NameCensus.

UK surname

Groarke

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Gríobhtha denoting a descendant of Gríobhtha.

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Groarke surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 221, ranked #18,321, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington, Sunderland and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Groarke is 239 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1909.1%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

221

2016, ranked #18,321

Peak year

2001

239 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Groarke had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 221 in 2016, ranked #18,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 66 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Groarke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Groarke surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Groarke 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 18 #32,032
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 212 #16,996
1998 modern 212 #17,479
1999 modern 226 #16,884
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 239 #15,963
2002 modern 232 #16,637
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 220 #17,129
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 214 #17,507
2007 modern 212 #17,803
2008 modern 220 #17,544
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 218 #18,206
2012 modern 211 #18,539
2013 modern 220 #18,324
2014 modern 220 #18,471
2015 modern 217 #18,542
2016 modern 221 #18,321

Geography

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Where Groarkes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington, Sunderland and Stockport. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 008 Warrington
2 Sunderland 035 Sunderland
3 Warrington 011 Warrington
4 Stockport 037 Stockport
5 Warrington 020 Warrington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Groarke

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Groarke

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Groarke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Groarke household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Groarke 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

Groarke is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Groarke falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Groarke is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Groarke

The surname Groarke is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic Ó Gráda, meaning "descendant of Grádach". The name is believed to have originated in County Sligo, situated in the northwest of Ireland, in the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Groarke can be traced back to the Annals of the Four Masters, a renowned chronicle compiled in the early 17th century by Irish Franciscan historians. The annals mention a notable figure named Tadhg Ó Gráda, who lived in the 14th century and was a prominent member of the clan.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the name, such as Grady, Groddy, and Groudy, were commonly found in Irish records and manuscripts. Some of these variations were likely due to the anglicization of the original Gaelic name by English scribes and record-keepers.

In the 19th century, the name Groarke gained recognition through the accomplishments of John Groarke (1829-1889), an Irish-born American civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in the United States.

Another notable figure with the surname Groarke was Patrick Groarke (1878-1957), an Irish politician and member of the Sinn Féin party. He served as a member of the Irish Parliament and was involved in the Irish revolutionary period.

In more recent times, Eamonn Groarke (1924-2010) was a renowned Irish poet and academic, known for his contributions to the literary world. He served as the Director of the Arts Council of Ireland and was awarded the prestigious Carmichael Prize for his poetry collection "Dowager Poems" in 1982.

The Groarke surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Groarke's Hill and Groarke's Bridge, both located in County Sligo, further reinforcing the name's connection to the region.

Throughout history, the surname Groarke has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including engineers, politicians, poets, and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this Irish name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Groarke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Groarke 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. Yorkshire leads with 9 Groarkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.47x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 9 8.47x
Flintshire 1 34.72x
Lancashire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bowling in Yorkshire leads with 9 Groarkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 857.14x.

Place Total Index
Bowling 9 857.14x
Mold 1 384.62x
Windle 1 138.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Rosannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Michael 2
Thomas 2
Andrew 1
James 1
John 1
Patrick 1

Top occupations

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 Groarke households.

FAQ

Groarke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Groarke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Groarke surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Groarke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 221 in 2016. That gives Groarke a modern rank of #18,321.

What does the Groarke surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Gríobhtha denoting a descendant of Gríobhtha.

What does the Groarke map show?

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