UK surname
A nickname-derived surname for a monk or someone resembling a monk in appearance or behavior.
In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Munk surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 64, ranked #34,098, down from #23,062 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Northiam, London parishes and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Munk is 156 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.5%.
1881 census count
74
Ranked #23,062
Modern count
64
2016, ranked #34,098
Peak year
1851
156 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Munk surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Munk surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 156 | #12,552 |
| 1861 | historical | 86 | #22,810 |
| 1881 | historical | 74 | #23,062 |
| 1891 | historical | 74 | #27,538 |
| 1901 | historical | 98 | #23,119 |
| 1911 | historical | 89 | #23,922 |
| 1997 | modern | 49 | #32,776 |
| 1998 | modern | 50 | #32,899 |
| 1999 | modern | 58 | #32,268 |
| 2000 | modern | 60 | #32,124 |
| 2001 | modern | 57 | #32,275 |
| 2002 | modern | 63 | #32,113 |
| 2003 | modern | 62 | #32,258 |
| 2004 | modern | 62 | #32,478 |
| 2005 | modern | 64 | #32,482 |
| 2006 | modern | 61 | #33,142 |
| 2007 | modern | 69 | #32,662 |
| 2008 | modern | 71 | #32,753 |
| 2009 | modern | 65 | #33,611 |
| 2010 | modern | 65 | #33,863 |
| 2011 | modern | 69 | #33,532 |
| 2012 | modern | 72 | #33,502 |
| 2013 | modern | 68 | #33,877 |
| 2014 | modern | 69 | #33,833 |
| 2015 | modern | 66 | #33,976 |
| 2016 | modern | 64 | #34,098 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Northiam, London parishes, Peterborough St John the Baptist, St John Hackney and St Leonard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northiam | Sussex |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Peterborough St John the Baptist | Northamptonshire |
| 4 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | St Leonard | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Munk surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Munk, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Munk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Munk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Munk is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Munk is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Munk, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Munk has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon culture and language of medieval England. It is derived from the Old English word "munuc", which means "monk" or "religious recluse". The name likely referred to someone who lived like a monk or was associated with a monastery.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders across England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Munk or similar spellings like Munc or Munck. One notable entry is for a landowner named Godric Munc in Wiltshire.
By the 13th century, the name had spread across various regions of England, appearing in records from counties like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. The earliest recorded instance of the surname dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, which mentions a William le Munk.
Over time, the name evolved into different spellings such as Munke, Monk, and Monck. One of the earliest examples of the Monck spelling can be found in the records of the Monastic Borough of Battel in Sussex, where a Robert Monck was listed as a landowner in 1327.
Several notable individuals bearing the surname Munk or its variants have left their mark throughout history. These include Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle (1652-1688), a prominent English soldier and statesman; George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1608-1670), an influential military leader during the English Civil War; and William le Moyne de Munk (1292-1359), a renowned English knight and landowner.
Other historical figures include Hans Munk (1598-1628), a Danish explorer and navigator who led an ill-fated expedition to the Northwest Passage, and Salomon Munk (1805-1867), a Polish-German Orientalist and scholar renowned for his work on Hebrew literature and philosophy.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Munk surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 19 Munks recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.34x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northiam in Sussex leads with 12 Munks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northiam | 12 | 4000.00x |
| Althorne | 10 | 12500.00x |
| Berners Roothing | 5 | 25000.00x |
| Edmonton | 5 | 86.06x |
| Beeston | 4 | 357.14x |
| Saffron Walden | 4 | 266.67x |
| Exeter St Paul | 3 | 1000.00x |
| Beckley | 2 | 666.67x |
| Croydon | 2 | 10.25x |
| Exeter St David | 2 | 156.25x |
| Hackney London | 2 | 4.94x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 3.18x |
| North Petherton | 2 | 212.77x |
| Ticehurst | 2 | 270.27x |
| Woking | 2 | 94.34x |
| Battersea | 1 | 3.77x |
| Bury St Edmunds St James | 1 | 42.55x |
| Dunnington In York | 1 | 555.56x |
| Great Yarmouth | 1 | 10.88x |
| Kings Norton | 1 | 11.83x |
| Loose | 1 | 277.78x |
| Milton In Gravesend | 1 | 27.10x |
| Peasmarsh | 1 | 476.19x |
| Ramsgate | 1 | 24.88x |
| Ratcliffe London | 1 | 25.13x |
| Sedlescombe | 1 | 625.00x |
| Sevenoaks | 1 | 50.00x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 1 | 24.15x |
| Tonbridge | 1 | 11.26x |
| West Teignmouth | 1 | 86.96x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Munk surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Munk surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Munk households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| Ag Lab | 6 |
| Carpenter | 3 |
| Farm Labourer | 3 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| ((Lodger)) | 1 |
| Agricultural Labourer | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Carpenter Wife | 1 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Cook (D) | 1 |
| Dock Laborer Carman | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Elementary Teacher | 1 |
| Gamekeeper | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gen Dom Serv | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| General Servant (Dom) | 1 |
| Genl Servant | 1 |
| Governess | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Income Derived From Interest Money | 1 |
| Independant | 1 |
| Iron Merchant & Valver Emp 3 Men & 1 Boy | 1 |
| Journeyman Miller | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Milliner & Dressmaker | 1 |
| Plasterer | 1 |
| Railway Clerk | 1 |
| Retired Farmer | 1 |
| Shop Assistant | 1 |
| Stewardess | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Munk surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 64 in 2016. That gives Munk a modern rank of #34,098.
A nickname-derived surname for a monk or someone resembling a monk in appearance or behavior.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Munk bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.