NameCensus.

UK surname

Peake

An English toponymic surname derived from the Old English word "pēac," meaning "hill" or "peak."

In the 1881 census there were 2,881 people recorded with the Peake surname, ranking it #1,556 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,431, ranked #1,987, down from #1,556 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, London parishes and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Peake is 3,964 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.1%.

1881 census count

2,881

Ranked #1,556

Modern count

3,431

2016, ranked #1,987

Peak year

1911

3,964 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Peake had 2,881 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,556 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,431 in 2016, ranked #1,987.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,964 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Peake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Peake surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Peake 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 1,900 #1,525
1861 historical 1,608 #1,771
1881 historical 2,881 #1,556
1891 historical 3,052 #1,542
1901 historical 3,629 #1,544
1911 historical 3,964 #1,295
1997 modern 3,454 #1,873
1998 modern 3,747 #1,799
1999 modern 3,773 #1,799
2000 modern 3,701 #1,823
2001 modern 3,641 #1,810
2002 modern 3,725 #1,818
2003 modern 3,668 #1,809
2004 modern 3,662 #1,807
2005 modern 3,567 #1,832
2006 modern 3,517 #1,858
2007 modern 3,538 #1,865
2008 modern 3,497 #1,898
2009 modern 3,591 #1,901
2010 modern 3,639 #1,918
2011 modern 3,602 #1,909
2012 modern 3,530 #1,908
2013 modern 3,546 #1,942
2014 modern 3,539 #1,953
2015 modern 3,480 #1,959
2016 modern 3,431 #1,987

Geography

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Where Peakes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, London parishes, Wolstanton and Burslem. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Liverpool, Barnsley and Oadby and Wigston. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Burslem Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Liverpool 018 Liverpool
4 Barnsley 026 Barnsley
5 Oadby and Wigston 007 Oadby and Wigston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Peake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Peake

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Peake is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Peake 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

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

Meaning and origin of Peake

The surname PEAKE is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, likely deriving from a place name or a topographical feature. One potential origin is the Old English word "peak," which referred to a pointed hill or mountain peak. This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near a prominent peak or in a hilly region.

Historically, the PEAKE surname has been found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire. These areas are known for their rugged landscapes and mountainous terrain, lending credence to the theory of a topographical origin for the name.

In the famous Domesday Book, a record of landowners and properties compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries mentioning individuals with the name PEAKE or similar spellings, such as "Pec" and "Peke." This indicates that the surname was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PEAKE surname dates back to the 13th century, when a John del Peke was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219. The use of the prefix "del" suggests that he may have been from a place called Peke or a similar location.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir John Peake (c. 1330-1380), a English knight and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire. He was also known for his involvement in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another prominent individual with the PEAKE surname was Sir Robert Peake (c. 1592-1667), an English painter and writer who served as a picture-maker to King James I and King Charles I. He is remembered for his portraits of various members of the royal family and nobility.

During the 17th century, Thomas Peake (1637-1686) was a celebrated English playwright and author, best known for his comedic works such as "The Mulberry Garden" and "The Islington Husbandman."

In the 19th century, Robert Edmund Peake (1835-1905) was a renowned British architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester and the Buxton Opera House.

Throughout its history, the PEAKE surname has also been associated with various place names and locations, such as Peakhill in Derbyshire, Peakland View in Yorkshire, and Peake's Parlour, a unique rock formation in the Peak District National Park.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Peake families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Peake 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 578 Peakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.08x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 578 6.08x
Middlesex 269 0.95x
Lancashire 240 0.72x
Surrey 169 1.23x
Cheshire 136 2.19x
Shropshire 129 5.30x
Norfolk 106 2.45x
Kent 104 1.08x
Leicestershire 102 3.27x
Yorkshire 99 0.35x
Devon 98 1.67x
Warwickshire 94 1.32x
Derbyshire 68 1.54x
Lincolnshire 66 1.47x
Cornwall 57 1.79x
Hampshire 52 0.90x
Suffolk 51 1.49x
Essex 49 0.88x
Nottinghamshire 39 1.03x
Denbighshire 36 3.38x
Glamorgan 32 0.65x
Flintshire 31 4.09x
Gloucestershire 30 0.54x
Northamptonshire 30 1.13x
Somerset 29 0.64x
Herefordshire 22 1.90x
Durham 20 0.24x
Monmouthshire 20 0.98x
Worcestershire 19 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.73x
Oxfordshire 13 0.75x
Sussex 11 0.23x
Wiltshire 9 0.36x
Channel Islands 7 0.84x
Merionethshire 7 1.36x
Hertfordshire 6 0.31x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.42x
Cardiganshire 4 0.58x
Cumberland 4 0.16x
Lanarkshire 4 0.04x
Northumberland 4 0.10x
Rutland 4 1.93x
Stirlingshire 4 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.54x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.18x
Dorset 2 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.32x
Isle of Man 2 0.38x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.31x
Royal Navy 2 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 122 Peakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.10x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 122 12.10x
Wolstanton 56 19.39x
Aston 45 2.30x
Camberwell 39 2.17x
Lambeth 39 1.59x
Burslem 37 13.58x
Islington London 34 1.25x
Hackney London 29 1.84x
Wellington 29 21.20x
Diss 26 70.02x
Stafford St Mary 26 19.32x
Leicester St Margaret 25 3.28x
Newcastle Under Lyme 25 14.86x
Leeds 24 1.52x
Madeley 24 101.27x
St Marylebone London 23 1.53x
Wolstanton Chesterton 23 47.33x
Codnor Loscoe 22 62.98x
West Derby 22 2.25x
Everton 21 1.97x
Rugeley 20 29.31x
St Pancras London 20 0.88x
West Bromwich 20 3.67x
Whitmore 20 796.81x
Stoke Damerel 19 4.63x
Woolwich 19 5.35x
Bermondsey 18 2.15x
Paddington London 18 1.74x
Birkenhead 17 3.43x
Congleton 17 15.82x
Deptford St Paul 17 2.29x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 17 13.07x
Coventry Holy Trinity 16 7.54x
Derby St Werburgh 16 6.28x
Ellesmere 16 38.30x
Manchester 16 1.06x
Nottingham St Mary 16 1.63x
Altrincham 15 13.80x
Croydon 15 1.97x
Derby St Peter 15 10.68x
Kearsley 15 21.33x
Liverpool 15 0.74x
Sheriff Hales 14 143.88x
Wolverhampton 14 1.91x
Cannock 13 7.83x
Drayton In Hales 13 25.91x
Great Bolton 13 2.94x
Kensington London 13 0.83x
Leicester St Mary 13 5.15x
Llandaff 13 7.97x
Overton 13 162.30x
Brymbo 12 32.38x
Hammersmith London 12 1.73x
Keele 12 118.69x
Macclesfield 12 4.34x
Plymouth Charles The 12 4.64x
Radford 12 6.22x
Rockingham 12 547.95x
Salford 12 1.22x
Southampton St Mary 12 3.30x
St Andrewthe Less 12 5.89x
Atherton 11 9.04x
Bethnal Green London 11 0.90x
Darlaston 11 8.37x
East Harling 11 107.00x
Nantwich 11 15.22x
St Mary Magdalene 11 46.93x
Billingford In Depwade 10 534.76x
Caverswall 10 20.23x
Halifax 10 2.44x
Isleworth 10 7.98x
Lt Wenlock 10 186.92x
St Lawrence 10 15.13x
Chopwell 9 57.80x
Chorlton 9 245.90x
Dawley 9 10.16x
Hathern 9 71.15x
Peterborough 9 4.69x
Tettenhall 9 15.48x
Walthamstow 9 4.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 202
Elizabeth 129
Sarah 101
Jane 59
Eliza 50
Emma 49
Annie 45
Ann 42
Alice 38
Ellen 33
Emily 31
Martha 28
Hannah 24
Fanny 23
Harriet 21
Margaret 21
Edith 20
Frances 20
Charlotte 19
Clara 19
Florence 19
Louisa 17
Agnes 16
Caroline 16
Maria 16
Kate 15
Ada 14
Anne 12
Harriett 12
Lucy 12
Matilda 11
Susannah 10
Anna 9
Eleanor 8
Ethel 8
Rebecca 8
Amelia 7
Catherine 7
Gertrude 7
Grace 7
Jessie 7
Julia 7
Laura 7
Susan 7
Elizth. 6
Esther 6
Lavinia 6
Sophia 6
Helen 5
Henrietta 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 181
John 167
Thomas 131
George 95
James 61
Henry 60
Charles 55
Joseph 50
Edward 39
Frederick 38
Arthur 37
Samuel 37
Alfred 31
Richard 27
Robert 27
Harry 21
Walter 20
Albert 19
Ernest 14
Edwin 13
Benjamin 11
Francis 10
Herbert 10
Thos. 9
Wm. 8
Fredrick 7
David 6
Frank 6
Michael 6
Fredk. 5
Lewis 5
Sydney 5
Daniel 4
Elijah 4
Fred 4
Percy 4
Stephen 4
Willm. 4
Alexander 3
Chas. 3
Edgar 3
Hugh 3
Jesse 3
Maurice 3
Saml. 3
Sidney 3
Christopher 2
Matthew 2
Peter 2
Raymond 2

FAQ

Peake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Peake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,881 people were recorded with the Peake surname. That placed it at #1,556 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Peake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,431 in 2016. That gives Peake a modern rank of #1,987.

What does the Peake surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from the Old English word "pēac," meaning "hill" or "peak."

What does the Peake map show?

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