NameCensus.

UK surname

Reck

A German occupational surname referring to a brave or heroic individual, derived from the Middle High German word "recke".

In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Reck surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #30,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castlemilk, Glenwood South and Welwyn Hatfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reck is 125 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 405.0%.

1881 census count

20

Ranked #30,738

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1999

125 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reck had 20 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 114 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Reck surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reck surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reck 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 106 #20,147
1881 historical 20 #30,738
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 36 #30,099
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 106 #27,722
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Recks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street, Toxteth Park, Bourton-on-the-Water and Watton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castlemilk, Glenwood South, Welwyn Hatfield, Bromsgrove and Wandsworth. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street Suffolk
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Bourton-on-the-Water Gloucestershire
5 Watton Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castlemilk Glasgow City
2 Glenwood South Glasgow City
3 Welwyn Hatfield 013 Welwyn Hatfield
4 Bromsgrove 004 Bromsgrove
5 Wandsworth 029 Wandsworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reck

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reck

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reck, 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 Reck surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Reck 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Reck is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Reck is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reck falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Reck 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Reck

The surname RECK is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "reck," meaning "strong" or "brave." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptor for someone with a robust or courageous demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RECK surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, Germany. In a document dated 1292, a certain "Heinricus dictus Reck" is mentioned, indicating the use of the surname at that time.

The RECK name also appears in various medieval records and manuscripts from different regions of Germany. For example, in the 14th century, a "Conrad Recke" is documented in the records of the city of Cologne. Additionally, the name is found in various place names across Germany, such as Reckenfeld and Recklinghausen, further suggesting its longstanding presence in the region.

Notable individuals with the RECK surname throughout history include Johann Reck (1551-1636), a German theologian and Protestant reformer who played a significant role in the religious conflicts of the 16th century. Another prominent figure was Ernst von Reck (1805-1848), a Prussian explorer and naturalist who led expeditions to the Australian outback and documented the flora and fauna of the region.

In the realm of literature, Hans Reck (1877-1945) was a German author and poet known for his works depicting rural life in Bavaria. His contemporary, Richard Reck (1887-1936), was a German film director and screenwriter who contributed to the early years of German cinema.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the RECK surname in the English-speaking world can be traced back to Johann Jacob Reck, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the late 18th century. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States, contributing to the spread and diversification of the RECK name in the country.

While the RECK surname is primarily associated with German origins, it has also been adopted and adapted in various other cultures and regions over the centuries, further enriching its historical and linguistic tapestry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reck families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reck 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 9 Recks recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.27x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 9 34.27x
Lancashire 5 2.16x
Angus 2 11.08x
Devon 1 2.47x
Fife 1 8.67x
Lincolnshire 1 3.21x
Middlesex 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whatton in Nottinghamshire leads with 9 Recks recorded in 1881 and an index of 45000.00x.

Place Total Index
Whatton 9 45000.00x
Toxteth Park 4 51.09x
Liff Benvie 2 72.99x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 54.35x
Burntisland 1 312.50x
Holy Trinity 1 1111.11x
Mile End Old Town 1 32.47x
St Mark Lincoln 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 2
Mary 2
Annie 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Arthur 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Laurence 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Reck households.

FAQ

Reck surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reck surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Reck surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reck surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Reck a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Reck surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a brave or heroic individual, derived from the Middle High German word "recke".

What does the Reck map show?

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