NameCensus.

UK surname

Fowke

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the village of Fowke.

In the 1881 census there were 205 people recorded with the Fowke surname, ranking it #12,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 193, ranked #20,039, down from #12,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, St Peter and Duffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, Wakefield and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fowke is 323 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.9%.

1881 census count

205

Ranked #12,643

Modern count

193

2016, ranked #20,039

Peak year

1911

323 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fowke had 205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016, ranked #20,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 323 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fowke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fowke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fowke 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 241 #9,037
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 205 #12,643
1891 historical 309 #10,848
1901 historical 286 #12,029
1911 historical 323 #10,842
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 206 #17,796
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 208 #17,772
2001 modern 194 #18,287
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 196 #18,438
2005 modern 203 #17,961
2006 modern 188 #19,023
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 191 #19,592
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 193 #19,729
2012 modern 200 #19,207
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 182 #20,958
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 193 #20,039

Geography

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Where Fowkes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, St Peter, Duffield, Quarndon and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, Wakefield, Derby, Bracknell Forest and Reigate and Banstead. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 St Peter Derbyshire
3 Duffield Derbyshire
4 Quarndon Derbyshire
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 002 Gloucester
2 Wakefield 040 Wakefield
3 Derby 002 Derby
4 Bracknell Forest 011 Bracknell Forest
5 Reigate and Banstead 011 Reigate and Banstead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fowke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fowke

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fowke, 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 Fowke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Fowke 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Fowke is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Fowke is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fowke falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fowke is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fowke

The surname Fowke is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "fouche," which means "fork" or "forked," likely referring to a fork in a road or a forked branch in a tree. The name was initially adopted as a topographic surname, describing someone who lived near a forked road or a place with forked branches.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Fowke can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where it appears as "Fuche." This suggests that the name was already established in the county of Lincolnshire by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Fouche," "Foche," and "Fuke." One notable example is the mention of a landowner named William Fuke in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Fowke. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as Focheston (Foulkstone) in Kent and Fouche in Northamptonshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Fowke was Sir John Fowke (c. 1390-1460), a prominent English nobleman and politician who served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire during the reign of King Henry VI.

Another notable figure was Roger Fowke (c. 1590-1675), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Gloucester from 1663 until his death. He was known for his strong support of the Church of England and his opposition to Puritanism.

In the 17th century, the name Fowke gained prominence with the rise of the Fowke family of Gunston Hall in Virginia, United States. The family's patriarch, Gerald Fowke (1618-1669), was a wealthy merchant and landowner who emigrated from England to Virginia in the mid-1600s.

The 18th century saw the birth of Sir Frederick Thomas Fowke (1767-1838), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of the Cape Colony (present-day South Africa) in 1825.

Another notable figure was Joseph Fowke (1776-1846), an English architect and engineer who is credited with designing several prominent buildings, including the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London and the Richmond Bridge across the River Thames.

Throughout history, the surname Fowke has been associated with various professions and achievements, from nobility and politics to religion, architecture, and military service. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval England, its legacy has spread across continents, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bear this distinctive surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fowke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fowke 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. Derbyshire leads with 53 Fowkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.85x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 53 16.85x
Middlesex 39 1.94x
Staffordshire 23 3.39x
Warwickshire 16 3.16x
Northamptonshire 12 6.35x
Northumberland 12 4.01x
Kent 10 1.46x
Leicestershire 10 4.49x
Rutland 9 61.02x
Shropshire 7 4.03x
Durham 3 0.50x
Pembrokeshire 3 4.70x
Lancashire 2 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.74x
Berkshire 1 0.66x
Norfolk 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 4.18x
Sussex 1 0.30x
Worcestershire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 18 Fowkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.62x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 18 20.62x
Duffield 14 564.52x
Stafford St Mary 11 114.58x
Bisbrooke 9 5000.00x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 51.61x
Derby St Alkmund 7 74.23x
Derby St Werburgh 7 38.55x
West Farleigh 7 2692.31x
Atherstone 6 231.66x
Barton Blount 6 5454.55x
Uffington 6 4000.00x
Upper Penn 6 352.94x
Aston 5 3.58x
Bow London 5 19.55x
Byfield 5 909.09x
Normanton 5 187.97x
Birmingham 4 2.37x
Charwelton 4 3076.92x
Chelsea London 4 6.61x
Etwall 4 1111.11x
Heaton 4 404.04x
Lowesby 4 4000.00x
Queniborough 4 1052.63x
Spitalfields London 4 26.47x
Chesterfield 3 25.45x
Earls Barton 3 186.34x
Lewisham 3 8.21x
Quarndon 3 789.47x
Tenby St Mary In 3 92.31x
Westoe 3 8.85x
Clerkenwell London 2 4.22x
Hampstead London 2 6.39x
Handsworth 2 11.96x
St Giles In Fields London 2 20.28x
Sutton On Hill 2 714.29x
Wolverhampton 2 3.84x
Alvaston 1 111.11x
Broughton In Salford 1 4.59x
Burton Extra 1 25.71x
Clun 1 81.30x
Derby St Peter 1 9.98x
East Retford 1 42.55x
Great Malvern 1 18.28x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 40.00x
Heaton Norris 1 7.37x
Kensington London 1 0.90x
Leamington Priors 1 8.02x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.84x
Lenton 1 15.67x
Melton Constable 1 1250.00x
Quorndon 1 80.00x
Royal Navy 1 4.89x
Sandhurst 1 34.25x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 37.45x
Willenhall 1 7.87x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
George 9
Thomas 7
Henry 6
Charles 5
John 5
Frederick 4
Edwin 3
Fredrick 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Bruce 1
David 1
Edmond 1
Edwd.Benjn. 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Gustavus 1
Harry 1
Job 1
Moultrie 1
Oliver 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Thoms. 1
Thos. 1
Valentine 1
Wm.Lyme 1

FAQ

Fowke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fowke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 205 people were recorded with the Fowke surname. That placed it at #12,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fowke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016. That gives Fowke a modern rank of #20,039.

What does the Fowke surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the village of Fowke.

What does the Fowke map show?

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