NameCensus.

UK surname

Peeke

Possibly derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "peac" meaning peak or sharp point.

In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Peeke surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, down from #14,042 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Poole and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Peeke is 240 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.2%.

1881 census count

174

Ranked #14,042

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

1911

240 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Peeke had 174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,042 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Peeke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Peeke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Peeke 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 177 #13,265
1881 historical 174 #14,042
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 210 #14,677
1911 historical 240 #13,281
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 162 #20,673
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 145 #21,951
2002 modern 150 #21,913
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Peekes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Harberton and Dartington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Poole, South Hams, Woking and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Harberton Devon
5 Dartington Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 016 South Somerset
2 Poole 008 Poole
3 South Hams 004 South Hams
4 Woking 007 Woking
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Peeke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Peeke

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Peeke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Peeke household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Peeke 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

Peeke is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Peeke 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 Peeke is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Peeke

The surname PEEKE is of English origin, derived from the Middle English word "peek" or "peke," which referred to a small hill or peak. This name likely originated in the 13th or 14th century and was initially used as a topographic surname, given to individuals who lived near a distinctive hill or peak.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PEEKE can be found in the Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium, a collection of patent rolls from the reign of King Edward III (1327-1377), where a Robert Peke is mentioned in an entry dated 1346.

The PEEKE surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Derbyshire and Staffordshire in central England. Some early examples of place names associated with the surname include Peeke Hill in Staffordshire and Peeke Wood in Derbyshire.

Notable individuals with the surname PEEKE throughout history include:

1. Sir William Peeke (c. 1505-1572), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. John Peeke (1592-1667), an English clergyman and author of the work "Parnassi Puerperium" (1659). 3. Thomas Peeke (1642-1689), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion. 4. Elizabeth Peeke (1765-1833), an English novelist and playwright, known for her works "The Convent" (1786) and "The Siege of Curzola" (1801). 5. Sir Henry Peeke (1838-1919), a British military officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for gallantry, for his actions during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

While the PEEKE surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and can be found in various countries today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Peeke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Peeke 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. Devon leads with 90 Peekes recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.47x.

County Total Index
Devon 90 25.47x
Surrey 24 2.90x
Kent 12 2.07x
Middlesex 12 0.71x
Norfolk 11 4.21x
Essex 7 2.09x
Monmouthshire 6 4.89x
Angus 2 1.27x
Sussex 2 0.70x
Berkshire 1 0.78x
Flintshire 1 2.19x
Hertfordshire 1 0.85x
Northumberland 1 0.40x
Shropshire 1 0.68x
Somerset 1 0.37x
Staffordshire 1 0.17x
Warwickshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 38 Peekes recorded in 1881 and an index of 254.18x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 38 254.18x
Bermondsey 18 35.62x
Cockington 12 5714.29x
Dartington 9 2432.43x
Framingham Earl 7 8750.00x
Plympton St Mary 7 343.14x
Tonbridge 7 33.51x
Bedwellty 6 27.70x
Compton Gifford 6 540.54x
Dittisham 6 1714.29x
Harberton 6 750.00x
Kensington London 6 6.36x
Egham 4 78.74x
Hampstead London 4 15.13x
Mundon 4 2105.26x
Caston 3 937.50x
Gillingham 3 25.13x
Rattery 3 1304.35x
West Ham 3 4.06x
Leatherhead 2 96.62x
Lochee 2 142.86x
Plymouth Charles The 2 12.85x
Strood 2 60.61x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.36x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.50x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 12.36x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 16.37x
Jesmond 1 28.17x
Lamberhurstsussex 1 270.27x
Mold Leeswood 1 97.09x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 9.86x
Reading St Mary 1 9.80x
Rugby 1 17.27x
Swafield 1 909.09x
Walcot 1 6.87x
Watford 1 11.03x
Wellington 1 12.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 6
Emily 5
Harriet 5
Alice 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Harriett 3
Minnie 3
Sarah 3
Caroline 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Ammelia 1
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Cathrine 1
Charles 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Henrietta 1
Hornepeich 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Oszer 1
Philippa 1
Polley 1
Priscilla 1
Rebekah 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 10
George 7
Charles 6
James 6
Matthew 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Clifford 2
Robert 2
Arthur 1
Cornelius 1
Edwin 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
G. 1
Gordon 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Izoney 1
Lewis 1
Phillip 1
Richd. 1
Richd.U. 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Hy. 1
Walter 1
Wm.Ellis 1

FAQ

Peeke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Peeke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Peeke surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Peeke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Peeke a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Peeke surname mean?

Possibly derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "peac" meaning peak or sharp point.

What does the Peeke map show?

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