NameCensus.

UK surname

Laker

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near a lake.

In the 1881 census there were 1,284 people recorded with the Laker surname, ranking it #3,180 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,450, ranked #4,236, down from #3,180 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ashford and Horsham, Sullington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham, Shepway and Arun.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laker is 1,671 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

1,284

Ranked #3,180

Modern count

1,450

2016, ranked #4,236

Peak year

1911

1,671 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laker had 1,284 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,180 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,450 in 2016, ranked #4,236.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,671 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Laker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laker 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 687 #3,787
1861 historical 651 #4,122
1881 historical 1,284 #3,180
1891 historical 1,227 #3,512
1901 historical 1,519 #3,385
1911 historical 1,671 #2,922
1997 modern 1,523 #3,863
1998 modern 1,556 #3,927
1999 modern 1,560 #3,948
2000 modern 1,557 #3,942
2001 modern 1,529 #3,924
2002 modern 1,524 #4,018
2003 modern 1,481 #4,042
2004 modern 1,485 #4,043
2005 modern 1,438 #4,101
2006 modern 1,444 #4,094
2007 modern 1,431 #4,160
2008 modern 1,428 #4,197
2009 modern 1,481 #4,157
2010 modern 1,499 #4,186
2011 modern 1,495 #4,169
2012 modern 1,424 #4,245
2013 modern 1,461 #4,228
2014 modern 1,476 #4,222
2015 modern 1,462 #4,227
2016 modern 1,450 #4,236

Geography

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Where Lakers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ashford, Horsham, Sullington, Brighton and Lingfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham, Shepway, Arun and Mole Valley. 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 3
2 Ashford Kent
3 Horsham, Sullington Sussex
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Lingfield Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 009 Horsham
2 Shepway 001 Shepway
3 Arun 004 Arun
4 Horsham 006 Horsham
5 Mole Valley 013 Mole Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laker

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Laker, 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 Laker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Laker 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Laker is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laker 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

Laker falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Laker

The surname LAKER is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the late Middle Ages. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lacu," which means "lake" or "body of water." It was likely first used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a lake or worked near a lake.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAKER surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1297, where a John del Laker is mentioned. The spelling "del Laker" suggests that the name was originally a locative surname, indicating someone "from the lake."

In the 14th century, the LAKER surname appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a William del Laker and a John del Laker are listed. This further solidifies the connection between the surname and the northern counties of England.

The LAKER surname may also have been influenced by the place name "Laker" or "Layker," which was an old spelling of the village of Leighton in Lancashire. A Robert de Laker from this area is recorded in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1246.

Some notable historical figures with the LAKER surname include:

1. John Laker (c. 1500-1559), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions. 2. Thomas Laker (1615-1680), a English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hedon in Yorkshire. 3. William Laker (1771-1847), an English engraver and artist known for his landscape paintings and illustrations. 4. Sir Robert Laker (1879-1952), a British civil engineer who worked on various infrastructure projects in India and South Africa. 5. Leonard Laker (1920-2008), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Laker Airways airline.

While the LAKER surname has its roots in northern England, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, with bearers of the name found in various parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laker 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. Sussex leads with 485 Lakers recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.13x.

County Total Index
Sussex 485 23.13x
Kent 265 6.24x
Surrey 235 3.88x
Middlesex 116 0.93x
Hampshire 46 1.80x
Essex 23 0.94x
Gloucestershire 14 0.57x
Suffolk 12 0.79x
Shropshire 9 0.84x
Berkshire 7 0.75x
Hertfordshire 7 0.82x
Cheshire 6 0.22x
Norfolk 6 0.31x
Warwickshire 6 0.19x
Yorkshire 6 0.05x
Devon 5 0.19x
Lancashire 5 0.03x
Oxfordshire 5 0.65x
Dorset 4 0.49x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.38x
Northamptonshire 3 0.26x
Staffordshire 2 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Monmouthshire 1 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.35x
Roxburghshire 1 0.44x
Worcestershire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horsham in Sussex leads with 72 Lakers recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.77x.

Place Total Index
Horsham 72 176.77x
West Grinstead 62 981.01x
Brighton 48 11.35x
Lambeth 43 3.97x
Ashford 33 79.85x
Lingfield 32 270.96x
Graffham 27 1534.09x
Henfield 22 272.95x
Chiddingfold 20 352.11x
Heyshott 20 1047.12x
Worth 20 131.41x
Bermondsey 19 5.13x
Eastbourne 19 19.69x
Shipley 19 400.00x
Preston 18 49.15x
Hove 16 17.39x
Kensington London 15 2.17x
Croydon 14 4.16x
Deal 14 38.67x
Stowting 14 1538.46x
Blean 13 445.21x
Woking 13 35.60x
Battersea 12 2.62x
Billingshurst 12 174.67x
Elham 12 236.69x
Hammersmith London 12 3.92x
Margate St John Baptist 12 15.44x
Beckenham 11 19.83x
Lyminge 11 302.20x
West Chiltington 11 404.41x
Ipswich St Mathew 10 23.56x
New Shoreham 10 79.55x
Bromley London 9 3.29x
Claverley 9 124.14x
Folkestone 9 10.93x
Islington London 9 0.75x
Lewisham 9 3.98x
Merton 9 84.83x
St Marylebone London 9 1.36x
Boxgrove 8 263.16x
Isleworth 8 14.47x
Rainham 8 149.81x
Ventnor 8 32.99x
Andover 7 29.07x
Angmering 7 167.06x
Broxbourne 7 41.20x
Dorking 7 17.20x
Gloucester St Nicholas 7 62.00x
Hastings St Leonards 7 22.71x
Reigate Foreign 7 10.67x
Sevenoaks 7 20.35x
Stonehouse 7 50.51x
Warblington 7 69.24x
Betchworth 6 80.21x
Boughton Under Blean 6 84.39x
Burton 6 1875.00x
Camberwell 6 0.76x
Cranleigh 6 67.64x
Deptford St Paul 6 1.83x
Dummer 6 361.45x
Eastchurch 6 143.20x
Esher 6 70.75x
Hythe St Leonard 6 40.03x
Petworth 6 47.89x
Wiston 6 451.13x
Ardingly 5 74.96x
Chartham 5 47.26x
Chatham 5 4.28x
Faversham 5 12.35x
Horley 5 49.21x
Iping 5 223.21x
Mint 5 1063.83x
Nuthurst 5 144.09x
Penge 5 6.29x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 15.83x
Ramsgate 5 7.22x
Rotherhithe 5 3.25x
St Martin In Fields 5 6.72x
Warnham 5 110.38x
West Ham 5 0.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 79
Elizabeth 38
Sarah 35
Annie 29
Ellen 28
Emily 27
Alice 22
Ann 20
Eliza 19
Jane 19
Charlotte 18
Caroline 16
Emma 16
Fanny 16
Harriet 15
Kate 12
Hannah 11
Harriett 11
Louisa 11
Edith 10
Florence 10
Sophia 9
Ada 7
Julia 6
Agnes 5
Amelia 5
Catherine 5
Frances 5
Helen 5
Lucy 5
Lydia 5
Margaret 5
Rebecca 5
Rosa 4
Rose 4
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Ethel 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Nellie 3
Rosina 3
Susan 3
Amy 2
Dedeniat 2
Henrietta 2
Hester 2
Louise 2
Minnie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 81
John 58
George 57
James 45
Charles 29
Henry 28
Thomas 26
Alfred 25
Walter 22
Albert 19
Edward 19
Frederick 18
Arthur 15
Richard 14
Ernest 10
Joseph 10
Harry 9
Edwin 8
Peter 7
Robert 7
Frank 6
Stephen 5
Geo. 4
Herbert 4
Jesse 4
Philip 4
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Allen 3
Edgar 3
Edmund 3
Michael 3
Percy 3
Valentine 3
Willm. 3
Abbot 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Felix 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Henery 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Charles.B. 1
Eli 1

FAQ

Laker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,284 people were recorded with the Laker surname. That placed it at #3,180 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,450 in 2016. That gives Laker a modern rank of #4,236.

What does the Laker surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near a lake.

What does the Laker map show?

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