NameCensus.

UK surname

Fooks

A variant of the surname Fowkes, derived from a place name in Leicestershire.

In the 1881 census there were 475 people recorded with the Fooks surname, ranking it #7,031 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 441, ranked #10,971, down from #7,031 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Chard and Preston (incl. Sutton Poyntz). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, East Hampshire and Purbeck.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fooks is 615 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.2%.

1881 census count

475

Ranked #7,031

Modern count

441

2016, ranked #10,971

Peak year

1911

615 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fooks had 475 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,031 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016, ranked #10,971.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 615 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fooks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fooks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fooks 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 263 #8,439
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 475 #7,031
1891 historical 521 #7,183
1901 historical 561 #7,427
1911 historical 615 #6,712
1997 modern 460 #9,907
1998 modern 470 #10,066
1999 modern 472 #10,083
2000 modern 447 #10,497
2001 modern 450 #10,226
2002 modern 452 #10,408
2003 modern 444 #10,393
2004 modern 432 #10,658
2005 modern 429 #10,597
2006 modern 419 #10,837
2007 modern 421 #10,920
2008 modern 414 #11,160
2009 modern 424 #11,179
2010 modern 430 #11,306
2011 modern 424 #11,314
2012 modern 427 #11,120
2013 modern 450 #10,831
2014 modern 453 #10,830
2015 modern 452 #10,785
2016 modern 441 #10,971

Geography

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Where Fooks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Chard, Preston (incl. Sutton Poyntz), Wootton Fitzpaine, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Bettiscombe, Marshwood and Husborne Crawley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, East Hampshire and Purbeck. 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 Chard Somerset
3 Preston (incl. Sutton Poyntz) Dorset
4 Wootton Fitzpaine, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Bettiscombe, Marshwood Dorset
5 Husborne Crawley Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
2 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
3 Purbeck 005 Purbeck
4 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
5 Purbeck 003 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fooks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fooks

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fooks is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fooks is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fooks falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fooks

The surname FOOKS has its origins in England, first appearing in records during the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fucc" or "fuk", which referred to a person of ignoble or disreputable character. Some historians suggest the name may also have connections to the Old Norse word "fukr", meaning bird.

Early records show the name was most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 include mentions of a Willelmus Fuk and a Johannes le Fuk, providing some of the earliest documented examples of the surname's use. Similar spellings from this period include Fuke, Fukke, and Fuche.

The Fooks surname made its way into various historical manuscripts and records throughout the centuries. One notable mention is in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1275, which refer to a Robert le Fuk. The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297 also list a Willelmus Fuk and a Johannes Fuk.

During the 14th century, the surname began to appear in its more modern spelling of Fooks. The Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 include entries for a Willelmus Fokes and a Johannes Fokes. Around this time, the name also started to spread to other parts of England, with records showing Fooks families in counties like Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Fooks surname was Sir Robert Fooks, a member of the gentry from Yorkshire who lived in the late 15th century. Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Fooks, a wealthy landowner from Lancashire who died in 1542 and left a substantial inheritance to her heirs.

In the 16th century, the Fooks name gained further recognition with the birth of Richard Fooks (1528-1592), a respected scholar and author who wrote extensively on topics related to theology and philosophy. His works were widely read during his lifetime and helped establish the Fooks family as one of intellectual repute.

Other individuals of note include Captain John Fooks (1621-1681), a naval officer who served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and Sarah Fooks (1688-1762), a philanthropist from Norfolk who founded several charitable institutions in her local community.

As the centuries progressed, the Fooks surname continued to be found throughout various regions of England, with families settling in areas like Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Devon. Notable bearers of the name in later years included the novelist and playwright William Fooks (1803-1875) and the industrialist Sir James Fooks (1845-1923), whose company played a significant role in the development of the British textile industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fooks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fooks 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. Dorset leads with 181 Fooks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.78x.

County Total Index
Dorset 181 58.78x
Middlesex 63 1.34x
Kent 60 3.75x
Somerset 59 7.81x
Bedfordshire 18 7.41x
Hampshire 18 1.87x
Sussex 12 1.52x
Wiltshire 10 2.41x
Surrey 9 0.39x
Channel Islands 7 5.03x
Devon 7 0.72x
Essex 7 0.76x
Gloucestershire 7 0.76x
Durham 6 0.43x
Lancashire 5 0.09x
Berkshire 4 1.14x
Northamptonshire 3 0.68x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.35x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.07x
Royal Navy 1 1.79x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chatham in Kent leads with 23 Fooks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.23x.

Place Total Index
Chatham 23 52.23x
Chard 21 229.51x
Melcombe Regis 19 148.90x
Husborne Crawley 16 2077.92x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 15 877.19x
Kensington London 13 4.98x
Yeovil 13 84.69x
Bridport 12 189.27x
Preston 12 1071.43x
Tyneham 9 2045.45x
Bridgewater 8 39.02x
Chelsea London 8 5.66x
Preston 8 57.93x
Strood 8 87.62x
Thornford 8 1212.12x
Wareham Holy Trinity 8 597.01x
East Stoke 7 744.68x
Fisherton Anger 7 91.15x
Hackington St Stephen 7 679.61x
Loders 7 457.52x
Paddington London 7 4.06x
Thorncombe 7 395.48x
Bradwell 6 377.36x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 6.93x
Church Knowle 6 666.67x
Isleworth 6 28.76x
Montacute 6 434.78x
Osmington 6 983.61x
Askerswell 5 1470.59x
Aylesbeare 5 354.61x
Cheetham 5 12.04x
Crayford 5 71.53x
Darlington 5 9.28x
Gravesend 5 36.90x
Mersham 5 431.03x
Moreton 5 1000.00x
Toller Porcorum 5 694.44x
Weymouth 5 85.76x
Whitchurch 5 163.93x
Affpuddle 4 512.82x
Hampstead London 4 5.47x
Kimmeridge 4 1481.48x
Lytchett Matravers 4 360.36x
Milton In Gravesend 4 16.66x
Netherbury 4 156.86x
Reading St Giles 4 11.58x
St Andrew 4 217.39x
St George Hanover Square 4 4.84x
St Marylebone London 4 1.60x
Albury 3 144.23x
Canford Magna 3 168.54x
East Grinstead 3 26.79x
Lambeth 3 0.73x
Millbrook 3 12.39x
Minster In Sheppey 3 11.31x
Passenham 3 165.75x
St Pancras London 3 0.79x
St Peter Port 3 11.66x
Steeple 3 638.30x
Stoke Newington London 3 8.21x
Whippingham 3 41.21x
Aspley Guise 2 85.84x
Battersea 2 1.16x
Bradpole 2 79.37x
Chaffcombe 2 606.06x
Chideock 2 185.19x
East Holme 2 1428.57x
Fareham 2 17.30x
Finchley 2 11.12x
Fordington 2 30.17x
Lytchett Minster 2 147.06x
Overton 2 86.96x
Somerton 2 64.94x
Taunton St Mary 2 14.43x
Twickenham 2 9.94x
Walditch 2 645.16x
Wareham Lady St Mary 2 84.03x
Winterborne Whitechurch 2 294.12x
Burton Upon Trent 1 2.70x
Wycombe 1 4.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 20
Ellen 10
Alice 8
Annie 8
Emily 8
Jane 8
Louisa 8
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Kate 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Martha 5
Frances 4
Sarah 4
Susan 4
Beatrice 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Laura 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Dora 2
Edith 2
Elsie 2
Ethel 2
Evelinda 2
Hannah 2
Henrietta 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Blanche 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.J. 1
Elleanor 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
George 20
Thomas 19
Henry 16
John 16
Charles 11
Edward 9
Frederick 8
Robert 8
Walter 8
James 7
Joseph 7
Harry 5
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Mark 3
Alfred 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Amos 1
Basdford 1
Bob 1
Christain 1
Fred 1
Fredc. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.A.St.P. 1
H.James 1
Harold 1
Hubert 1
Jack 1
Job 1
Lewis 1
Northcote 1
Richd. 1
Sampson 1
Samuel 1
Seth 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
W.John 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Fooks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fooks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 475 people were recorded with the Fooks surname. That placed it at #7,031 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fooks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016. That gives Fooks a modern rank of #10,971.

What does the Fooks surname mean?

A variant of the surname Fowkes, derived from a place name in Leicestershire.

What does the Fooks map show?

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