NameCensus.

UK surname

Laken

A surname likely derived from a placename referring to someone from the town of Laken in Belgium.

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Laken surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, Greenwich and Rushmoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laken is 123 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.2%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

2016

123 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laken had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 98 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Laken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laken surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laken 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 68 #28,300
1901 historical 54 #28,178
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 120 #27,561
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Lakens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor, Greenwich, Rushmoor, Redbridge and Bristol. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 001 Sedgemoor
2 Greenwich 003 Greenwich
3 Rushmoor 010 Rushmoor
4 Redbridge 006 Redbridge
5 Bristol 046 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laken

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laken

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Laken is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laken is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Laken falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Laken is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Laken

The surname LAKEN is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "lachen," meaning "to laugh" or "to be cheerful." The name may have been given to someone with a cheerful or jovial demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAKEN surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around 1350. The name is listed as "Lachen" in this document.

The LAKEN surname is also believed to be related to the German place name "Laken," a village in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is possible that the surname originated from this location and was adopted by individuals who lived there or nearby.

In the 16th century, there are records of a German nobleman named Hans von Laken (born around 1520), who was a member of the court of the Elector of Brandenburg. He is mentioned in several historical documents of the time.

Another notable figure with the LAKEN surname was Johann Laken (1543-1612), a German Lutheran theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. He served as a pastor in several churches in Germany and published numerous works on theology and biblical interpretation.

In the 18th century, there was a Dutch artist named Pieter Laken (1718-1795) who was known for his landscape paintings. He was born in Amsterdam and spent most of his career in the Netherlands, where his works were highly regarded.

A more recent example is Friedrich Laken (1876-1947), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities in the early 20th century. He was known for his work in the Jugendstil and Bauhaus architectural styles.

Another figure with the LAKEN surname was the Austrian mathematician and logician Kurt Laken (1886-1967), who made significant contributions to the field of symbolic logic and is considered a pioneer in the development of modern mathematical logic.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laken 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 38 Lakens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.57x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 38 5.57x
Worcestershire 8 8.97x
Lanarkshire 5 2.26x
Surrey 4 1.20x
Yorkshire 4 0.59x
Warwickshire 3 1.74x
Derbyshire 2 1.87x
Leicestershire 2 2.64x
Hampshire 1 0.71x
Kent 1 0.43x
Lancashire 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shadwell London in Middlesex leads with 13 Lakens recorded in 1881 and an index of 680.63x.

Place Total Index
Shadwell London 13 680.63x
St George In East London 11 171.34x
Oldbury 8 182.23x
Glasgow 5 12.75x
Shoreditch London 5 16.89x
Bethnal Green London 4 13.49x
Hackney London 4 10.45x
Wetwang 4 2666.67x
Derby St Peter 2 58.82x
Lambeth 2 3.36x
Melton Mowbray 2 147.06x
Newington 2 7.93x
Birmingham 1 1.74x
Burton Upon Trent 1 18.55x
Edgbaston 1 18.73x
Foleshill 1 55.25x
Milton 1 285.71x
Newton In Makerfield 1 40.32x
St Marylebone London 1 2.74x
Walmer 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Thomas 4
John 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Stepn. 1
Tom 1
Wiliam 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Laken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laken surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Laken surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Laken a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Laken surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a placename referring to someone from the town of Laken in Belgium.

What does the Laken map show?

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