NameCensus.

UK surname

Lakin

Originally an English nickname for a person who played the part of a king in a medieval pageant.

In the 1881 census there were 1,751 people recorded with the Lakin surname, ranking it #2,468 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,556, ranked #2,588, down from #2,468 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, Sheffield and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lakin is 2,743 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.0%.

1881 census count

1,751

Ranked #2,468

Modern count

2,556

2016, ranked #2,588

Peak year

1998

2,743 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lakin had 1,751 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,468 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,556 in 2016, ranked #2,588.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,524 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lakin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lakin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lakin 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 1,052 #2,662
1861 historical 914 #3,030
1881 historical 1,751 #2,468
1891 historical 1,935 #2,383
1901 historical 2,262 #2,394
1911 historical 2,524 #2,025
1997 modern 2,536 #2,494
1998 modern 2,743 #2,418
1999 modern 2,703 #2,464
2000 modern 2,711 #2,448
2001 modern 2,632 #2,464
2002 modern 2,623 #2,513
2003 modern 2,578 #2,496
2004 modern 2,591 #2,492
2005 modern 2,555 #2,494
2006 modern 2,573 #2,476
2007 modern 2,557 #2,523
2008 modern 2,560 #2,533
2009 modern 2,640 #2,522
2010 modern 2,653 #2,568
2011 modern 2,649 #2,541
2012 modern 2,594 #2,539
2013 modern 2,635 #2,551
2014 modern 2,613 #2,577
2015 modern 2,572 #2,586
2016 modern 2,556 #2,588

Geography

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Where Lakins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, Sheffield, The Vale of Glamorgan and Charnwood. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
2 Sheffield 003 Sheffield
3 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 003 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Charnwood 014 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lakin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lakin

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

Lakin is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lakin 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 Lakin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lakin

The surname Lakin has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "lac," which means "to play" or "to move." It is thought to have been an occupational surname given to someone who was a player or performer, such as a jester or entertainer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lakin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where it appears as "Lacchen." This suggests that the name was already in use during the 12th century and may have been associated with a particular location or area in Yorkshire.

The Lakin surname is also linked to various place names in England, such as Laking in Hampshire and Lakenheath in Suffolk. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it is recorded as "Lakyn." This further solidifies the presence of the Lakin surname in different parts of England during the medieval period.

One notable individual with the surname Lakin was John Lakin, who lived in the late 16th century and served as the Mayor of Nottingham in 1593. Another Lakin of historical significance was William Lakin, born in 1636, who served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the English Civil War and played a role in the defense of Taunton during the Siege of Taunton in 1645.

In the 17th century, the name Lakin can be found in various records, including the Parish Registers of Derbyshire, where it appears as "Laking" and "Lakin." This suggests that the spelling of the surname had variations during this period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of William Lakin, who was born in England around 1630 and emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1650s. He settled in Reading, Massachusetts, and his descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of New England.

Another notable individual with the Lakin surname was John Lakin, born in 1726 in Virginia. He served as a Captain in the Virginia Militia during the American Revolutionary War and played a role in the defense of Williamsburg in 1781.

Throughout history, the Lakin surname has been associated with various individuals from different walks of life, including soldiers, politicians, and community leaders. While the exact origins of the name may be shrouded in some mystery, its longstanding presence in historical records and its connection to various place names in England attest to its deep-rooted heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lakin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lakin 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. Staffordshire leads with 438 Lakins recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.58x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 438 7.58x
Leicestershire 304 16.02x
Warwickshire 246 5.70x
Derbyshire 175 6.53x
Yorkshire 129 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 99 4.29x
Lincolnshire 63 2.30x
Lancashire 62 0.31x
Middlesex 59 0.34x
Worcestershire 36 1.61x
Surrey 22 0.26x
Cheshire 17 0.45x
Kent 17 0.29x
Durham 11 0.22x
Glamorgan 8 0.27x
Bedfordshire 7 0.79x
Herefordshire 7 1.00x
Flintshire 6 1.30x
Hampshire 6 0.17x
Northamptonshire 6 0.37x
Oxfordshire 4 0.38x
Somerset 4 0.15x
Berkshire 3 0.23x
Cornwall 3 0.15x
Devon 3 0.08x
Dorset 3 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.29x
Channel Islands 2 0.39x
Essex 2 0.06x
Norfolk 2 0.08x
Shropshire 2 0.14x
Angus 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.15x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.29x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheepshed in Leicestershire leads with 86 Lakins recorded in 1881 and an index of 330.77x.

Place Total Index
Sheepshed 86 330.77x
Aston 65 5.47x
Leicester St Margaret 55 11.89x
Stapenhill 50 125.41x
Loughborough 46 53.44x
Stafford St Mary 43 52.59x
Birmingham 42 2.92x
Stoke Upon Trent 42 6.86x
Melbourne 37 202.08x
Tipton 34 19.23x
Burton Upon Trent 27 19.98x
Nottingham St Mary 27 4.53x
Burslem 24 14.51x
Leicester St Mary 22 14.35x
Shenstone 21 143.05x
Rugeley 20 48.26x
Polesworth 19 92.73x
Tankersley 19 150.32x
Alrewas 18 322.00x
Wolverhampton 18 4.05x
Sutton Coldfield 17 37.48x
Atherstone 16 72.60x
Radford 16 13.66x
Brightside Bierlow 15 4.51x
West Bromwich 15 4.54x
Walsall Foreign 14 4.69x
Leverton 13 373.56x
Rowley Regis 13 8.08x
Tibshelf 12 91.32x
Yardley 12 20.99x
Cannock 11 10.91x
Litchurch 11 10.20x
Wilnecote 11 88.92x
Wolstanton 11 6.27x
Baddesley Ensor 10 180.83x
Basford 10 9.41x
Handsworth 10 7.02x
Leamington Priors 10 9.42x
Leicester Newarke 10 101.11x
Chelsea London 9 1.75x
Epworth 9 70.53x
Leicester St Martin 9 70.64x
Nuneaton 9 18.00x
Packington 9 133.14x
St Marylebone London 9 0.99x
Fazeley 8 76.19x
Horninglow 8 29.41x
Kensington London 8 0.84x
Kirmington 8 331.95x
Lenton 8 14.73x
Long Eaton 8 22.62x
Middlesbrough 8 3.62x
Northfield 8 18.87x
Nottingham St Peter 8 31.12x
Rotherhithe 8 3.78x
Stanton Newhall 8 93.13x
Sunderland 8 8.90x
Thringstone 8 110.34x
Trentham 8 16.29x
Annesley 7 80.65x
Barrow In Furness 7 2.54x
Barton St Peter 7 55.82x
Bedford St Peter 7 30.42x
Lichfield St Mary 7 42.02x
Nantwich 7 15.95x
Newcastle Higher 7 34.60x
Ormesby 7 15.36x
Selston 7 27.17x
Walsall Borough 7 15.61x
Wednesbury 7 4.85x
Whitby 7 12.25x
Alrewas Hays Orgreave 6 447.76x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 1.86x
Hereford St Nicholas 6 62.83x
Hoyland Nether 6 14.43x
Kingsbury 6 65.01x
Morley 6 368.10x
Salford 6 1.00x
Sedbergh 6 96.00x
Wrotham 6 31.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 125
Sarah 91
Elizabeth 72
Ann 48
Emma 37
Hannah 34
Jane 33
Annie 29
Eliza 28
Alice 24
Harriet 18
Ellen 17
Clara 15
Martha 13
Fanny 12
Edith 11
Louisa 11
Lucy 11
Maria 11
Ada 10
Florence 10
Emily 9
Catherine 8
Margaret 8
Charlotte 7
Elizth. 7
Matilda 7
Adelaide 6
Frances 6
Amy 5
Anne 5
Caroline 5
Flora 5
Harriett 5
Kate 5
Amelia 4
Bertha 4
Betsy 4
Gertrude 4
Laura 4
Rachel 4
Rebecca 4
Selina 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Julia 3
Lydia 3
Rosa 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 126
William 108
Thomas 75
George 50
James 46
Joseph 45
Charles 42
Henry 40
Arthur 27
Samuel 25
Alfred 17
Frederick 17
Harry 17
Robert 17
Albert 13
Edward 10
Edwin 9
Frank 9
Walter 7
Wm. 7
Francis 6
Richard 6
Herbert 5
Abraham 4
Edmund 4
Fredrick 4
Willm. 4
David 3
Luke 3
Moses 3
Storer 3
Thos. 3
Alexander 2
Amos 2
Anthony 2
Benjamin 2
Cuthbert 2
Fred 2
Henery 2
Jno. 2
Josiah 2
Nathan 2
Oliver 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2
Thos 2
Wallace 2
Willford 2
Willie 2
Wilson 2

FAQ

Lakin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lakin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,751 people were recorded with the Lakin surname. That placed it at #2,468 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lakin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,556 in 2016. That gives Lakin a modern rank of #2,588.

What does the Lakin surname mean?

Originally an English nickname for a person who played the part of a king in a medieval pageant.

What does the Lakin map show?

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