NameCensus.

UK surname

Pike

An English occupational surname referring to someone who fished with a pike or long spear.

In the 1881 census there were 8,640 people recorded with the Pike surname, ranking it #488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,926, ranked #587, down from #488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, Mid Devon and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pike is 11,948 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.5%.

1881 census count

8,640

Ranked #488

Modern count

10,926

2016, ranked #587

Peak year

1999

11,948 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pike had 8,640 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,926 in 2016, ranked #587.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,744 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pike surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pike surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pike 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 5,635 #492
1861 historical 5,526 #499
1881 historical 8,640 #488
1891 historical 9,181 #481
1901 historical 10,659 #490
1911 historical 11,744 #418
1997 modern 11,470 #531
1998 modern 11,933 #533
1999 modern 11,948 #536
2000 modern 11,832 #537
2001 modern 11,584 #536
2002 modern 11,750 #538
2003 modern 11,464 #541
2004 modern 11,344 #548
2005 modern 11,073 #554
2006 modern 10,947 #562
2007 modern 10,973 #568
2008 modern 10,978 #572
2009 modern 11,223 #574
2010 modern 11,368 #581
2011 modern 11,297 #575
2012 modern 11,043 #574
2013 modern 11,241 #575
2014 modern 11,225 #579
2015 modern 11,032 #583
2016 modern 10,926 #587

Geography

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Where Pikes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, Mid Devon, Basingstoke and Deane and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
2 Mid Devon 003 Mid Devon
3 North Dorset 002 North Dorset
4 Basingstoke and Deane 002 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pike

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pike

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

Pike 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

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

Meaning and origin of Pike

The surname PIKE originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pic," meaning a pointed hill or peak, referring to someone who lived near a prominent hill or peak.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de la Pyke." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone residing near a specific landmark known as "the Pike."

The PIKE surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pica" and "Pice." This indicates that the name was already present in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "atte Pike," "de la Pyke," and "Pyke." These variations suggest that the name was initially used as a descriptive term before becoming a hereditary surname.

One notable figure with the PIKE surname was William Pike (1561-1625), an English navigator and explorer who participated in several voyages to the Americas and the West Indies. He is credited with discovering and naming the Straits of Anian, now known as the Bering Strait.

Another prominent individual was Zebulon Pike (1779-1813), an American explorer and military officer. He is best known for leading two significant expeditions, the first to explore the Mississippi River and the second to explore the southwestern part of the Louisiana Purchase, during which he discovered Pike's Peak in Colorado.

In the literary world, Albert Pike (1809-1891) was an American author, poet, and prominent figure in the Freemasons. He wrote extensively on various subjects, including philosophy, ethics, and Freemasonry.

Samuel Pike (1735-1818) was a British explorer and naval officer who is known for his exploration of the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands in the late 18th century. He also played a role in the establishment of British settlements in Australia.

Finally, Thomas Pike (1615-1696) was an English philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on natural philosophy and religion. He is particularly known for his work "A Compleat Body of Philosophy," published in 1678.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pike families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pike 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 1,202 Pikes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,202 1.42x
Devon 1,081 6.11x
Surrey 737 1.78x
Somerset 692 5.06x
Wiltshire 551 7.34x
Hampshire 543 3.12x
Gloucestershire 381 2.29x
Dorset 352 6.31x
Berkshire 291 4.56x
Nottinghamshire 271 2.37x
Lancashire 268 0.27x
Kent 238 0.82x
Yorkshire 186 0.22x
Glamorgan 164 1.11x
Norfolk 148 1.13x
Lincolnshire 123 0.91x
Warwickshire 111 0.52x
Essex 106 0.63x
Sussex 97 0.68x
Suffolk 84 0.81x
Hertfordshire 83 1.42x
Northumberland 78 0.62x
Leicestershire 75 0.80x
Northamptonshire 74 0.93x
Staffordshire 71 0.25x
Derbyshire 69 0.52x
Durham 65 0.26x
Bedfordshire 55 1.25x
Oxfordshire 55 1.05x
Cambridgeshire 53 0.99x
Cornwall 53 0.55x
Channel Islands 50 1.99x
Worcestershire 40 0.36x
Cheshire 39 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 31 0.60x
Cumberland 29 0.40x
Shropshire 28 0.38x
Monmouthshire 21 0.34x
Pembrokeshire 21 0.78x
Royal Navy 16 1.58x
Berwickshire 14 1.36x
Midlothian 11 0.10x
Herefordshire 9 0.26x
Lanarkshire 9 0.03x
Denbighshire 7 0.22x
Perthshire 6 0.16x
Angus 5 0.06x
Brecknockshire 3 0.18x
Wigtownshire 3 0.27x
Argyllshire 2 0.08x
Selkirkshire 2 0.26x
Anglesey 1 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.05x
Morayshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 177 Pikes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.39x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 177 2.39x
Islington London 97 1.18x
Kensington London 95 2.01x
St Pancras London 93 1.36x
Newington 86 2.74x
Camberwell 83 1.53x
Plymouth St Andrew 78 5.73x
Hackney London 73 1.53x
Keyworth 72 276.71x
Nottingham St Mary 72 2.43x
St George Hanover 63 5.68x
Chelsea London 62 2.42x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 61 3.89x
Bethnal Green London 60 1.63x
Shoreditch London 59 1.60x
Trowbridge 58 17.47x
Paddington London 53 1.70x
St Marylebone London 52 1.15x
Crick 51 189.03x
Westbury On Trym 51 9.04x
Provost Stour 49 437.89x
Millbrook 48 10.95x
Aston 47 0.80x
Mile End Old Town 46 3.43x
Stapleton 46 14.56x
Battersea 45 1.44x
Ramsbury 45 66.15x
Stoke Damerel 45 3.64x
Tormoham 45 6.02x
Cheltenham 43 3.35x
Christchurch 43 11.39x
Deptford St Paul 42 1.88x
Plymouth Charles The 40 5.14x
Reading St Mary 40 7.83x
Bermondsey 38 1.50x
Dawlish 38 28.81x
Portsea 38 1.11x
Stour Provost 38 383.45x
Swansea Town 37 3.05x
Westport St Mary 37 67.98x
Croydon 36 1.57x
Reading St Giles 36 5.76x
Westminster St James 35 4.01x
Clifton 33 3.92x
Gorton 33 3.48x
Okehampton 33 49.50x
Bromley London 32 1.71x
Frome 32 9.79x
Leicester St Margaret 32 1.39x
Sutton In Ashfield 32 12.88x
Toxteth Park 30 0.88x
Brighton 29 1.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 29 1.70x
Hammersmith London 27 1.29x
Weston Super Mare 27 7.82x
Bedminster 26 2.02x
Chagford 26 61.42x
Exeter St Sidwell 26 6.42x
Malmesbury St Paul 26 40.25x
Yeovil 26 9.36x
Birmingham 25 0.35x
St Luke London 25 1.84x
Blandford Forum 24 21.82x
Crediton 24 14.33x
Kingston On Thames 24 2.41x
Lewisham 24 1.55x
Salford 24 0.81x
Todbere 24 493.83x
Willesden 24 3.00x
Bristol St Paul In 23 5.18x
Chippenham 23 14.60x
Ottery St Mary 23 19.83x
Whitchurch 23 41.64x
Arlesey 22 39.64x
Great Yarmouth 22 2.03x
Luton 22 2.89x
Semley 22 110.33x
East Chinnock 21 124.56x
Exeter Holy Trinity 21 30.31x
Upottery 20 94.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 535
Elizabeth 397
Sarah 271
Ellen 156
Eliza 154
Jane 149
Ann 148
Emma 148
Emily 132
Annie 128
Alice 122
Louisa 89
Martha 70
Hannah 69
Edith 67
Florence 65
Fanny 61
Charlotte 56
Harriet 56
Caroline 55
Maria 54
Kate 51
Ada 43
Clara 43
Anne 42
Susan 42
Margaret 39
Amelia 33
Harriett 32
Anna 31
Lucy 30
Agnes 29
Catherine 27
Jessie 25
Bessie 23
Frances 23
Rebecca 23
Matilda 21
Maud 21
Amy 20
Eleanor 19
Esther 19
Ethel 19
Laura 19
Lydia 18
Minnie 17
Rose 17
Elizth. 16
Eva 16
Gertrude 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 529
John 390
George 306
James 255
Henry 236
Charles 235
Thomas 192
Alfred 122
Edward 105
Joseph 104
Frederick 101
Arthur 100
Samuel 95
Walter 83
Albert 81
Robert 81
Richard 70
Herbert 48
Frank 47
Harry 44
Edwin 40
Ernest 40
Francis 28
David 25
Sidney 24
Benjamin 20
Fred 18
Stephen 17
Wm. 17
Fredrick 16
Sydney 15
Thos. 14
Tom 14
Andrew 13
Eli 13
Alexander 11
Daniel 11
Edmund 10
Mark 10
Percy 10
Peter 9
Fredk. 8
Horace 8
Isaac 8
Jacob 8
Josiah 8
Leonard 8
Willm. 8
Job 7
Philip 7

FAQ

Pike surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pike surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,640 people were recorded with the Pike surname. That placed it at #488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pike surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,926 in 2016. That gives Pike a modern rank of #587.

What does the Pike surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who fished with a pike or long spear.

What does the Pike map show?

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