NameCensus.

UK surname

Lockyer

Derived from an Old English word meaning someone who kept locks or worked with locks.

In the 1881 census there were 2,296 people recorded with the Lockyer surname, ranking it #1,946 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,864, ranked #2,345, down from #1,946 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Dorset, Sedgemoor and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lockyer is 3,067 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

2,296

Ranked #1,946

Modern count

2,864

2016, ranked #2,345

Peak year

1999

3,067 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lockyer had 2,296 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,946 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,864 in 2016, ranked #2,345.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,058 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lockyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lockyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lockyer 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 1,412 #2,041
1861 historical 1,449 #1,961
1881 historical 2,296 #1,946
1891 historical 2,514 #1,882
1901 historical 2,724 #2,040
1911 historical 3,058 #1,704
1997 modern 2,965 #2,182
1998 modern 3,056 #2,203
1999 modern 3,067 #2,207
2000 modern 3,047 #2,208
2001 modern 3,002 #2,194
2002 modern 3,012 #2,236
2003 modern 2,919 #2,247
2004 modern 2,906 #2,262
2005 modern 2,851 #2,277
2006 modern 2,830 #2,297
2007 modern 2,810 #2,328
2008 modern 2,821 #2,336
2009 modern 2,920 #2,320
2010 modern 2,945 #2,340
2011 modern 2,957 #2,306
2012 modern 2,856 #2,334
2013 modern 2,934 #2,321
2014 modern 2,909 #2,346
2015 modern 2,895 #2,328
2016 modern 2,864 #2,345

Geography

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Where Lockyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Dorset, Sedgemoor, New Forest and North Dorset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Dorset 001 East Dorset
2 Sedgemoor 012 Sedgemoor
3 New Forest 016 New Forest
4 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
5 New Forest 001 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lockyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lockyer

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

Lockyer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lockyer

The surname Lockyer has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'loc', meaning 'lock' or 'enclosure', and the occupational suffix '-er', indicating someone who worked as a locksmith or made locks.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset, where early records of the surname can be found. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a John le Lokyer from Somerset.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to places such as 'Locheresfeld' and 'Lockeres', which may have influenced the formation of the surname Lockyer. These place names suggest the presence of locksmiths or individuals associated with locks in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Lockyer include Nicholas Lockyer (c. 1550-1647), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1610 to 1647. Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Lockyer (1629-1679), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bath during the reign of King Charles II.

In the 18th century, James Lockyer (1714-1789) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of precision timekeeping. His son, Reverend John Lockyer (1751-1825), was a prominent clergyman and served as the Rector of Tatenhill in Staffordshire.

During the 19th century, Norman Lockyer (1836-1920) was a notable English scientist and astronomer who made important discoveries in the field of spectroscopy and was one of the founders of the scientific journal Nature.

Other historical figures with the surname Lockyer include Mary Lockyer (c. 1650-1720), an English midwife and writer who published a highly influential book on midwifery in 1673, and Richard Lockyer (1633-1689), an English naval officer who played a significant role in the Second Anglo-Dutch War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lockyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lockyer 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 339 Lockyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.52x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 339 1.52x
Kent 320 4.20x
Hampshire 275 6.01x
Somerset 260 7.23x
Devon 209 4.49x
Dorset 176 12.00x
Surrey 169 1.55x
Sussex 105 2.79x
Gloucestershire 91 2.08x
Wiltshire 55 2.78x
Lancashire 49 0.18x
Glamorgan 39 1.00x
Essex 28 0.64x
Yorkshire 26 0.12x
Warwickshire 25 0.44x
Carmarthenshire 20 2.12x
Northumberland 17 0.51x
Monmouthshire 15 0.93x
Durham 14 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.23x
Herefordshire 6 0.66x
Oxfordshire 6 0.43x
Shropshire 6 0.31x
Worcestershire 6 0.21x
Brecknockshire 4 0.90x
Midlothian 3 0.10x
Staffordshire 3 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.22x
Channel Islands 2 0.30x
Cheshire 2 0.04x
Cornwall 2 0.08x
Bedfordshire 1 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.07x
Denbighshire 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x
Merionethshire 1 0.24x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.38x
Rutland 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 45 Lockyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.50x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 45 2.50x
Cranborne 44 248.31x
Holdenhurst 43 35.80x
Islington London 38 1.76x
Lambeth 38 1.95x
Christchurch 37 37.27x
Portsea 33 3.68x
Shoreditch London 29 2.99x
Camberwell 27 1.89x
Stoke St Gregory 26 238.10x
Swanscombe 24 70.09x
Poole St James 22 39.93x
Swindon 21 13.70x
Newport 20 80.52x
Bere Regis 19 193.48x
Mereworth 19 309.95x
Southampton St Mary 19 6.60x
Westerham 19 108.08x
Battersea 18 2.19x
Chelsea London 18 2.67x
Clerkenwell London 18 3.41x
Deptford St Paul 18 3.06x
Hackney London 18 1.44x
Southampton All Sts 18 22.91x
West Parley 18 700.39x
Cramlington 17 38.71x
Clifton 16 7.22x
Gussage All Sts 16 500.00x
Alverstoke 15 9.05x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 15 3.64x
Great Torrington 15 56.88x
Milton In Milton 15 46.30x
Pilton 15 97.72x
Ringwood 15 51.21x
Southwark St George Martyr 15 3.34x
Westminster St John 15 5.51x
Brighton 14 1.84x
Farnborough 14 126.01x
Kensington London 14 1.13x
West Thorney 14 1400.00x
Branscombe 13 204.08x
Brixham 13 24.13x
Croydon 13 2.15x
Hammersmith London 13 2.36x
Merthyr Tydfil 13 3.48x
Othery 13 294.12x
Sandhurst 13 144.93x
Walton 13 316.30x
Aston 12 0.77x
Glastonbury 12 40.89x
Iwade 12 666.67x
Pitcombe 12 372.67x
Plymouth Charles The 12 5.86x
Reigate Foreign 12 10.18x
St George Hanover Square 12 3.05x
Tonbridge 12 4.37x
Bedminster 11 3.26x
Cobham 11 156.47x
Culmstock 11 166.92x
Maidstone 11 4.85x
Middlezoy 11 250.00x
North Curry 11 89.94x
Plumstead 11 4.33x
Sidbury 11 110.44x
South Stoneham 11 11.08x
St Marylebone London 11 0.92x
Whiteparish 11 130.80x
Bishops Lydeard 10 108.93x
Brading 10 16.43x
Bristol St James In 10 15.52x
Icklesham 10 150.83x
Rainham 10 47.76x
Rotherfield 10 30.16x
Wells St Cuthbert 10 40.75x
West Ham 10 1.03x
Bristol St Paul In 9 7.71x
Huntspill 9 61.14x
Minster In Sheppey 9 7.13x
St Luke London 9 2.51x
Swainswick 9 185.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 125
Elizabeth 98
Sarah 84
Emily 46
Emma 43
Ann 42
Annie 42
Ellen 41
Eliza 38
Jane 35
Alice 27
Florence 25
Louisa 24
Martha 22
Fanny 20
Kate 20
Edith 19
Charlotte 17
Bessie 15
Maria 14
Sophia 14
Caroline 13
Frances 13
Lucy 12
Amelia 11
Minnie 11
Clara 10
Esther 10
Hannah 9
Harriet 9
Susan 9
Catherine 8
Harriett 8
Margaret 8
Rose 8
Ada 7
Agnes 7
Amy 7
Jessie 7
Rosa 7
Elizth. 6
Isabella 6
Maud 6
Lizzie 5
Eleanor 4
Julia 4
Laura 4
Lydia 4
Matilda 4
Rosina 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 134
John 99
George 96
Thomas 63
Charles 58
James 52
Henry 44
Alfred 40
Frederick 40
Albert 28
Edward 25
Joseph 23
Frank 21
Robert 20
Walter 20
Harry 19
Edwin 17
Herbert 16
Ernest 15
Arthur 14
Samuel 14
Edmund 9
Richard 8
Wm. 8
Daniel 5
Thos. 5
Benjamin 4
Edmond 4
Fred 4
Mark 4
Tom 4
Ambrose 3
David 3
Earnest 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Gilbert 3
Horace 3
Jesse 3
Levi 3
Norman 3
Oliver 3
Sydney 3
Wilfred 3
Amos 2
Cuthbert 2
Leonard 2
Lot 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Lockyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lockyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,296 people were recorded with the Lockyer surname. That placed it at #1,946 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lockyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,864 in 2016. That gives Lockyer a modern rank of #2,345.

What does the Lockyer surname mean?

Derived from an Old English word meaning someone who kept locks or worked with locks.

What does the Lockyer map show?

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