NameCensus.

UK surname

Perks

An English habitational surname referring to a location with outstanding natural scenery.

In the 1881 census there were 3,122 people recorded with the Perks surname, ranking it #1,441 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,315, ranked #1,578, down from #1,441 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Kidderminster and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perks is 4,886 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.2%.

1881 census count

3,122

Ranked #1,441

Modern count

4,315

2016, ranked #1,578

Peak year

1999

4,886 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perks had 3,122 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,441 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,315 in 2016, ranked #1,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,665 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Perks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perks 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 1,684 #1,710
1861 historical 1,735 #1,663
1881 historical 3,122 #1,441
1891 historical 3,511 #1,358
1901 historical 4,241 #1,327
1911 historical 4,665 #1,109
1997 modern 4,667 #1,401
1998 modern 4,832 #1,405
1999 modern 4,886 #1,401
2000 modern 4,824 #1,411
2001 modern 4,703 #1,414
2002 modern 4,788 #1,422
2003 modern 4,666 #1,426
2004 modern 4,663 #1,418
2005 modern 4,514 #1,451
2006 modern 4,462 #1,472
2007 modern 4,459 #1,481
2008 modern 4,486 #1,486
2009 modern 4,554 #1,502
2010 modern 4,613 #1,512
2011 modern 4,542 #1,518
2012 modern 4,408 #1,526
2013 modern 4,441 #1,544
2014 modern 4,477 #1,540
2015 modern 4,379 #1,563
2016 modern 4,315 #1,578

Geography

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Where Perks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Kidderminster, Oldswinford, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Dudley. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Kidderminster Worcestershire
3 Oldswinford Worcestershire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
2 Telford and Wrekin 019 Telford and Wrekin
3 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
4 Shropshire 023 Shropshire
5 Dudley 029 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perks

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Perks 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

Perks 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

Perks falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Perks is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Perks

The surname Perks originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "perk," which meant a small enclosed area or a piece of land. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived or worked on a small plot of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Perks can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Perks was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire. It is likely that the name originated in one of these areas before spreading to other parts of the country.

In medieval records, the name was sometimes spelled in various ways, such as "Perk," "Perke," or "Perkys," reflecting the fluid nature of spelling conventions at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Perks was Sir William Perks (1566-1625), who was an English lawyer and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the reign of King James I.

Another significant figure was Robert Perks (1647-1718), who was a renowned English architect and surveyor. He is best known for his work on the construction of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren.

In the 18th century, John Perks (1735-1808) was a prominent English Baptist minister and author. He wrote several influential works on religious topics and served as the pastor of various churches in the West Midlands region.

The 19th century saw the rise of Samuel Perks (1833-1912), a successful industrialist and philanthropist. He founded the Perks & Sons engineering company and was actively involved in various charitable initiatives in Birmingham.

More recently, Sir Michael Perks (1918-2003) was a distinguished British businessman and public servant. He served as the Chairman of the British Steel Corporation and was knighted for his contributions to the steel industry.

Overall, the surname Perks has a long and rich history in England, with its origins dating back to the medieval period. Throughout the centuries, individuals with this name have made significant contributions in various fields, including law, architecture, religion, industry, and public service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perks 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. Worcestershire leads with 640 Perks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.12x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 640 16.12x
Warwickshire 626 8.16x
Staffordshire 580 5.65x
Middlesex 208 0.68x
Shropshire 189 7.19x
Lancashire 161 0.45x
Gloucestershire 109 1.83x
Herefordshire 99 7.94x
Surrey 95 0.64x
Yorkshire 57 0.19x
Kent 51 0.49x
Derbyshire 36 0.76x
Hampshire 30 0.48x
Essex 24 0.40x
Cheshire 16 0.24x
Radnorshire 16 6.52x
Somerset 15 0.31x
Sussex 14 0.27x
Glamorgan 13 0.25x
Berkshire 12 0.53x
Hertfordshire 12 0.57x
Brecknockshire 10 1.64x
Devon 9 0.14x
Durham 9 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.22x
Suffolk 9 0.24x
Carmarthenshire 8 0.62x
Monmouthshire 8 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.27x
Cumberland 5 0.19x
Dorset 5 0.25x
Lanarkshire 5 0.05x
Westmorland 5 0.75x
Flintshire 4 0.49x
Norfolk 4 0.09x
Bedfordshire 3 0.19x
Wiltshire 3 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.16x
Denbighshire 2 0.17x
Isle of Man 2 0.35x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.29x
Cardiganshire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 270 Perks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.57x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 270 10.57x
Aston 171 8.10x
Wolverhampton 88 11.15x
Kidderminster Borough 81 34.86x
Stourbridge 73 71.45x
West Bromwich 59 10.04x
Kings Norton 41 11.52x
Kingswinford 41 11.00x
Rowley Regis 40 13.99x
Bromsgrove 39 29.18x
Cannock 36 20.10x
Dudley 36 7.46x
Redditch 32 39.75x
Lye 31 46.91x
Tipton 29 9.23x
Kensington London 27 1.60x
Wollescote 26 81.30x
Meole Brace 25 183.82x
Cheslyn Hay 24 128.14x
Great Wyrley 24 215.25x
Handsworth 24 9.49x
Great Malvern 23 27.76x
Upperswinford 23 68.45x
Willenhall 23 11.96x
Amblecote 22 75.19x
Camberwell 22 1.13x
West Ham 21 1.58x
Wolstanton 21 6.74x
Blackrod 20 44.60x
Sutton Coldfield 20 24.81x
Harborne 18 5.47x
Shrewsbury St Julian 18 27.70x
St George Hanover 18 4.54x
Edgbaston 16 6.73x
Liverpool 16 0.73x
Solihull 16 29.03x
Stoke Upon Trent 16 1.47x
Tettenhall 16 25.50x
Wootton Wawen 16 66.23x
Cradley 15 41.77x
Leominster 15 29.07x
Lewisham 15 2.71x
Madeley 15 15.57x
Bilston 14 7.04x
Ewell 14 44.76x
Hawkesbury 14 68.97x
Shoreditch London 14 1.06x
Wednesfield 14 9.27x
Bishampton 13 292.13x
Claines 13 11.93x
St Marylebone London 13 0.80x
Worcester St Nicholas 13 69.11x
Bridgewater 12 9.03x
Cheltenham 12 2.61x
Darlaston 12 8.46x
Hulme 12 1.59x
Knighton 12 60.51x
Middlesbrough 12 3.06x
Overbury 12 172.41x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 11 36.93x
Hitchin 11 11.63x
Rotherhithe 11 2.93x
Sedgley 11 2.89x
St Pancras London 11 0.45x
Hastings St Clement 10 20.73x
Kirkdale 10 1.65x
Mile End Old Town 10 2.08x
Naunton Beauchamp 10 719.42x
Paddington London 10 0.89x
Wednesbury 10 3.90x
Worcester St Peter 10 13.30x
Barrow In Furness 9 1.83x
Derby St Alkmund 9 6.31x
Keighley 9 2.80x
Lingen 9 295.08x
Much Marcle 9 100.22x
Rugby 9 8.68x
St Martin In Fields 9 4.94x
Wellesbourne Mountford 9 123.12x
Wollaston 9 35.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 186
Sarah 145
Elizabeth 111
Ann 76
Emma 58
Jane 58
Eliza 53
Annie 47
Alice 44
Emily 36
Harriet 34
Ellen 30
Hannah 30
Louisa 29
Fanny 21
Florence 21
Martha 21
Catherine 16
Clara 16
Edith 16
Maria 16
Caroline 15
Lucy 15
Rose 15
Ada 14
Charlotte 13
Gertrude 13
Lizzie 13
Susannah 13
Agnes 12
Kate 12
Amy 10
Anne 10
Susan 9
Amelia 8
Esther 8
Frances 8
Matilda 7
Eleanor 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Laura 6
Nelly 6
Phoebe 6
Sophia 6
Bessie 5
Harriett 5
Margaret 5
Minnie 5
Rebecca 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 200
John 174
Thomas 142
George 97
Charles 83
James 72
Henry 71
Joseph 63
Edward 43
Samuel 42
Arthur 36
Alfred 35
Frank 32
Harry 31
Frederick 30
Richard 30
Albert 25
Walter 25
Robert 23
Francis 15
Edwin 14
Benjamin 13
Ernest 11
Wm. 10
Herbert 9
David 8
Daniel 7
Leonard 7
Fredrick 6
Geo. 6
Thos. 6
Willm. 6
Christopher 5
Eli 5
Frederic 5
Isaac 5
Josiah 5
Fredk. 4
Noah 4
Tom 4
Bernard 3
Enoch 3
Henery 3
Stephen 3
Drinkwater 2
Frances 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Martin 2
Phillip 2

FAQ

Perks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,122 people were recorded with the Perks surname. That placed it at #1,441 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,315 in 2016. That gives Perks a modern rank of #1,578.

What does the Perks surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to a location with outstanding natural scenery.

What does the Perks map show?

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