NameCensus.

UK surname

Locker

An occupational surname referring to a locksmith or a person who made or repaired locks.

In the 1881 census there were 749 people recorded with the Locker surname, ranking it #4,912 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,136, ranked #5,184, down from #4,912 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Grappenhall (Latchford) , Runcorn (Thelwall) and Burslem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, East Staffordshire and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Locker is 1,152 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.7%.

1881 census count

749

Ranked #4,912

Modern count

1,136

2016, ranked #5,184

Peak year

2010

1,152 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Locker had 749 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,912 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,136 in 2016, ranked #5,184.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,106 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Locker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Locker surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Locker 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 557 #4,549
1861 historical 579 #4,555
1881 historical 749 #4,912
1891 historical 873 #4,708
1901 historical 940 #4,972
1911 historical 1,106 #4,197
1997 modern 982 #5,587
1998 modern 1,135 #5,113
1999 modern 1,139 #5,150
2000 modern 1,128 #5,164
2001 modern 1,103 #5,160
2002 modern 1,137 #5,139
2003 modern 1,090 #5,218
2004 modern 1,064 #5,331
2005 modern 1,079 #5,208
2006 modern 1,096 #5,157
2007 modern 1,092 #5,216
2008 modern 1,097 #5,230
2009 modern 1,112 #5,277
2010 modern 1,152 #5,235
2011 modern 1,124 #5,276
2012 modern 1,113 #5,242
2013 modern 1,143 #5,203
2014 modern 1,132 #5,279
2015 modern 1,124 #5,256
2016 modern 1,136 #5,184

Geography

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Where Lockers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Grappenhall (Latchford) , Runcorn (Thelwall), Burslem, St Werburgh and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, East Staffordshire, Redcar and Cleveland and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Grappenhall (Latchford) , Runcorn (Thelwall) Lancashire
3 Burslem Staffordshire
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 001 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
3 East Staffordshire 003 East Staffordshire
4 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Stoke-on-Trent 028 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Locker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Locker

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Locker is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Locker is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Locker falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Locker

The surname Locker has its origins in medieval England, with records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "locc," meaning a lock or enclosure, referring to someone who lived near a lockable gate or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert le Lokker. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with the addition and removal of letters and suffixes.

During the Middle Ages, the Locker name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in eastern England. These areas had a significant agricultural presence, and the name may have originally referred to someone responsible for securing enclosures or gates on farms or manors.

The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the Locker surname. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as Lockeridge in Wiltshire and Lockington in East Riding of Yorkshire.

One notable historical figure with the Locker surname was Sir William Locker (1663-1751), a British naval officer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Midhurstand and Sevenoaks. Another prominent individual was John Locker (1693-1760), a British writer and philosopher who published works on education and natural philosophy.

In the 17th century, John Locker (1598-1685), an English goldsmith and banker, established the Locker family as a prominent mercantile and financial dynasty in London. His grandson, John Locker (1669-1720), continued the family's success in banking and was a director of the Bank of England.

Another notable figure was Edward Hawke Locker (1777-1849), a British naval officer and author who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later wrote several popular works of travel literature.

Throughout its history, the Locker surname has been associated with various professions, from agriculture and trade to military service and literature, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Locker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Locker 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 216 Lockers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.76x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 216 8.76x
Derbyshire 109 9.53x
Lancashire 58 0.67x
Warwickshire 55 2.98x
Middlesex 49 0.67x
Yorkshire 37 0.51x
Leicestershire 34 4.20x
Cheshire 32 1.98x
Northumberland 19 1.75x
Surrey 17 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 14 1.42x
Durham 13 0.60x
Lincolnshire 13 1.11x
Somerset 13 1.11x
Worcestershire 12 1.26x
Glamorgan 11 0.86x
Kent 10 0.40x
Clackmannanshire 7 11.60x
Hampshire 7 0.47x
Cornwall 5 0.60x
Caernarfonshire 4 1.35x
Cumberland 3 0.48x
Devon 3 0.20x
Dorset 3 0.63x
Berkshire 2 0.36x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.19x
Sussex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 76 Lockers recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.06x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 76 29.06x
Aston 44 8.67x
Derby St Werburgh 34 51.48x
Latchford 21 196.08x
Whitby 20 81.97x
Long Eaton 17 112.58x
Burslem 16 22.65x
Stone 13 41.20x
Packington 12 415.22x
Trentham 12 57.20x
Burton Upon Trent 11 19.06x
Nottingham St Mary 11 4.32x
Swansea Town 11 10.55x
Byker 10 18.61x
St Botolph Lincoln 10 119.05x
Bridgewater 9 28.19x
Cheadle 9 76.01x
Lichfield St Michael 9 116.28x
Manchester 9 2.31x
Warrington 9 8.76x
Wolstanton Chesterton 9 71.37x
Beswick 8 36.08x
Clerkenwell London 8 4.64x
Deptford St Paul 8 4.16x
Eggington 8 784.31x
Leigh 8 69.08x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 12.32x
Willesden 8 11.62x
Wolstanton 8 10.68x
Alloa 7 23.92x
Broughton In Salford 7 8.83x
Edgbaston 7 12.25x
Islington London 7 0.99x
Stapenhill 7 41.10x
Uttoxeter 7 55.42x
Birkenhead 6 4.67x
Bury 6 6.06x
Eckington 6 21.59x
Little Bolton 6 5.38x
Loughborough 6 16.32x
Southwick 6 29.14x
St George Hanover Square 6 4.66x
Aldershot 5 9.97x
Bradford 5 12.32x
Church Broughton 5 340.14x
Clapham 5 5.47x
Darlaston 5 14.67x
Hugglescote 5 41.95x
Newborough 5 306.75x
Norton 5 62.58x
St Martin In Fields 5 11.43x
Stanton Newhall 5 136.24x
Alvaston 4 122.70x
Birmingham 4 0.65x
Caerhun 4 156.86x
Checkley 4 62.40x
Great Wyrley 4 149.25x
Kings Norton 4 4.68x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.02x
Leigh Field 4 563.38x
Little Eaton 4 168.78x
Maker 4 52.36x
Normanton 4 41.41x
Withycombe 4 571.43x
Barton Under Needwood 3 66.96x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.11x
Chelsea London 3 1.36x
Cleckheaton 3 11.25x
Colwich 3 51.19x
Esher 3 60.24x
Lambeth 3 0.47x
Leicester St Mary 3 4.58x
Leigh 3 182.93x
Poole St James 3 16.65x
Prestwich 3 13.87x
Titteworth 3 79.37x
Twickenham 3 9.58x
Wakefield 3 5.40x
Derby St Alkmund 2 5.83x
Runcorn 2 5.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Elizabeth 34
Sarah 25
Jane 17
Eliza 16
Ann 15
Hannah 14
Annie 12
Alice 11
Ellen 10
Emma 10
Emily 9
Catherine 8
Margaret 8
Harriet 7
Edith 6
Florence 6
Ada 4
Clara 4
Lucy 4
Lydia 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Charlotte 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Harriett 3
Julia 3
Leah 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Dora 2
Dorothy 2
Elizth. 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Isabella 2
Kezia 2
Lilly 2
Margarate 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Betty 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.E. 1
Sylvia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
George 44
John 41
Thomas 33
James 25
Joseph 19
Arthur 12
Samuel 11
Charles 10
Albert 8
Henry 8
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Frank 5
Robert 5
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Frederic 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Josiah 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Anson 1
Ard 1
Clement 1
Eder 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Emanuell 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Godfrey 1
Hopkinson 1
Justar 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Miles 1
Morriss 1
Oliver 1
Richd. 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Locker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Locker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 749 people were recorded with the Locker surname. That placed it at #4,912 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Locker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,136 in 2016. That gives Locker a modern rank of #5,184.

What does the Locker surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a locksmith or a person who made or repaired locks.

What does the Locker map show?

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