NameCensus.

UK surname

Noakes

A surname derived from the Old English "hnæc," meaning a knoll or small hill.

In the 1881 census there were 2,188 people recorded with the Noakes surname, ranking it #2,030 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,971, ranked #2,266, down from #2,030 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield, Shepway and Hastings.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Noakes is 3,152 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.8%.

1881 census count

2,188

Ranked #2,030

Modern count

2,971

2016, ranked #2,266

Peak year

1999

3,152 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Noakes had 2,188 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,030 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,971 in 2016, ranked #2,266.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,040 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Noakes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Noakes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Noakes 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 1,255 #2,275
1861 historical 1,018 #2,752
1881 historical 2,188 #2,030
1891 historical 2,310 #2,029
1901 historical 3,026 #1,850
1911 historical 3,040 #1,720
1997 modern 3,083 #2,078
1998 modern 3,138 #2,136
1999 modern 3,152 #2,146
2000 modern 3,131 #2,147
2001 modern 3,039 #2,168
2002 modern 3,087 #2,179
2003 modern 2,990 #2,198
2004 modern 2,985 #2,197
2005 modern 2,906 #2,229
2006 modern 2,909 #2,221
2007 modern 2,916 #2,245
2008 modern 2,898 #2,278
2009 modern 2,981 #2,265
2010 modern 3,031 #2,279
2011 modern 3,015 #2,264
2012 modern 2,934 #2,284
2013 modern 2,988 #2,280
2014 modern 3,024 #2,266
2015 modern 2,989 #2,264
2016 modern 2,971 #2,266

Geography

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Where Noakes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield, Shepway, Hastings and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Leigh Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 012 Chesterfield
2 Shepway 011 Shepway
3 Hastings 004 Hastings
4 Chesterfield 004 Chesterfield
5 Tunbridge Wells 011 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Noakes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Noakes

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

Noakes is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Noakes

The surname Noakes is of English origin, deriving from the Old English pre-7th century word 'nok', meaning 'oak tree'. It emerged as an occupational surname, referring to someone who lived or worked near an oak tree or in an oak forest.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century, with a Richard de la Noke appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190. The name also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'de la Noke', a reference to someone living near an oak tree or oak woods.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled as 'Noke' or 'Nokes', with variations like 'Nookes' and 'Nouckes' emerging in the 16th century. The modern spelling of 'Noakes' became more common in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Notable historical figures with the surname Noakes include Richard Noakes (1619-1692), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford. John Noakes (1733-1801) was a British naval officer and explorer, best known for his exploration of the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

In the 19th century, Robert Noakes (1828-1898) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons. John Noakes (1949-2017) was a popular British television presenter, best known for his work on the long-running children's programme 'Blue Peter'.

Another notable figure was Mary Noakes (1863-1943), a British suffragette and women's rights activist who campaigned for women's right to vote and was imprisoned for her activism.

The surname Noakes is still relatively common in England, particularly in the southern counties, and has spread to other parts of the world through migration. However, its origins can be traced back to the oak forests of medieval England, where it first emerged as an occupational surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Noakes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Noakes 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. Sussex leads with 578 Noakes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.05x.

County Total Index
Sussex 578 16.05x
Middlesex 424 1.98x
Kent 284 3.90x
Surrey 165 1.59x
Essex 154 3.65x
Staffordshire 125 1.73x
Shropshire 53 2.87x
Warwickshire 43 0.80x
Lancashire 40 0.16x
Somerset 38 1.11x
Berkshire 35 2.18x
Hampshire 35 0.80x
Pembrokeshire 35 5.16x
Yorkshire 29 0.14x
Worcestershire 28 1.00x
Hertfordshire 16 1.09x
Gloucestershire 15 0.36x
Derbyshire 14 0.42x
Dorset 11 0.78x
Devon 10 0.22x
Fife 9 0.71x
Glamorgan 8 0.22x
Wiltshire 8 0.42x
Cheshire 7 0.15x
Northamptonshire 7 0.35x
Leicestershire 3 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.10x
Suffolk 3 0.12x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Royal Navy 2 0.79x
Angus 1 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.08x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Northumberland 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 59 Noakes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.44x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 59 22.44x
West Ham 52 5.59x
Islington London 41 1.98x
Mile End Old Town 41 12.16x
Eastbourne 40 24.13x
Hackney London 38 3.17x
Birmingham 37 2.06x
Brighton 37 5.09x
Pembroke St Mary 35 40.03x
Hastings St Mary 32 35.70x
Shoreditch London 32 3.46x
Wednesbury 32 17.76x
Hellingly 31 257.05x
Croydon 28 4.85x
St Marylebone London 28 2.45x
Lambeth 27 1.45x
Hastings St Leonards 24 45.33x
Brede 22 291.39x
St Pancras London 22 1.28x
Fulham London 21 6.78x
Lewisham 21 5.40x
Rye 21 61.35x
Camberwell 20 1.47x
Paddington London 20 2.55x
Poplar London 20 4.96x
Battle 19 78.16x
Walsall Foreign 19 5.10x
High Ongar 18 231.66x
Newhaven 18 61.52x
Bexhill 17 94.71x
Burwash 17 101.74x
Peasmarsh 17 277.78x
Wolverhampton 17 3.07x
Burwarton 16 1495.33x
Battersea 15 1.91x
Bethnal Green London 15 1.62x
Bromsgrove 15 15.97x
Checkley 15 80.09x
Dallington 14 360.82x
Ealing 14 7.33x
Hastings St Clement 14 41.31x
Yateley 14 168.88x
Deptford St Paul 13 2.31x
Hastings St Mary In The 13 16.92x
Mayfield 13 61.03x
Ticehurst 13 58.98x
Tilehurst 13 40.12x
Willingdon 13 142.23x
Bobbingworth 12 540.54x
Bromley London 12 2.55x
Chiddingly 12 184.90x
Eardington 12 625.00x
Kensington London 12 1.01x
Kirkdale 12 2.81x
St George In East 12 8.26x
Boughton Monchelsea 11 136.82x
Lamberhurst 11 121.15x
Minster In Sheppey 11 9.11x
Ore 11 41.03x
Westfield 11 143.04x
Frittenden 10 147.06x
Rochester St Margaret 10 13.01x
Appledore 9 189.47x
Aston Botterell 9 743.80x
Brenchley 9 34.51x
Buxted 9 63.83x
Forgan 9 37.14x
Guestling 9 153.58x
Hastings Holy Trinity 9 33.90x
Horsemonden 9 84.51x
Hove 9 5.69x
Isleworth 9 9.48x
Nursted 9 1914.89x
Reading St Mary 9 7.01x
Sedlescombe 9 189.87x
Winchcomb 9 43.29x
Bow London 8 2.94x
Heeley 8 12.44x
Nunney 8 107.53x
Sedgley 8 2.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 128
Elizabeth 89
Sarah 81
Eliza 51
Emma 48
Ellen 37
Emily 37
Ann 35
Jane 33
Alice 26
Annie 24
Louisa 24
Caroline 22
Edith 21
Fanny 19
Kate 18
Charlotte 17
Maria 17
Harriet 16
Clara 14
Florence 12
Susan 12
Catherine 11
Frances 11
Hannah 11
Lucy 11
Ada 10
Harriett 10
Isabella 9
Margaret 9
Matilda 9
Gertrude 8
Rebecca 8
Agnes 7
Grace 7
Sophia 7
Anne 6
Esther 6
Julia 6
Martha 6
Amelia 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Beatrice 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Minnie 4
Nellie 4
Rose 4
Rosina 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 121
George 89
John 81
James 64
Thomas 61
Henry 55
Charles 53
Alfred 41
Edward 37
Robert 33
Joseph 30
Frederick 27
Arthur 22
Samuel 21
Richard 18
Albert 16
Walter 13
David 12
Harry 12
Frank 11
Benjamin 9
Francis 9
Ernest 8
Herbert 7
Stephen 7
Chas. 4
Edwin 4
Isaac 4
Bertram 3
Edgar 3
Edmund 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Hubert 3
Jonathan 3
Lewis 3
Luke 3
Stanton 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
E. 2
F. 2
Johnson 2
Moses 2
Nathan 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Roland 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Noakes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Noakes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,188 people were recorded with the Noakes surname. That placed it at #2,030 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Noakes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,971 in 2016. That gives Noakes a modern rank of #2,266.

What does the Noakes surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English "hnæc," meaning a knoll or small hill.

What does the Noakes map show?

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