NameCensus.

UK surname

Kernick

An English surname derived from a Cornish placename meaning "from the valley of groves".

In the 1881 census there were 208 people recorded with the Kernick surname, ranking it #12,511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 253, ranked #16,671, down from #12,511 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Leeds and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kernick is 290 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.6%.

1881 census count

208

Ranked #12,511

Modern count

253

2016, ranked #16,671

Peak year

1911

290 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kernick had 208 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,511 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 253 in 2016, ranked #16,671.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 290 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Kernick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kernick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kernick 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 177 #11,441
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 208 #12,511
1891 historical 155 #17,920
1901 historical 270 #12,492
1911 historical 290 #11,716
1997 modern 280 #14,136
1998 modern 271 #14,883
1999 modern 283 #14,501
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 266 #14,878
2002 modern 261 #15,369
2003 modern 267 #14,950
2004 modern 271 #14,883
2005 modern 260 #15,250
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 255 #15,687
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 255 #16,183
2010 modern 259 #16,386
2011 modern 258 #16,284
2012 modern 255 #16,296
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 254 #16,608
2016 modern 253 #16,671

Geography

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Where Kernicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Perranzabuloe and Liskeard, St Cleer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Leeds, Teignbridge and Bradford. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Perranzabuloe Cornwall
5 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 017 South Oxfordshire
2 Leeds 104 Leeds
3 Teignbridge 007 Teignbridge
4 Bradford 006 Bradford
5 Leeds 004 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kernick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kernick

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kernick, 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 Kernick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kernick 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Kernick is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kernick is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Kernick

The surname KERNICK is of English origin, with its earliest known roots traced back to the county of Cornwall in the south-western region of England. The name is believed to have derived from the Cornish place name "Kernyk", which translates to "little horn" or "little promontory".

KERNICK is thought to have originated as a locational surname, given to families who resided near a prominent geographical feature resembling a small horn or promontory. Locational surnames were common during the Middle Ages, as they helped distinguish individuals from different areas within a small community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KERNICK surname can be found in the Assize Rolls of Cornwall, dated 1284, which mentions a "Roger de Kernyk". This suggests that the name was already established in Cornwall by the late 13th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, various spellings of the name appeared in historical records, including "Kernick", "Kernicke", and "Kernycke". These variations likely arose due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

Notable individuals with the KERNICK surname throughout history include:

1. John Kernick (c. 1620 - 1686), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for St Ives, Cornwall, during the reign of King Charles II. 2. William Kernick (1768 - 1835), a Cornish mining engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of early steam engines. 3. Samuel Kernick (1822 - 1891), a Cornish Methodist preacher and author, who published several books on religious topics. 4. Thomas Kernick (1853 - 1928), a Cornish artist and painter, renowned for his landscapes and seascapes depicting the rugged coastline of Cornwall. 5. Edith Kernick (1880 - 1964), a British novelist and short story writer, best known for her works set in the Cornish countryside.

While the KERNICK surname is relatively uncommon outside of Cornwall, it has maintained its presence in the region for centuries, with many families continuing to carry on the name and its rich heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kernick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kernick 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 87 Kernicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.88x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 87 37.88x
Devon 43 10.18x
Glamorgan 17 4.81x
Gloucestershire 9 2.26x
Warwickshire 9 1.76x
Middlesex 7 0.35x
Monmouthshire 7 4.77x
Northamptonshire 7 3.67x
Surrey 7 0.71x
Brecknockshire 4 9.86x
Kent 4 0.58x
Lancashire 4 0.17x
Cumberland 1 0.57x
Hampshire 1 0.24x
Staffordshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Ives in Cornwall leads with 18 Kernicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.89x.

Place Total Index
St Ives 18 400.89x
Perranzabuloe 17 858.59x
Glyncorrwg 11 1235.96x
Widdecombeinthe Moor 11 1929.82x
Exeter St Sidwell 10 103.41x
Aston 9 6.39x
Falmouth 7 86.10x
Horfield 7 175.00x
Menheniot 7 736.84x
St Woollos 7 42.76x
Tormoham 7 39.17x
Bodmin 6 157.89x
Cardiff St John 6 51.99x
Dawlish 6 190.48x
Duloe 6 895.52x
Newington 5 6.67x
Brecknock St John 4 116.96x
Linkinhorne 4 250.00x
Liskeard 4 104.17x
Northfleet 4 65.57x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 12.30x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.40x
Kenwyn 3 49.92x
Kettering 3 38.86x
Peterborough 3 21.71x
St George Hanover Square 3 8.39x
Trevalga 3 3000.00x
West Derby 3 4.26x
Battersea 2 2.68x
Crantock 2 833.33x
Redruth 2 30.77x
St Agnes 2 62.11x
St Clement 2 83.33x
West Teignmouth 2 61.92x
Aldershot 1 7.18x
Calstock 1 22.22x
Chagford 1 99.01x
Chelsea London 1 1.64x
Clifton 1 4.97x
Davidstow 1 357.14x
Egloshayle 1 92.59x
Egremont 1 24.04x
Little Bowden 1 149.25x
Monk Okehampton 1 666.67x
St Austell 1 12.74x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.38x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.83x
Westbury On Trym 1 7.42x
Withington 1 12.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 5
Bessie 4
Louisa 4
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Maud 2
Phillis 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Anna 1
Bella 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Cornelia 1
Dinah 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Janie 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Leoernia 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mildred 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Rosina 1
Sara 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 14
Richard 11
James 7
Frederick 6
Alfred 5
Henry 4
Albert 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Waterhouse 2
Allen 1
Arthur 1
Edwd 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
George 1
H.P. 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
S.R.P. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Tomas 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Kernick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kernick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 208 people were recorded with the Kernick surname. That placed it at #12,511 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kernick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 253 in 2016. That gives Kernick a modern rank of #16,671.

What does the Kernick surname mean?

An English surname derived from a Cornish placename meaning "from the valley of groves".

What does the Kernick map show?

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