NameCensus.

UK surname

Foulkes

Of English origin, a locational surname referring to someone from a place called Foulks.

In the 1881 census there were 2,811 people recorded with the Foulkes surname, ranking it #1,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,509, ranked #1,933, down from #1,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Denbigh, Henllan, Northop and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denbighshire, Flintshire and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Foulkes is 3,714 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.8%.

1881 census count

2,811

Ranked #1,586

Modern count

3,509

2016, ranked #1,933

Peak year

1911

3,714 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Foulkes had 2,811 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,509 in 2016, ranked #1,933.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,714 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Foulkes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Foulkes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Foulkes 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 1,846 #1,563
1861 historical 1,336 #2,144
1881 historical 2,811 #1,586
1891 historical 2,582 #1,841
1901 historical 3,438 #1,615
1911 historical 3,714 #1,399
1997 modern 3,385 #1,914
1998 modern 3,670 #1,837
1999 modern 3,710 #1,833
2000 modern 3,632 #1,870
2001 modern 3,568 #1,851
2002 modern 3,612 #1,875
2003 modern 3,535 #1,870
2004 modern 3,517 #1,880
2005 modern 3,503 #1,863
2006 modern 3,476 #1,875
2007 modern 3,540 #1,861
2008 modern 3,542 #1,872
2009 modern 3,635 #1,871
2010 modern 3,668 #1,901
2011 modern 3,606 #1,908
2012 modern 3,490 #1,934
2013 modern 3,565 #1,924
2014 modern 3,608 #1,905
2015 modern 3,549 #1,922
2016 modern 3,509 #1,933

Geography

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Where Foulkes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Denbigh, Henllan, Northop, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Denbighshire, Flintshire, Isle of Anglesey and Wrexham. 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 Denbigh, Henllan Denbighshire
2 Northop Flintshire
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Denbighshire 010 Denbighshire
2 Flintshire 004 Flintshire
3 Flintshire 003 Flintshire
4 Isle of Anglesey 009 Isle of Anglesey
5 Wrexham 015 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Foulkes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Foulkes

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

Foulkes is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Foulkes 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 Foulkes 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 Foulkes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Foulkes

The surname Foulkes originated in Wales during the late medieval period, deriving from the Welsh personal name Foulk or Fulk. This name is believed to have been introduced to Britain by the Normans after their conquest in 1066. The name Foulk itself can be traced back to the Germanic words "folk" meaning "people" and "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power."

The earliest recorded instances of the Foulkes surname can be found in Welsh records from the 13th and 14th centuries, where it appeared in various spellings such as Foulk, Fulk, Foulkes, and Fowlkes. These early occurrences were often associated with landowners and minor nobility in Wales.

One notable early figure bearing the Foulkes surname was Sir David Foulkes, a Welsh knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the conquest of Wales in the late 13th century. Another significant historical reference is the appearance of the name in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Fulcus" and "Fulchius."

As the Foulkes family proliferated, they established themselves in various parts of Wales, with some branches eventually settling in neighboring regions of England. Notable individuals with this surname include Sir Martin Foulkes (1624-1681), a Welsh lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. Richard Foulkes (1671-1735) was a Welsh clergyman and author who published several religious works in the early 18th century.

Other notable figures bearing the Foulkes surname include Sir Martin Foulkes (1898-1976), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as Governor of Malta from 1954 to 1957, and Phyllida Ann Foulkes (1945-2019), a British actress and writer known for her work in television and theatre.

While the Foulkes surname has its roots in Wales, it has since spread across the globe, with descendants found in various countries, particularly in regions with strong Welsh heritage or migration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Foulkes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Foulkes 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. Lancashire leads with 742 Foulkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 742 2.30x
Flintshire 408 55.77x
Denbighshire 316 30.74x
Shropshire 241 10.25x
Caernarfonshire 239 21.72x
Cheshire 204 3.40x
Staffordshire 129 1.40x
Middlesex 99 0.36x
Montgomeryshire 79 12.67x
Merionethshire 56 11.24x
Warwickshire 47 0.68x
Yorkshire 31 0.11x
Glamorgan 24 0.51x
Derbyshire 22 0.52x
Surrey 20 0.15x
Hertfordshire 18 0.96x
Anglesey 14 2.90x
Kent 12 0.13x
Sussex 11 0.24x
Essex 9 0.17x
Hampshire 8 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 1.78x
Monmouthshire 7 0.36x
Worcestershire 6 0.17x
Gloucestershire 4 0.07x
Herefordshire 4 0.36x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.46x
Lanarkshire 3 0.03x
Berkshire 2 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.12x
Durham 2 0.02x
Isle of Man 2 0.40x
Somerset 2 0.05x
Bedfordshire 1 0.07x
Brecknockshire 1 0.18x
Cardiganshire 1 0.15x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Devon 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 85 Foulkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.26x.

Place Total Index
Everton 85 8.26x
Holywell 68 74.03x
Toxteth Park 67 6.13x
Kirkdale 49 9.02x
Llanddeiniolen 48 74.60x
Denbigh 47 113.91x
Flint 46 110.76x
Northop 45 173.68x
Rhuddlan 39 60.56x
West Derby 39 4.13x
Birkenhead 38 7.93x
Mold 38 57.26x
Hulme 37 5.49x
Liverpool 36 1.84x
Manchester 36 2.48x
Oswestry Town 34 45.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 30 5.85x
Llanbeblig 30 26.86x
Salford 30 3.16x
Pendleton In Salford 28 7.28x
Dwygyfylchi 27 132.74x
Stoke Upon Trent 27 2.77x
Ruabon 26 18.39x
Birmingham 24 1.05x
Ellesmere 22 54.50x
Llandudno 22 56.08x
Whitford 22 58.02x
Tref Eglwys 21 123.46x
Walton On Hill 21 12.00x
Abergele 20 67.64x
Henllan 20 76.22x
Shrewsbury St Chad 20 24.24x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 18 118.34x
Llangwyfan 18 1022.73x
Bangor 17 16.02x
Festiniog 17 16.18x
Northop Golftyn 17 197.90x
Shrewsbury St Mary 17 18.32x
St Asaph 17 117.16x
Hawarden 16 27.84x
Llanfyllin 16 97.26x
Llanrhaiadr In Kinmerch 16 102.30x
Mile End Old Town London 16 2.76x
Mold Bistree 16 134.45x
Aston 15 0.79x
Burslem 15 5.70x
Llysfaen 15 130.55x
Mold Leeswood 15 90.63x
Oswestry Rural 15 41.63x
Skelmersdale 15 27.87x
Ardwick 14 4.81x
Harborne 14 4.76x
Hodnet 14 76.21x
Stone 14 11.91x
Withington 14 13.46x
Chester St Oswald 13 11.95x
Conway 13 61.00x
Farnworth 13 6.72x
Gresford Gwersyllt 13 40.77x
Monks Coppenhall 13 5.73x
Chester St John Baptist 12 11.11x
Llanfachreth 12 142.86x
Llansilin 12 70.13x
Saddleworth 12 5.77x
Sutton 12 11.08x
Bedford 11 16.28x
Broughton In Salford 11 3.73x
Eirias 11 149.05x
Worsley 11 5.53x
Barton Upon Irwell 10 4.11x
Bettws Yn Rhos 10 145.77x
Dukinfield 10 3.60x
Llanelian 10 223.21x
Llangwstennin 10 179.21x
Llannefydd 10 121.51x
Llanrhydd 10 123.61x
Llanrug 10 34.70x
Moston 10 30.87x
Openshaw 10 6.61x
Wellington 10 7.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 222
Elizabeth 148
Sarah 124
Jane 100
Margaret 73
Ann 70
Catherine 44
Anne 42
Ellen 42
Alice 39
Eliza 33
Hannah 31
Annie 28
Martha 28
Emma 19
Emily 17
Ada 14
Elizth. 14
Louisa 13
Maria 13
Charlotte 12
Amelia 11
Edith 11
Frances 11
Caroline 10
Harriet 9
Harriett 8
Susannah 8
Agnes 7
Ellin 6
Esther 6
Fanny 6
Kate 6
Lizzie 6
Amy 5
Clara 5
Gertrude 5
Margt. 5
Susan 5
Jemima 4
Lucy 4
Margret 4
Rachel 4
Rebecca 4
Sydney 4
Jessie 3
Julia 3
Laura 3
Minnie 3
Winifred 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 234
William 153
Thomas 128
Robert 95
Edward 81
David 49
George 49
Richard 48
James 44
Henry 33
Charles 31
Samuel 30
Joseph 24
Peter 21
Wm. 15
Frederick 14
Alfred 13
Arthur 13
Edwin 12
Hugh 11
Owen 10
Herbert 9
Isaac 8
Albert 7
Robt. 7
Thos. 7
Abel 6
Evan 6
Richd. 6
Griffith 5
Walter 5
Foulk 4
Frank 4
Fredrick 4
Humphrey 4
Morris 4
Moses 4
Price 4
Daniel 3
Ellis 3
Ernest 3
Harold 3
Llewellyn 3
Saml. 3
Stephen 3
W. 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Caleb 2
Edmund 2

FAQ

Foulkes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Foulkes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,811 people were recorded with the Foulkes surname. That placed it at #1,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Foulkes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,509 in 2016. That gives Foulkes a modern rank of #1,933.

What does the Foulkes surname mean?

Of English origin, a locational surname referring to someone from a place called Foulks.

What does the Foulkes map show?

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