NameCensus.

UK surname

Geake

An English surname derived from the Middle English word "gek" meaning "cuckoo".

In the 1881 census there were 219 people recorded with the Geake surname, ranking it #12,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 160, ranked #22,694, down from #12,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Wimbledon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Geake is 273 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.9%.

1881 census count

219

Ranked #12,122

Modern count

160

2016, ranked #22,694

Peak year

1891

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Geake had 219 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016, ranked #22,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Geake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Geake surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Geake 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 209 #10,066
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 219 #12,122
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 242 #13,193
1997 modern 163 #20,038
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 168 #20,312
2000 modern 170 #20,120
2001 modern 162 #20,460
2002 modern 163 #20,767
2003 modern 158 #20,952
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 141 #22,833
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 141 #24,294
2012 modern 152 #23,069
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 160 #22,694

Geography

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Where Geakes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Wimbledon, Stoke Climsland and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly, Exeter, West Devon and Canterbury. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wimbledon Surrey
4 Stoke Climsland Cornwall
5 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 005 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Caerphilly 021 Caerphilly
3 Exeter 012 Exeter
4 West Devon 004 West Devon
5 Canterbury 007 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Geake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Geake

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Geake, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Geake surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Geake household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Geake 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

Geake 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

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

Meaning and origin of Geake

The surname Geake has its origins in the English county of Cornwall, dating back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Cornish place name "Gook," which means "red" or "ruddy," likely referring to the reddish hue of the soil or vegetation in the area where the name originated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Geake can be found in the Cornish Subsidy Rolls of 1524, where it is spelled "Geyke." This suggests that the name had already been established in Cornwall by the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, variations of the name such as "Geke," "Geeke," and "Geyke" appeared in parish records and other documents from the Cornish parishes of Gwennap, Wendron, and Stithians, among others. This indicates that the name was concentrated in these areas during this period.

The Geake surname is also associated with the Cornish town of Camborne, where a family of that name owned land and property in the 18th and 19th centuries. One notable member was John Geake (1701-1779), a prosperous merchant and landowner who served as the Mayor of Camborne.

Another prominent individual bearing the Geake surname was William Geake (1775-1855), a Cornish Methodist minister and author who published several works on religious topics during the early 19th century.

In the late 19th century, the Geake family played a significant role in the mining industry of Cornwall. Richard Geake (1836-1905) was a successful mine captain and entrepreneur who owned several mines in the St. Austell area.

Beyond Cornwall, the name Geake has also been recorded in other parts of England, although it remains relatively rare. One notable example is Arthur Geake (1891-1928), a British aviator and World War I fighter pilot from Bedfordshire.

While the surname Geake is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the Cornish landscape and culture, with various branches of the family contributing to different aspects of Cornish society over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Geake families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Geake 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. Cornwall leads with 96 Geakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.70x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 96 39.70x
Devon 35 7.87x
Surrey 17 1.63x
Gloucestershire 12 2.86x
Middlesex 12 0.56x
Lancashire 6 0.24x
Norfolk 6 1.83x
Somerset 6 1.74x
Sussex 6 1.67x
Angus 5 2.53x
Kent 5 0.69x
Lanarkshire 5 0.72x
Hertfordshire 3 2.04x
Essex 2 0.47x
Warwickshire 2 0.37x
Hampshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Mary Magdalene in Cornwall leads with 18 Geakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1011.24x.

Place Total Index
St Mary Magdalene 18 1011.24x
St Germans 13 769.23x
Calstock 12 253.16x
Battersea 11 13.99x
St Columb Major 8 398.01x
Compton Gifford 7 503.60x
Tintagel 7 1060.61x
Great Yarmouth 6 22.05x
Lezant 6 1111.11x
Yeovil 6 85.84x
Bristol St James In 5 81.17x
Deptford St Paul 5 8.90x
Dundee 5 6.77x
Egloskerry 5 1562.50x
Govan 5 2.93x
Kenwyn 5 79.11x
St Teath 5 342.47x
Sydenham Damerel 5 1470.59x
Brighton 4 5.51x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 28.63x
Dalton In Furness 4 40.90x
Liskeard 4 98.77x
Newington 4 5.07x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 11.68x
St Thomas Apostle 4 533.33x
Tavistock 4 78.90x
Bristol St George 3 15.48x
Shoreditch London 3 3.24x
St Albans St Stephen 3 232.56x
Stoke Damerel 3 9.64x
Aston 2 1.35x
Birchanger 2 571.43x
Hackney London 2 1.67x
Milton Abbott 2 312.50x
Plymouth Charles The 2 10.21x
Preston 2 31.80x
St Breward 2 377.36x
St Pancras London 2 1.16x
St Paul Covent Garden 2 93.46x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 5.24x
Bodmin 1 25.00x
Buckland Monachorum 1 105.26x
Camberwell 1 0.73x
Chelsea London 1 1.55x
East Stonehouse 1 11.42x
Exminster 1 62.50x
Harberton 1 99.01x
Islington London 1 0.48x
Lambeth 1 0.54x
Landrake 1 185.19x
Lanivet 1 133.33x
Mevagissey 1 62.11x
Paignton 1 29.59x
Poplar London 1 2.48x
Portsmouth 1 9.92x
St Clether 1 625.00x
St Winnow 1 120.48x
Staverton 1 181.82x
Totnes 1 38.46x
Toxteth Park 1 1.17x
Tywardreath 1 64.52x
West Teignmouth 1 29.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Jane 8
Elizabeth 6
Ellen 6
Susan 6
Bessie 5
Emma 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Grace 2
Margaret 2
Anne 1
Caroline 1
E.Jane 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Henneretta 1
Henrett 1
Honor 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Katie 1
Kezia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Malinda 1
Marianne 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Nelly 1
Rosina 1
Sabine 1
Sussana 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
Charles 7
Edward 7
George 6
Richard 6
Thomas 6
Frank 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Edwin 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Batty 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Eveling 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Martin 1
Owen 1
Robt. 1
Robt.Peace 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Geake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Geake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 219 people were recorded with the Geake surname. That placed it at #12,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Geake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016. That gives Geake a modern rank of #22,694.

What does the Geake surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Middle English word "gek" meaning "cuckoo".

What does the Geake map show?

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