14x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.52x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kempston in Bedfordshire leads with 28 Folks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2105.26x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kempston | 28 | 2105.26x |
| Birmingham | 9 | 9.46x |
| Dawdon | 8 | 193.24x |
| Beddington | 6 | 281.69x |
| Dunstable | 6 | 333.33x |
| Dodworth | 4 | 344.83x |
| Great Coggeshall | 4 | 344.83x |
| Ashton Under Lyne | 3 | 10.22x |
| Shrewsbury St Mary | 3 | 77.72x |
| Stewkley | 3 | 576.92x |
| Stoke Newington London | 3 | 34.05x |
| Streatham | 3 | 35.76x |
| Walsall Foreign | 3 | 15.21x |
| Cradley | 2 | 149.25x |
| Islington London | 2 | 1.82x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 2.03x |
| Maldon St Peter | 2 | 175.44x |
| Pendleton In Salford | 2 | 12.50x |
| Salford | 2 | 5.06x |
| St George In East London | 2 | 18.80x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 3.31x |
| Bethnal Green London | 1 | 2.03x |
| Brighton | 1 | 2.60x |
| Bromley | 1 | 17.01x |
| Cheetham | 1 | 9.99x |
| Habergham Eaves | 1 | 8.15x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 3.71x |
| Horfield | 1 | 44.84x |
| Houston Killallan | 1 | 117.65x |
| Little Bolton | 1 | 5.79x |
| Sittingbourne | 1 | 32.79x |
| Spotland | 1 | 6.70x |
| St Andrew Holborn London | 1 | 20.41x |
| St Giles In Fields London | 1 | 18.02x |
| Stapleford | 1 | 80.65x |
| Stratton | 1 | 370.37x |
| Tring | 1 | 48.08x |
| Willesden | 1 | 9.37x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Folks surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Folks surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Folks households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 13 |
| Lacemaker | 6 |
| Ag Lab | 5 |
| Sch | 4 |
| Dressmaker | 3 |
| ... | 2 |
| Bonnet Sewer | 2 |
| Domestic | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Lace Maker | 2 |
| Wife | 2 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Blast Furnace Man | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labour | 1 |
| Bricklayers Workman | 1 |
| Burnisher | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Coach Builder | 1 |
| Coal Mine Hurrier | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Collar Turner (Seam) | 1 |
| Colliery Stoker | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Drapers Porter | 1 |
| Gardener (7/3) | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Iron Worker Puddler | 1 |
| Labourer (Ag) | 1 |
| Labourers Wife | 1 |
| Mechanic | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Physician | 1 |
| Potman | 1 |
| Printer Assist | 1 |
| Private | 1 |
| Shoe Black Dom Serv | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Soldier | 1 |
| Stableman | 1 |
| Stage Coach Driver | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Wine Merchant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Folks surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 67 in 2016. That gives Folks a modern rank of #33,884.
An English surname derived from the Old English word "folc," meaning people or common people.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Folks bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.