NameCensus.

UK surname

Lackey

An occupational surname for a servant or a person of servile character.

In the 1881 census there were 193 people recorded with the Lackey surname, ranking it #13,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 324, ranked #13,966, down from #13,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glossop, Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, South Lakeland and Surrey Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lackey is 348 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.9%.

1881 census count

193

Ranked #13,144

Modern count

324

2016, ranked #13,966

Peak year

2010

348 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lackey had 193 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016, ranked #13,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 249 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Lackey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lackey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lackey 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 193 #13,144
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 249 #12,951
1997 modern 333 #12,615
1998 modern 331 #13,018
1999 modern 332 #13,075
2000 modern 324 #13,243
2001 modern 313 #13,361
2002 modern 327 #13,217
2003 modern 327 #13,046
2004 modern 318 #13,374
2005 modern 302 #13,788
2006 modern 309 #13,633
2007 modern 326 #13,260
2008 modern 333 #13,175
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 348 #13,304
2011 modern 348 #13,134
2012 modern 339 #13,271
2013 modern 319 #14,141
2014 modern 331 #13,851
2015 modern 318 #14,155
2016 modern 324 #13,966

Geography

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Where Lackeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glossop, Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington), London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, South Lakeland and Surrey Heath. 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 Glossop Derbyshire
2 Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington) Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
2 South Lakeland 012 South Lakeland
3 South Lakeland 014 South Lakeland
4 Liverpool 014 Liverpool
5 Surrey Heath 006 Surrey Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lackey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lackey

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Lackey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Lackey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lackey 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

Lackey 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

Lackey falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lackey

The surname Lackey is of Anglo-Norman origin, derived from the Old French word "laquais" meaning servant or footman. It first appeared in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many French words and surnames were introduced into the English language.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Lackey dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Laquai". This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century, likely referring to someone who held a position as a servant or attendant.

During the Middle Ages, the name Lackey was found primarily in the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, which were areas with strong Norman influence. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name may have been servants or attendants in the households of Norman nobility.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Lackey was recorded as a landowner in the county of Hertfordshire. Additionally, a Richard Lackey was mentioned in the records of the city of London in the year 1384, suggesting that the name had spread to urban areas.

By the 16th century, the name had evolved into various spellings such as Lakey, Lackie, and Lacye. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling "Lackey" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Hertfordshire, where a William Lackey was christened in 1587.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Lackey. These include:

1. John Lackey (1570-1635), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark. 2. William Lackey (1619-1684), an English Puritan minister and author who served as a chaplain during the English Civil War. 3. Thomas Lackey (1725-1808), an American pioneer and Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia. 4. Robert Lackey (1786-1858), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. 5. Michael Lackey (1850-1924), an American baseball player who played for the Chicago White Stockings in the National Association.

While the surname Lackey may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, reflecting the diverse narratives and experiences of those who have borne this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lackey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lackey 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 64 Lackeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 64 2.87x
Durham 22 3.93x
Northumberland 18 6.43x
Derbyshire 17 5.77x
Yorkshire 15 0.80x
Kent 11 1.71x
Surrey 10 1.09x
Gloucestershire 9 2.44x
Warwickshire 5 1.05x
Cumberland 3 1.85x
Lanarkshire 3 0.49x
Norfolk 3 1.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.61x
Middlesex 2 0.11x
Northamptonshire 2 1.13x
Royal Navy 2 8.92x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.57x
Cornwall 1 0.47x
Essex 1 0.27x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Wiltshire 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 23 Lackeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.89x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 23 22.89x
Glossop Dale 17 123.19x
Charlton 11 257.61x
Hunslet 10 34.38x
Newington 10 14.38x
West Rainton 10 578.03x
Maiseyhampton 9 4090.91x
Ulverston 8 122.89x
Liverpool 7 5.16x
Kirkdale 6 15.97x
Birmingham 5 3.16x
Bishopwearmouth 5 10.40x
Wallsend 5 56.31x
Westgate 5 28.82x
Byker 4 28.88x
Everton 4 5.62x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 4 108.70x
Preston 4 6.69x
Arlecdon 3 69.61x
Crook Billy Row 3 41.84x
Salford 3 4.57x
Thornaby 3 43.04x
Barony 2 1.30x
Cardiff St John 2 18.67x
Castleton 2 8.96x
Northampton St Sepulchre 2 22.20x
Stow Bardolph 2 232.56x
Stranton 2 10.61x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 2.75x
Alverstoke 1 7.16x
Ardwick 1 4.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 2.05x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 5.95x
Blantyre 1 15.77x
Chelsea London 1 1.76x
Colton 1 625.00x
Darlington 1 4.63x
Gate Fulford 1 22.94x
Highworth 1 46.95x
Kenwyn 1 17.95x
Leeds 1 0.95x
Litherland 1 21.41x
Over Darwen 1 5.61x
Paddington London 1 1.44x
Rusholme 1 16.78x
Sunderland 1 10.11x
West Derby 1 1.53x
West Ham 1 1.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 9
Jane 7
Elizabeth 5
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Isabella 3
Bridget 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Elizbth. 2
Hannah 2
Katherine 2
... 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Angela 1
Anne 1
Bessey 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Johanna 1
June 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Marcella 1
Martha 1
Rosamond 1
Susannah 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 17
James 15
John 11
William 11
Robert 5
Joseph 4
Patrick 3
Peter 3
Andrew 2
Francis 2
George 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Bertrum 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Martin 1
Maurice 1
Richard 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Lackey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lackey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 193 people were recorded with the Lackey surname. That placed it at #13,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lackey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016. That gives Lackey a modern rank of #13,966.

What does the Lackey surname mean?

An occupational surname for a servant or a person of servile character.

What does the Lackey map show?

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