NameCensus.

UK surname

Lake

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a body of water, such as a lake.

In the 1881 census there were 6,599 people recorded with the Lake surname, ranking it #644 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,968, ranked #731, down from #644 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Breckland and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lake is 9,415 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.9%.

1881 census count

6,599

Ranked #644

Modern count

8,968

2016, ranked #731

Peak year

1999

9,415 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lake had 6,599 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #644 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,968 in 2016, ranked #731.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,055 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lake surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lake 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 4,639 #599
1861 historical 4,543 #624
1881 historical 6,599 #644
1891 historical 7,255 #619
1901 historical 8,267 #648
1911 historical 9,055 #543
1997 modern 9,093 #690
1998 modern 9,401 #694
1999 modern 9,415 #700
2000 modern 9,305 #707
2001 modern 9,122 #704
2002 modern 9,353 #701
2003 modern 9,154 #702
2004 modern 9,131 #703
2005 modern 8,873 #712
2006 modern 8,808 #722
2007 modern 8,885 #717
2008 modern 8,916 #724
2009 modern 9,082 #726
2010 modern 9,289 #724
2011 modern 9,215 #722
2012 modern 9,009 #722
2013 modern 9,087 #726
2014 modern 9,115 #733
2015 modern 9,038 #730
2016 modern 8,968 #731

Geography

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Where Lakes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Breckland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Broadland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 029 Plymouth
2 Breckland 001 Breckland
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Broadland 002 Broadland
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lake

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Lake 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

Lake is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lake 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 Lake is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lake

The surname LAKE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'lacu', meaning a body of fresh water or lake. This name likely originated as a topographic surname, given to individuals residing near a lake or other significant body of water.

One of the earliest records of the surname LAKE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which listed a landowner named Radulfus de Lacu in Gloucestershire. This early spelling variation, 'de Lacu', translates to 'of the lake' in Latin, reinforcing the name's connection to geographical features.

During the Middle Ages, the surname LAKE became particularly prevalent in areas like Lancashire and Yorkshire, where numerous lakes and tarns dot the landscape. It's believed that many families adopted the name due to their proximity to these natural bodies of water.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John del Lake was recorded as a landowner in the Yorkshire area. This spelling variation, 'del Lake', further solidifies the name's topographic origins.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname LAKE was Sir Thomas Lake (1567-1630), an English politician and Secretary of State to King James I. He played a significant role in the notorious Overbury Affair, which involved the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury.

Another prominent bearer of the LAKE surname was Arthur Lake (1905-1987), an American actor best known for his portrayal of the beloved character Dagwood Bumstead in the Blondie film series.

In literature, the surname LAKE is associated with the English poet and author Anna Bunston de Bary, also known as Anna Laetitia Waring (1820-1910). Her works, including the novel "The Maltese Cross," were published under the pen name Anna Laetitia Lake.

Sir Edward Lake (1813-1897) was a notable British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and later became the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.

Lastly, James A. Lake (1837-1917) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 27th Governor of Connecticut from 1901 to 1905.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lake families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lake 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. Middlesex leads with 1,027 Lakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.59x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,027 1.59x
Devon 979 7.26x
Norfolk 789 7.92x
Surrey 493 1.56x
Yorkshire 361 0.56x
Kent 217 0.98x
Hampshire 186 1.40x
Essex 177 1.38x
Lincolnshire 177 1.71x
Lancashire 159 0.21x
Gloucestershire 158 1.24x
Glamorgan 151 1.34x
Dorset 137 3.22x
Staffordshire 137 0.63x
Durham 134 0.70x
Warwickshire 114 0.70x
Somerset 109 1.05x
Hertfordshire 104 2.33x
Buckinghamshire 98 2.50x
Berkshire 82 1.69x
Nottinghamshire 75 0.86x
Northumberland 73 0.76x
Oxfordshire 73 1.83x
Wiltshire 73 1.27x
Cheshire 69 0.48x
Cornwall 60 0.82x
Carmarthenshire 51 1.87x
Sussex 44 0.40x
Channel Islands 43 2.24x
Suffolk 42 0.53x
Northamptonshire 41 0.67x
Leicestershire 27 0.38x
Worcestershire 24 0.28x
Bedfordshire 22 0.66x
Monmouthshire 16 0.34x
Shropshire 16 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 15 0.37x
Derbyshire 14 0.14x
Midlothian 12 0.14x
Brecknockshire 7 0.54x
Lanarkshire 7 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 7 0.34x
Royal Navy 7 0.91x
Herefordshire 6 0.23x
Westmorland 6 0.42x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.15x
Renfrewshire 4 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.20x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.03x
Argyllshire 1 0.06x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.19x
East Lothian 1 0.12x
Flintshire 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 0.21x
Stirlingshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 116 Lakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 116 2.05x
St Pancras London 112 2.15x
Islington London 83 1.32x
Kensington London 58 1.61x
Shoreditch London 57 2.03x
West Ham 57 2.02x
Camberwell 53 1.28x
Leeds 52 1.44x
Plymouth Charles The 51 8.59x
Hackney London 49 1.35x
Plymouth St Andrew 49 4.72x
St Marylebone London 47 1.36x
Colkirk 45 471.20x
Paddington London 44 1.85x
Aston 42 0.93x
Souldern 41 395.37x
Hammersmith London 39 2.45x
Chelsea London 38 1.95x
Portsea 38 1.46x
Stoke Upon Trent 38 1.64x
Bermondsey 37 1.92x
Deptford St Paul 37 2.17x
Beaconsfield 34 93.77x
Freethorpe 32 360.77x
Battersea 31 1.30x
Bethnal Green London 31 1.10x
St George Hanover Square 31 2.72x
Croydon 30 1.71x
Newington 30 1.25x
Stewkley 30 100.70x
Bromley London 29 2.04x
Heigham 29 5.43x
Fulham London 28 2.98x
Llandebie 28 35.38x
Pirton 28 111.51x
St Giles In Fields London 28 8.81x
Crediton 27 21.14x
Exeter St Thomas The 27 19.65x
Poplar London 27 2.21x
Birmingham 26 0.48x
East Ham 26 10.96x
St Peter Port 26 7.32x
Wandsworth 26 4.17x
Deeping St James 25 68.32x
Grimston 24 95.39x
Putney 24 8.13x
Barnstaple 23 10.87x
Bishops Tawton 23 54.70x
Clerkenwell London 23 1.50x
Hindringham 23 176.11x
Latchford 23 24.22x
Cruwys Morchard 22 162.96x
Great Yarmouth 22 2.67x
Greenwich 22 2.13x
Lingwood 22 248.87x
Sandford 22 66.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 1.69x
Holt 21 61.73x
Stoke Damerel 21 2.23x
Swansea Town 21 2.27x
Westminster St John 21 2.66x
Brixham 20 12.81x
Exeter St Sidwell 20 6.48x
Lewisham 20 1.70x
Nether Hallam 20 2.30x
Whitechapel London 20 3.13x
Aberdare 19 2.45x
Alverstoke 19 3.96x
Bideford 19 13.16x
Mile End Old Town London 19 1.38x
Nottingham St Mary 19 0.84x
Tottenham 19 1.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 18 1.51x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 18 6.02x
Walsall Foreign 18 1.59x
Watton 18 57.54x
Yardley 18 8.32x
Kingston On Thames 17 2.24x
Tiverton 17 7.32x
Uffculme 17 42.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 421
Elizabeth 242
Sarah 224
Jane 134
Ann 114
Eliza 112
Alice 109
Emma 102
Annie 94
Ellen 94
Emily 90
Hannah 73
Louisa 60
Maria 55
Harriet 53
Martha 50
Fanny 48
Edith 46
Florence 44
Margaret 44
Caroline 43
Susan 43
Charlotte 40
Kate 34
Lucy 34
Anne 30
Catherine 27
Harriett 27
Clara 25
Julia 25
Agnes 23
Amelia 23
Frances 23
Ada 21
Jessie 20
Matilda 20
Bessie 19
Rebecca 19
Rose 19
Lydia 18
Anna 17
Amy 15
Gertrude 15
Susannah 15
Ethel 14
Sophia 14
Esther 12
Grace 12
Rachel 12
Rosa 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 476
John 368
George 214
James 198
Thomas 161
Henry 156
Charles 116
Robert 88
Alfred 78
Joseph 74
Frederick 70
Arthur 68
Samuel 62
Richard 60
Edward 57
Walter 47
Albert 45
Herbert 40
Ernest 35
David 29
Francis 27
Frank 26
Benjamin 22
Harry 18
Edwin 16
Wm. 16
Isaac 15
Thos. 14
Edmund 13
Stephen 13
Sidney 12
Fredrick 11
Lewis 11
Evan 10
Fred 10
Mark 9
Chas. 8
Daniel 8
Jesse 8
Percy 8
Robt. 8
Sydney 8
Abraham 7
Geo. 7
Christopher 6
Frederic 6
Peter 6
Tom 6
Willm. 6
Harold 5

FAQ

Lake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,599 people were recorded with the Lake surname. That placed it at #644 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,968 in 2016. That gives Lake a modern rank of #731.

What does the Lake surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a body of water, such as a lake.

What does the Lake map show?

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