NameCensus.

UK surname

Herkes

A Turkish surname potentially referring to "everyone" or "everybody".

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Herkes surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 294, ranked #14,953, up from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, Newcastle All Saints and Ormiston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dairsie Ceres and Dunino, IZ15 and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Herkes is 315 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 121.1%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

294

2016, ranked #14,953

Peak year

2010

315 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Herkes had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 294 in 2016, ranked #14,953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 204 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Herkes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Herkes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Herkes 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 294 #13,707
1998 modern 293 #14,094
1999 modern 297 #14,053
2000 modern 304 #13,791
2001 modern 298 #13,784
2002 modern 298 #14,048
2003 modern 305 #13,662
2004 modern 308 #13,655
2005 modern 301 #13,812
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 304 #13,927
2008 modern 299 #14,177
2009 modern 313 #14,015
2010 modern 315 #14,223
2011 modern 309 #14,322
2012 modern 292 #14,770
2013 modern 297 #14,844
2014 modern 304 #14,703
2015 modern 299 #14,796
2016 modern 294 #14,953

Geography

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Where Herkes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, Newcastle All Saints, Ormiston, Edinburgh and Humbie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dairsie Ceres and Dunino, IZ15, County Durham, Sunderland and Allanton - Newmains Rural. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Ormiston Haddington
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Humbie Haddington

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dairsie Ceres and Dunino Fife
2 IZ15 East Lothian
3 County Durham 019 County Durham
4 Sunderland 008 Sunderland
5 Allanton - Newmains Rural North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Herkes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Herkes

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Herkes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Herkes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Herkes 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

Herkes 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

Herkes falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Herkes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

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

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Herkes

The surname "HERKES" is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the late 16th or early 17th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "herken," which means "to recognize" or "to identify." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who had a distinctive appearance or characteristic that made them easily recognizable.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "HERKES" can be found in a Dutch census record from the town of Leeuwarden, dated 1612. In this record, a man named Pieter Herkes is listed as a resident of the town. It is possible that this Pieter Herkes was one of the first individuals to adopt the surname in its current spelling.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name "HERKES" appeared in various Dutch records and documents, particularly in the regions of Friesland and Groningen. During this time, several variations of the spelling were also used, such as "Herckes," "Herckens," and "Hercx."

One notable individual with the surname "HERKES" was Jan Herkes (1647-1712), a Dutch painter and engraver from Leeuwarden. He was known for his landscapes and portraits, and some of his works can still be found in museums and private collections throughout the Netherlands.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Pieter Herkes (1776-1842), a Dutch politician and lawyer who served as a member of the States-General, the Dutch parliament, in the early 19th century.

In the late 18th century, the "HERKES" surname also appeared in Germany, particularly in the regions bordering the Netherlands. This suggests that some Dutch families with this surname may have migrated or established roots in neighboring areas of Germany.

Johanna Herkes (1821-1893) was a German writer and poet who was born in the town of Krefeld, near the Dutch border. She published several collections of poetry and writings during her lifetime.

As the centuries passed, the "HERKES" surname continued to spread across Europe, with some individuals bearing this name migrating to other countries, including the United States and Canada.

One notable American with this surname was William Herkes (1892-1974), a businessman and entrepreneur from Pennsylvania who founded the Herkes Brewing Company in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Herkes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Herkes 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. East Lothian leads with 86 Herkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 500.58x.

County Total Index
East Lothian 86 500.58x
Midlothian 31 17.84x
Durham 5 1.30x
Berwickshire 2 12.73x
Lanarkshire 2 0.48x
Roxburghshire 2 8.51x
Warwickshire 2 0.61x
Northumberland 1 0.52x
Surrey 1 0.16x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ormiston in East Lothian leads with 24 Herkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5217.39x.

Place Total Index
Ormiston 24 5217.39x
Dunbar 19 788.38x
Gladsmuir 14 1818.18x
South Leith 11 56.24x
Prestonkirk 10 1162.79x
Duddingston 9 257.88x
Humbie 9 2195.12x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 11.44x
Dirleton 3 447.76x
Salton 3 1153.85x
South Shields 3 87.21x
Barony 2 1.88x
Coleshill 2 190.48x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 59.17x
Sprouston 2 434.78x
Aberlady 1 222.22x
Berwick North 1 83.33x
Colinton 1 51.55x
Drypool 1 50.76x
Eyemouth 1 76.34x
Hawthorn 1 833.33x
Kingston On Thames 1 6.58x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 8.67x
Spott 1 384.62x
Tranent 1 43.10x
Westoe 1 4.57x
Whitsome 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Fanny 1
Gorgener 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexr. 1
John 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Herkes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Herkes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Herkes surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Herkes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 294 in 2016. That gives Herkes a modern rank of #14,953.

What does the Herkes surname mean?

A Turkish surname potentially referring to "everyone" or "everybody".

What does the Herkes map show?

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