NameCensus.

UK surname

Locke

An English occupational surname referring to a locksmith or someone who made and repaired locks.

In the 1881 census there were 2,676 people recorded with the Locke surname, ranking it #1,662 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,070, ranked #1,113, up from #1,662 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Test Valley and Forest Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Locke is 6,334 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 126.8%.

1881 census count

2,676

Ranked #1,662

Modern count

6,070

2016, ranked #1,113

Peak year

1998

6,334 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Locke had 2,676 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,662 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,070 in 2016, ranked #1,113.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,488 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Locke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Locke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Locke 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 1,241 #2,305
1861 historical 1,228 #2,322
1881 historical 2,676 #1,662
1891 historical 3,014 #1,560
1901 historical 3,966 #1,419
1911 historical 4,488 #1,150
1997 modern 6,072 #1,081
1998 modern 6,334 #1,078
1999 modern 6,329 #1,083
2000 modern 6,289 #1,081
2001 modern 6,147 #1,083
2002 modern 6,212 #1,096
2003 modern 6,042 #1,100
2004 modern 6,029 #1,100
2005 modern 5,870 #1,110
2006 modern 5,893 #1,105
2007 modern 5,929 #1,109
2008 modern 5,980 #1,110
2009 modern 6,110 #1,114
2010 modern 6,184 #1,124
2011 modern 6,127 #1,118
2012 modern 5,979 #1,118
2013 modern 6,124 #1,112
2014 modern 6,214 #1,102
2015 modern 6,123 #1,107
2016 modern 6,070 #1,113

Geography

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Where Lockes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Newchurch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Test Valley, Forest Heath, North Norfolk and North West Leicestershire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Newchurch Hampshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of
2 Test Valley 013 Test Valley
3 Forest Heath 004 Forest Heath
4 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
5 North West Leicestershire 009 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Locke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Locke

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Locke 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

Locke 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

Locke 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 Locke 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 Locke, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Locke

The surname Locke is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "loc," meaning an enclosure or a lock of hair. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 12th century and was initially used as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near an enclosure or a lock on a river or canal.

The surname Locke can be traced back to various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions individuals with the surname in counties such as Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is believed to be "Loche," found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166.

In the 13th century, the surname Locke appeared in various forms, including "de la Loke," "atte Loke," and "del Lok," indicating the locational origin of the name. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John de la Loke, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

Some notable individuals throughout history with the surname Locke include John Locke (1632-1704), an English philosopher and influential Enlightenment thinker, known for his works on natural rights, political theory, and empiricism. Another prominent figure was Matthew Locke (1621-1677), an English composer and one of the most influential figures in the Baroque era.

Other notable individuals with the surname Locke include John Locke (1805-1892), an English agriculturist and writer on rural affairs, and John G. Locke (1835-1920), an American businessman and co-founder of the Locke Insulator Manufacturing Company. William John Locke (1863-1930) was an English novelist and playwright who wrote popular novels such as "The Beloved Vagabond" and "The Fortunate Youth."

The surname Locke has also been associated with various place names, such as Locke Park in Redcar, England, and Locke Township in Ingham County, Michigan, USA. Additionally, the surname has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Lok, Loke, Locker, and Loker.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Locke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Locke 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 376 Lockes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 376 1.43x
Lancashire 217 0.70x
Surrey 210 1.64x
Hampshire 203 3.78x
Devon 139 2.55x
Gloucestershire 116 2.25x
Somerset 108 2.56x
Northumberland 101 2.59x
Worcestershire 86 2.51x
Kent 82 0.92x
Warwickshire 76 1.15x
Sussex 74 1.67x
Yorkshire 71 0.27x
Norfolk 63 1.56x
Glamorgan 54 1.18x
Lanarkshire 54 0.64x
Essex 46 0.89x
Midlothian 46 1.31x
Derbyshire 38 0.93x
Suffolk 36 1.13x
Wiltshire 32 1.38x
Monmouthshire 31 1.63x
Dorset 30 1.74x
Oxfordshire 29 1.79x
Kirkcudbrightshire 28 7.37x
Staffordshire 28 0.32x
Cornwall 26 0.88x
Cheshire 25 0.43x
Leicestershire 24 0.83x
Durham 21 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 17 1.07x
Northamptonshire 17 0.69x
Renfrewshire 17 0.84x
Dumfriesshire 16 2.76x
Shropshire 16 0.71x
Berkshire 15 0.76x
Lincolnshire 14 0.33x
Channel Islands 11 1.42x
Herefordshire 11 1.02x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.54x
Ayrshire 7 0.36x
Fife 7 0.45x
Rutland 7 3.63x
Royal Navy 6 1.92x
Hertfordshire 5 0.28x
Selkirkshire 5 2.11x
Westmorland 5 0.87x
Cumberland 4 0.18x
Roxburghshire 4 0.84x
Buteshire 2 1.26x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.24x
Angus 1 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.07x
Cardiganshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 47 Lockes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.85x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 47 1.85x
Portsea 43 4.08x
Camberwell 38 2.27x
Hackney London 38 2.58x
Lambeth 37 1.62x
St Pancras London 35 1.66x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 29 2.05x
Manchester 28 2.00x
Bedlington 27 20.72x
St Marylebone London 26 1.86x
Clapham 23 7.01x
Newington 23 2.37x
Ford 21 147.16x
Kensington London 20 1.37x
Alverstoke 18 9.25x
Combe Raleigh 18 869.57x
Nottingham St Mary 18 1.97x
Bermondsey 17 2.18x
Bristol St Paul In 17 12.40x
Aylesbury 16 22.77x
Bishops Lydeard 16 148.56x
Chorley 16 9.16x
Glasgow 16 1.06x
Liverpool 16 0.85x
Sunbury 16 50.78x
Chelsea London 15 1.90x
Andover 14 27.56x
Barrow In Furness 14 3.31x
Clippesby 14 1272.73x
Croydon 14 1.97x
Hammersmith London 14 2.17x
Hove 14 7.21x
Luppitt 14 258.78x
Stretford 14 8.18x
Bedminster 13 3.28x
Broughton In Salford 13 4.57x
Dudley 13 3.12x
Govan 13 0.62x
Neilston 13 12.74x
Tolleshunt D Arcy 13 176.39x
Brailes 12 118.11x
Hartlip 12 346.82x
Sutton 12 12.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 2.27x
Clerkenwell London 11 1.78x
Derby St Werburgh 11 4.64x
Everton 11 1.11x
Kings Norton 11 3.58x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.38x
St Luke London 11 2.61x
Whippingham 11 27.02x
Aston 10 0.55x
Bromley 10 7.33x
Ealing 10 4.27x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 1.89x
Edinburgh New North 10 32.70x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 10 105.60x
Llantrisant 10 8.69x
Lowick 10 73.58x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 2.28x
Shapwick 10 251.26x
St Peter Port 10 6.95x
Worcester St Nicholas 10 61.61x
Avondale 9 18.15x
Barony 9 0.42x
Birmingham 9 0.41x
Bradpole 9 63.78x
Christchurch 9 15.34x
Gelligaer 9 8.63x
Harrow On The Hill 9 17.18x
Millbrook 9 6.65x
New Windsor 9 13.60x
Radcliffe 9 6.00x
Rye 9 21.41x
Southampton St Mary 9 2.66x
Stourbridge 9 10.21x
Thames Ditton 9 33.90x
Tonbridge 9 2.79x
Westgate 9 3.72x
Whitechapel London 9 3.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 162
Elizabeth 103
Sarah 78
Ellen 51
Jane 47
Ann 44
Emily 39
Alice 37
Eliza 34
Emma 34
Annie 33
Caroline 28
Louisa 27
Harriet 23
Hannah 22
Margaret 21
Florence 18
Edith 16
Lucy 16
Maria 16
Catherine 15
Charlotte 15
Amelia 14
Kate 13
Ada 12
Frances 12
Isabella 12
Anne 11
Clara 11
Martha 10
Rose 10
Agnes 9
Fanny 9
Harriett 9
Eleanor 8
Susan 8
Susannah 8
Gertrude 7
Laura 7
Matilda 7
Esther 6
Helen 6
Julia 6
Minnie 6
Sophia 6
Jessie 5
Rachel 5
Rosina 5
Grace 4
Mabel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 166
John 142
George 80
James 65
Thomas 63
Charles 53
Henry 53
Robert 38
Alfred 32
Arthur 32
Edward 30
Frederick 29
Joseph 27
Walter 22
Frank 21
Harry 19
Richard 18
Albert 16
Ernest 14
Herbert 14
Samuel 14
Edwin 8
Wm. 8
David 7
Joshua 7
Francis 6
Daniel 5
Geo. 5
Harold 5
Matthew 5
Percy 5
Tom 5
Alexander 4
Benjamin 4
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Jas. 4
Adam 3
Andrew 3
Cecil 3
Leonard 3
Mark 3
Michael 3
Christopher 2
Cyril 2
Luke 2
Noah 2
Osmond 2
Reginald 2
Richd. 2

FAQ

Locke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Locke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,676 people were recorded with the Locke surname. That placed it at #1,662 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Locke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,070 in 2016. That gives Locke a modern rank of #1,113.

What does the Locke surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a locksmith or someone who made and repaired locks.

What does the Locke map show?

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