NameCensus.

UK surname

Lark

A surname derived from the small songbird, likely referring to someone who lived near larks or had a cheerful disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 645 people recorded with the Lark surname, ranking it #5,530 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 563, ranked #9,114, down from #5,530 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Seaboard and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lark is 665 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.7%.

1881 census count

645

Ranked #5,530

Modern count

563

2016, ranked #9,114

Peak year

1901

665 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lark had 645 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,530 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016, ranked #9,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 665 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lark surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lark surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lark 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 473 #5,259
1861 historical 509 #5,134
1881 historical 645 #5,530
1891 historical 580 #6,577
1901 historical 665 #6,529
1911 historical 659 #6,373
1997 modern 592 #8,226
1998 modern 613 #8,263
1999 modern 600 #8,438
2000 modern 593 #8,486
2001 modern 589 #8,405
2002 modern 599 #8,472
2003 modern 586 #8,472
2004 modern 553 #8,823
2005 modern 541 #8,900
2006 modern 538 #8,969
2007 modern 550 #8,905
2008 modern 529 #9,229
2009 modern 548 #9,201
2010 modern 557 #9,270
2011 modern 571 #9,002
2012 modern 541 #9,294
2013 modern 561 #9,177
2014 modern 572 #9,102
2015 modern 570 #9,054
2016 modern 563 #9,114

Geography

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Where Larks are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Seaboard and East Cambridgeshire. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Great Yarmouth Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 004 Waveney
2 Waveney 003 Waveney
3 Seaboard Highland
4 East Cambridgeshire 002 East Cambridgeshire
5 Waveney 007 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lark

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lark

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lark 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

Lark is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lark falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lark

The surname LARK is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "lāwerc", which referred to the small songbird known as a lark. This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was particularly fond of singing or had a cheerful, lark-like demeanor.

The earliest known record of the LARK surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Oxfordshire, England. A man named Henry Laverok was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the Old English word for the lark bird.

In the 14th century, the LARK surname appeared in various Middle English spellings, such as Laueroc, Laverok, and Larke. These variations reflect the transition from Old English to Middle English and the eventual standardization of the spelling as "LARK".

One notable early bearer of the LARK surname was Sir Ralph de Lark, a medieval English knight who lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. He served under King Edward I and participated in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the LARK surname spread across England, with records showing families bearing this name in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire. A prominent figure from this period was Thomas Lark, a Puritan clergyman born in Northamptonshire in 1571, who served as the rector of Charlton-on-Otmoor.

In the 18th century, the LARK surname can be found in the parish records of various English towns and villages. One notable bearer was Benjamin Lark, a renowned clockmaker from London who lived from 1705 to 1778 and was known for his exceptional craftsmanship.

The LARK surname also found its way across the Atlantic, with early American records showing families bearing this name in colonial Virginia and Massachusetts. John Lark, born in 1670 in Oxfordshire, England, was among the first known LARK immigrants to the American colonies, settling in Virginia in the late 17th century.

Throughout history, the LARK surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, clergymen, and artists. Some notable figures with this surname include the 19th-century English novelist Walter Lark and the 20th-century British playwright James Lark.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lark families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lark 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. Norfolk leads with 119 Larks recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.13x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 119 12.13x
Middlesex 93 1.46x
Devon 84 6.33x
Cornwall 63 8.72x
Essex 50 3.97x
Surrey 47 1.51x
Suffolk 43 5.53x
Kent 28 1.29x
Glamorgan 27 2.43x
Northumberland 18 1.90x
Lancashire 15 0.20x
Durham 12 0.63x
Hampshire 11 0.84x
Clackmannanshire 9 17.08x
Yorkshire 8 0.13x
Isle of Man 6 5.06x
Sussex 4 0.37x
Warwickshire 4 0.25x
Royal Navy 3 3.95x
Gloucestershire 2 0.16x
Lincolnshire 2 0.20x
Wiltshire 2 0.35x
Berkshire 1 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.26x
Dorset 1 0.24x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 71 Larks recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.38x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 71 87.38x
Lowestoft 20 54.48x
Islington London 17 2.75x
Beccles 15 119.90x
Stoke Damerel 15 16.14x
Limehouse London 14 19.99x
Plymouth St Andrew 14 13.69x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 10.91x
Shoreditch London 13 4.70x
Cramlington 11 87.72x
Hockley 11 808.82x
Plymouth Charles The 11 18.80x
St Blazey 11 173.50x
St Pancras London 11 2.14x
Wickford 11 1235.96x
Carisbrooke 10 55.10x
Chatham 10 16.70x
Tormoham 10 17.80x
Dengie 9 1285.71x
Llantrisant 9 32.14x
Salford 9 4.04x
St Stephen In Brannel 9 136.57x
Tillicoultry 9 76.79x
Llandaff 8 21.65x
Norwich St Margaret 8 522.88x
St Endellion 8 320.00x
Trunch 8 816.33x
Lambeth 7 1.26x
Rochester St Margaret 7 30.50x
Southill 7 630.63x
Tillingham 7 315.32x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 6 173.91x
Camberwell 6 1.47x
Denbury 6 833.33x
Dunterton 6 2400.00x
Gorleston 6 30.40x
Kensington London 6 1.69x
Llansamlet Lower 6 59.64x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 16.19x
Whitley 6 195.44x
Everton 5 2.07x
Heigham 5 9.50x
Kingston On Thames 5 6.70x
Prittlewell 5 28.65x
Skinningrove 5 128.87x
St Luke London 5 4.89x
St Marylebone London 5 1.47x
Wimbotsham 5 400.00x
Callington 4 95.01x
Croydon 4 2.32x
East Budleigh 4 63.90x
Hackney London 4 1.12x
Hampstead London 4 4.03x
Onchan 4 11.72x
Perranarworthal 4 165.98x
Widdecombeinthe Moor 4 224.72x
Altarnun 3 119.52x
Barking 3 8.14x
Bermondsey 3 1.58x
Bow London 3 3.69x
Calstock 3 21.19x
Chelsea London 3 1.56x
Cornelly 3 1500.00x
East Ruston 3 205.48x
Ermington 3 62.11x
Norwich St James 3 38.96x
Plumstead 3 4.13x
Richmond 3 6.89x
Royal Navy 3 4.62x
Sedgefield 3 44.31x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.67x
Streatham 3 6.34x
Swansea St Thomas 3 26.88x
Bampton 2 49.14x
Braddan 2 30.91x
Coventry Holy Trinity 2 4.16x
Lewisham 2 1.72x
Ormesby St Margaret W 2 81.30x
St Austell 2 8.10x
Thrushelton 2 215.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 36
James 18
Charles 16
Thomas 15
Edward 13
George 12
Henry 12
Arthur 8
Herbert 8
Robert 8
Samuel 8
Frederick 7
Joseph 6
Alfred 5
Richard 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Edgar 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Harry 3
Benjamin 2
Christmas 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Amaziah 1
Bertie 1
Clement 1
Emiel 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredric 1
G. 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Jno.E. 1
Laura 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Lark surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lark surname in 1881?

In 1881, 645 people were recorded with the Lark surname. That placed it at #5,530 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lark surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016. That gives Lark a modern rank of #9,114.

What does the Lark surname mean?

A surname derived from the small songbird, likely referring to someone who lived near larks or had a cheerful disposition.

What does the Lark map show?

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