NameCensus.

UK surname

Holker

An English topographic surname referring to an oak-tree bank or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Holker surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Eccles and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, St. Helens and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holker is 268 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.9%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1911

268 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • • Holker had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 268 in 1911.
  • • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Map

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Holker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holker 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 122 #14,966
1861 historical 175 #13,409
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 233 #13,392
1901 historical 200 #15,120
1911 historical 268 #12,332
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 134 #23,492
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 118 #25,301
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Holkers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Eccles, Dean, Bolton-le-Moors and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Salford, St. Helens, Wigan and West Lancashire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 012 Salford
2 Salford 008 Salford
3 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
4 Wigan 013 Wigan
5 West Lancashire 004 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holker

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

Historical female names

Elizabeth Mary Alice Sarah Margaret Annie Martha Jane Ann Hannah

Historical male names

John Thomas James William Edward Samuel Joseph Robert Alfred Peter

Recent female names

Claire Karla Mary Janet Hazel Louise Christine Dorothy Margaret Leila

Recent male names

David James Michael Christopher Philip Peter Daniel Matthew John Andrew

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holker

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Holker is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Holker is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Holker falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Holker 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 Holker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

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Meaning and origin of Holker

The surname Holker has its origins in England, specifically in the region of Lancashire. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning hollow or hole, and "ker" meaning a marsh or bog. This suggests that the name likely originated from a topographic feature, referring to a hollow or depression in a marshy area.

During the Middle Ages, the name Holker was found in various records from Lancashire, indicating its presence in the region from an early period. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176, where it is spelled "Holker."

The Holker family held lands in Lancashire for centuries, and their name is closely associated with the area. In the 13th century, records mention a Robert de Holker, who was a landowner in the township of Holker. The Holker family's ancestral home, Holker Hall, is located in the village of Holker, near Cartmel in Cumbria (formerly part of Lancashire).

In the 16th century, the Holker family gained prominence through their involvement in local politics and their support for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. Sir John Holker (1615-1686) was a notable figure from this period, serving as a Member of Parliament and holding the position of Vice-Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Another prominent individual with the Holker surname was John Holker (1745-1822), a merchant and politician from Lancashire. He served as the Mayor of Liverpool and was a Member of Parliament for several constituencies.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Holker name spread beyond Lancashire as individuals migrated to other parts of England and beyond. For instance, Robert Holker (1801-1864) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of England.

Other notable individuals with the Holker surname include Sir John Holker (1828-1900), a British judge and Lord Justice of Appeal, and Sir Norman Holker (1865-1931), a British barrister and Conservative politician who served as a Member of Parliament and held various government positions.

The name Holker has maintained its connection to Lancashire throughout its history, and the Holker family's legacy in the region remains significant, with Holker Hall still standing as a testament to their ancestral roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holker 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 150 Holkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.58x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 150 6.58x
Yorkshire 24 1.26x
Middlesex 15 0.78x
Lincolnshire 3 0.98x
Cheshire 2 0.47x
Surrey 2 0.21x
Sussex 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. Farnworth in Lancashire leads with 17 Holkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 124.45x.

Place Total Index
Farnworth 17 124.45x
Barton Upon Irwell 15 87.36x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 12 182.93x
Skircoat 10 133.16x
St Pancras London 10 6.47x
Wardleworth 10 76.75x
Worsley 8 56.90x
Elton 7 88.83x
Habergham Eaves 6 28.79x
Preston 6 9.83x
Toxteth Park 6 7.77x
Ainsworth 5 568.18x
Horton In Bradford 5 16.81x
Radcliffe 5 45.50x
Westhoughton 5 82.10x
Wuerdle Wardle 5 72.25x
Bingley 4 32.98x
Burnley 4 20.83x
Butterworth 4 71.94x
Warley 4 72.73x
Wigan 4 12.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 6.02x
Ince In Makerfield 3 28.28x
Salford 3 4.47x
St Botolph Lincoln 3 135.75x
Tonge With Haulgh 3 67.57x
Windle 3 23.38x
Bradford 2 18.74x
Great Harwood 2 48.54x
Lambeth 2 1.19x
Liverpool 2 1.44x
St Marylebone London 2 1.95x
Accrington 1 4.82x
Blackburn 1 1.65x
Brighton 1 1.53x
Chelsea London 1 1.73x
Church 1 31.06x
Dukinfield 1 5.10x
Haslingden 1 10.59x
Hulme 1 2.10x
Keighley 1 4.93x
Little Lever 1 34.25x
Manchester 1 0.98x
Pendlebury 1 20.79x
Ramsgreave 1 625.00x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.95x
Stockport 1 4.58x
Tottington Higher End 1 38.46x
Westminster St James 1 5.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 11
Sarah 11
Margaret 10
Alice 8
Jane 6
Annie 5
Ellen 3
Susannah 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Rachael 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elney 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Leah 1
Lizzie 1
Martha 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
Thomas 8
James 6
Samuel 6
William 5
Robert 4
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Aquilla 1
Arthur 1
Crompton 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Gamewell 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jacob 1
Jones 1
Jos.Henry 1
Josiah 1
Levi 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Holker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Holker surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Holker a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Holker surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to an oak-tree bank or ridge.

What does the Holker map show?

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