NameCensus.

UK surname

Meeke

In the 1881 census there were 72 people recorded with the Meeke surname, ranking it #23,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, down from #23,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Rushall and Nafferton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirkwood and Bargeddie, Dundyvan and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meeke is 131 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.4%.

1881 census count

72

Ranked #23,371

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

1998

131 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meeke had 72 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Meeke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meeke surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meeke 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 57 #23,092
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 72 #23,371
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 111 #21,492
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 111 #26,291
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Meekes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Rushall, Nafferton, St Marylebone and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirkwood and Bargeddie, Dundyvan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cotswold and Barnet. 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 Rushall Staffordshire
3 Nafferton Yorkshire, East Riding
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirkwood and Bargeddie North Lanarkshire
2 Dundyvan North Lanarkshire
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 004 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Cotswold 006 Cotswold
5 Barnet 001 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meeke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meeke

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Meeke, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Meeke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Meeke household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Meeke is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Meeke 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

Meeke falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Meeke 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 - Irish

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

1881 census detail

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Meeke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meeke 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 20 Meekes recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.44x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 20 8.44x
Yorkshire 18 2.59x
Lancashire 8 0.96x
Midlothian 6 6.38x
Warwickshire 6 3.39x
Cheshire 4 2.58x
Middlesex 3 0.43x
Worcestershire 2 2.18x
Essex 1 0.72x
Glamorgan 1 0.82x
Norfolk 1 0.93x
Perthshire 1 3.17x
Surrey 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rushall in Staffordshire leads with 19 Meekes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1357.14x.

Place Total Index
Rushall 19 1357.14x
Sheffield 9 40.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 15.85x
Aston 4 8.20x
Barnton 4 1081.08x
Great Crosby 4 176.21x
Liverpool 4 7.90x
Brightside Bierlow 3 21.98x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 21.19x
Birmingham 2 3.39x
Nafferton 2 666.67x
St Marylebone London 2 5.33x
Auchtergaven 1 188.68x
Hackney London 1 2.54x
Kings Norton 1 12.17x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 8.51x
Nazeing 1 555.56x
Snettisham 1 333.33x
Statfold 1 10000.00x
Streatham 1 19.19x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 50.25x
Worcester St John 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Emma 2
Georgina 2
Kate 2
Alice 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Feodora 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Lilian 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Nansey 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Meeke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meeke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 72 people were recorded with the Meeke surname. That placed it at #23,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meeke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Meeke a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Meeke map show?

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