NameCensus.

UK surname

Newark

A habitational name for someone from Newark, a place name derived from Old English meaning "new work" or "new manor."

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Newark surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 303, ranked #14,637, down from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Burslem and Tottenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston, Great Yarmouth and Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newark is 346 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.6%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

303

2016, ranked #14,637

Peak year

2002

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newark had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016, ranked #14,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 250 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Newark surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newark surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newark 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 131 #14,243
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 225 #13,714
1901 historical 198 #15,213
1911 historical 250 #12,918
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 335 #12,915
1999 modern 340 #12,870
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 334 #12,789
2002 modern 346 #12,733
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 333 #12,927
2005 modern 330 #12,939
2006 modern 324 #13,183
2007 modern 318 #13,503
2008 modern 307 #13,907
2009 modern 309 #14,135
2010 modern 303 #14,626
2011 modern 298 #14,666
2012 modern 289 #14,875
2013 modern 291 #15,067
2014 modern 300 #14,839
2015 modern 293 #15,005
2016 modern 303 #14,637

Geography

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Where Newarks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Burslem, Tottenham and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston, Great Yarmouth and Enfield. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Tottenham Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 002 Boston
2 Boston 004 Boston
3 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
4 Boston 003 Boston
5 Enfield 027 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newark

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newark

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Newark surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Newark household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Newark 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

Newark is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Newark

The surname Newark originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the city of Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "niowe" meaning "new" and "weorc" meaning "work" or "building," referring to a new fortified town or settlement.

The earliest recorded reference to the name Newark can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Newerche." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Robert de Newark, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1197. Another early example is William de Newark, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

In the 14th century, the surname Newark was also found in various spellings such as Newerk, Newerk, and Newwarke. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable figure with the surname Newark was John Newark (c. 1510-1588), an English Catholic priest and martyr. He was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his involvement in the Rising of the North, a rebellion against the Queen's religious policies.

Another individual of note was Sir Robert Newark (c. 1580-1649), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. He played a significant role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Royalist cause before switching sides to support the Parliamentarians.

In the 17th century, the surname Newark was also found in Scotland, possibly brought by English settlers or immigrants. One example is Robert Newark (1638-1714), a Scottish minister and Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1690 to 1714.

Other notable bearers of the surname include Thomas Newark (1759-1832), an English engraver and printmaker known for his topographical and architectural works, and Samuel Newark (1785-1855), an English librarian and bibliographer who served as the Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum.

While the surname Newark is not among the most common surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England and the city of Newark-on-Trent, reflecting the locational origins of many English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newark families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newark 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 46 Newarks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.41x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 46 2.41x
Norfolk 28 9.53x
Warwickshire 24 4.98x
Suffolk 21 9.02x
Surrey 21 2.25x
Staffordshire 20 3.10x
Cheshire 15 3.55x
Sussex 7 2.17x
Berkshire 3 2.09x
Carmarthenshire 3 3.72x
Durham 2 0.35x
Radnorshire 2 12.97x
Essex 1 0.27x
Gloucestershire 1 0.27x
Kent 1 0.15x
Somerset 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 28 Newarks recorded in 1881 and an index of 114.99x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 28 114.99x
Newington 20 28.32x
Coventry Holy Trinity 17 118.06x
Shoreditch London 16 19.31x
Burslem 14 75.72x
Tottenham 10 32.84x
Acton 9 80.29x
Bradwell 8 2222.22x
Helsby 8 1509.43x
Birmingham 7 4.36x
Keymer 7 307.02x
Belton 6 1463.41x
Burgh Castle 6 1764.71x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 8.77x
Eaton In Nantwich 4 1333.33x
Westminster St John 4 17.18x
Islington London 3 1.62x
Llanelly 3 16.53x
Presteigne 2 204.08x
Reading St Giles 2 14.20x
Southwick 2 37.11x
Alvanley 1 476.19x
Battersea 1 1.42x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.20x
Burnham 1 42.55x
Charlton Kings 1 38.61x
Chatham 1 5.57x
Clewer 1 17.01x
Fulham London 1 3.61x
Hammersmith London 1 2.12x
Lound 1 344.83x
Monks Coppenhall 1 6.28x
Twickenham 1 12.20x
Utkinton 1 294.12x
West Ham 1 1.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 9
Alice 5
Emma 5
Jane 5
Margaret 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Harriet 3
Louisa 3
Susan 3
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Ester 2
Henrietta 2
Minnie 2
Pheobe 2
Sarah 2
Sophia 2
Amelia 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Flolence 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Georgiana 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Hephzibah 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Mararet 1
Martha 1
Naome 1
Penelope 1
Phoabe 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 11
George 10
James 6
Charles 5
Herbert 5
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Arthur 3
Isaac 3
Fredk. 2
Thomas 2
Agustus 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Augustus 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Fredc. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jonah 1
Joseph 1
Malcolm 1
Percy 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Urquhart 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Newark surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newark surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Newark surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newark surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016. That gives Newark a modern rank of #14,637.

What does the Newark surname mean?

A habitational name for someone from Newark, a place name derived from Old English meaning "new work" or "new manor."

What does the Newark map show?

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