NameCensus.

UK surname

Portlock

A locational surname referring to someone from a place containing a port or lock.

In the 1881 census there were 378 people recorded with the Portlock surname, ranking it #8,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 614, ranked #8,552, down from #8,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Caerphilly and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Portlock is 681 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.4%.

1881 census count

378

Ranked #8,288

Modern count

614

2016, ranked #8,552

Peak year

1998

681 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Portlock had 378 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016, ranked #8,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 595 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Portlock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Portlock surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Portlock 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 255 #8,652
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 378 #8,288
1891 historical 439 #8,224
1901 historical 536 #7,663
1911 historical 595 #6,883
1997 modern 646 #7,688
1998 modern 681 #7,638
1999 modern 679 #7,694
2000 modern 670 #7,749
2001 modern 649 #7,803
2002 modern 665 #7,815
2003 modern 661 #7,733
2004 modern 661 #7,739
2005 modern 628 #7,984
2006 modern 614 #8,140
2007 modern 619 #8,161
2008 modern 624 #8,160
2009 modern 635 #8,221
2010 modern 638 #8,365
2011 modern 635 #8,309
2012 modern 621 #8,359
2013 modern 616 #8,567
2014 modern 625 #8,533
2015 modern 603 #8,704
2016 modern 614 #8,552

Geography

Back to top

Where Portlocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto, Manchester and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Caerphilly and Tewkesbury. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto Oxfordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Cheltenham Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 004 Stroud
2 Stroud 012 Stroud
3 Stroud 010 Stroud
4 Caerphilly 013 Caerphilly
5 Tewkesbury 009 Tewkesbury

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Portlock

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Portlock

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

Portlock is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Portlock falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Portlock 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 Portlock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Portlock

The surname Portlock originated in England during the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "port" meaning a gateway or entrance, and "loc" meaning an enclosure or enclosed place. Thus, it likely referred to someone who lived near or worked at a town gate or entrance.

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230, where one Robert Portloc is mentioned. It is also found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were ancient census records, listing several bearers of the name across various counties.

Throughout the centuries, variations in spelling emerged, such as Portlocke, Portloke, and Portluck. These were likely due to dialect differences and inconsistencies in record-keeping. The name is also closely linked to certain place names, such as Portlock in Somerset, which may have influenced the surname's evolution.

Notable individuals with the surname Portlock include Nathaniel Portlock (1748-1817), a British naval officer and explorer who led an expedition to the Northwest Coast of America in the late 18th century. Another was Edward D. Portlock (1766-1823), a British naval officer and hydrographer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the literary realm, Joseph Portlock (1774-1846) was an English writer and poet, known for his work "The Conqueror's Dream" published in 1811. Additionally, Robert Portlock (1853-1926) was a British trade unionist and Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Manchester South from 1906 to 1918.

Lastly, Michael Portlock (born 1962) is a former English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and represented England in international matches during the 1980s and 1990s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Portlock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Portlock 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. Gloucestershire leads with 98 Portlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.55x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 98 13.55x
Warwickshire 77 8.28x
Lancashire 66 1.51x
Oxfordshire 28 12.30x
Berkshire 26 9.39x
Surrey 25 1.39x
Middlesex 13 0.35x
Durham 7 0.64x
Sussex 7 1.13x
Herefordshire 6 3.97x
Worcestershire 4 0.83x
Yorkshire 4 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.35x
Essex 3 0.41x
Hampshire 3 0.40x
Derbyshire 2 0.35x
Kent 2 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.24x
Northumberland 1 0.18x

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 41 Portlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.23x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 41 13.23x
Aston 33 12.89x
Bampton 27 1534.09x
Cheltenham 19 34.06x
Fishwick 18 664.21x
Manchester 17 8.64x
Leckhampton 14 313.90x
Preston 12 10.25x
Salford 12 9.32x
Bucklebury 9 625.00x
Edgeworth 9 5625.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 11.75x
Lambeth 8 2.49x
Berkeley 7 174.13x
Bermondsey 7 6.38x
Chaddleworth 7 1346.15x
Broadwater 6 42.08x
Ashleworth 5 781.25x
Charlton Kings 5 100.00x
Farnborough 5 2083.33x
Hereford St Peter 5 123.76x
South Cerney 5 420.17x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 6.74x
Westminster St James 5 13.19x
Wotton Under Edge 5 117.37x
Brightside Bierlow 4 5.58x
Gloucester Barton St 4 94.34x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 8.42x
Worsley 4 14.83x
Wotton St Mary 4 106.67x
Bishopwearmouth 3 3.19x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 10.80x
Flaxley 3 185.19x
Great Marlow 3 49.83x
Kings Norton 3 6.95x
Southampton St Mary 3 6.31x
Derby St Werburgh 2 6.00x
Ewell 2 52.77x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 2 180.18x
Liverpool 2 0.75x
Shaw Cum Donnington 2 224.72x
Thatcham 2 46.95x
Walthamstow 2 7.63x
Barnwood 1 103.09x
Binfield 1 47.17x
Brighton 1 0.80x
Clapham 1 2.17x
Cranham 1 204.08x
Daglingworth 1 238.10x
Devonport 1 11.34x
Enfield 1 4.13x
Frampton On Severn 1 81.97x
Gloucester St Catherine 1 49.02x
Gloucester St Owen 1 126.58x
Hackney London 1 0.48x
Iffley 1 52.08x
Islington London 1 0.28x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.00x
Lewisham 1 1.49x
Madron Penzance 1 6.59x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.72x
Navestock 1 95.24x
Newington 1 0.73x
Newnham 1 53.76x
Paddington London 1 0.74x
Peterchurch 1 123.46x
Putney 1 5.95x
Ribbesford 1 24.94x
St George Bloomsbury 1 4.73x
St Marylebone London 1 0.51x
St Pancras London 1 0.34x
St Peters 1 17.18x
Stannington 1 76.92x
Upton St Leonards 1 54.35x
Whittingham 1 51.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 10
Ann 9
Jane 9
Annie 8
Emily 6
Emma 6
Hannah 5
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Fanny 4
Louisa 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Margaret 3
Blanche 2
Caroline 2
Edener 2
Florance 2
Harriet 2
Leah 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Selina 2
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Cathrine 1
Cordelia 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellinor 1
Elsie 1
Ermina 1
Esther 1
Hariett 1
Harriett 1
Helsie 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Jesse 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 21
Thomas 21
Henry 16
Charles 13
George 12
Frederick 8
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
James 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Amos 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Wm. 2
Alan 1
Albertus 1
Alpha 1
Amer 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Burt 1
David 1
Dnl. 1
Ebenezer 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Eusebius 1
Francis 1
Gabriel 1
Hamer 1
Harry 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Obediah 1
Ralph 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Willm.H. 1

FAQ

Portlock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Portlock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 378 people were recorded with the Portlock surname. That placed it at #8,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Portlock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016. That gives Portlock a modern rank of #8,552.

What does the Portlock surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place containing a port or lock.

What does the Portlock map show?

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