UK surname
A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic name "Ruadhrí" meaning red king.
In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Roarke surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5, ranked #38,264, down from #25,281 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roarke is 103 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 91.5%.
1881 census count
59
Ranked #25,281
Modern count
5
2016, ranked #38,264
Peak year
1891
103 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Roarke surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Roarke surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 49 | #24,448 |
| 1861 | historical | 67 | #25,342 |
| 1881 | historical | 59 | #25,281 |
| 1891 | historical | 103 | #23,558 |
| 1901 | historical | 47 | #28,929 |
| 1911 | historical | 10 | #32,609 |
| 1997 | modern | 3 | #38,317 |
| 1998 | modern | 3 | #38,304 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 3 | #38,152 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 5 | #38,122 |
| 2010 | modern | 5 | #38,186 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 9 | #37,614 |
| 2013 | modern | 7 | #37,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 6 | #38,077 |
| 2015 | modern | 5 | #38,221 |
| 2016 | modern | 5 | #38,264 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Wigan, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 2 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Roarke surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Roarke, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Roarke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Roarke household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Roarke is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roarke is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Roarke, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname ROARKE has its origins in Ireland and is believed to date back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word 'rothaire', which means an advisor or counselor. The name is also linked to the ancient Irish kingdom of Oriel, which stretched across parts of modern-day counties Armagh, Louth, and Monaghan.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name ROARKE can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that documents events in Ulster and the surrounding regions. The annals mention a prominent figure named Ruaidhri Ua Ruadhrach, who was the King of Conmaicne in the 12th century.
In the 14th century, a family bearing the name ROARKE is mentioned in the historic Pipe Rolls of County Louth. These rolls were records of financial transactions and taxes paid to the English Crown during the medieval period. The ROARKE family is listed as landowners in the parish of Drumconrath.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname ROARKE. In the 16th century, Fearghus Oge Roarke was a renowned poet and composer from County Louth. His works were widely celebrated and preserved in various manuscripts of the time.
In the 17th century, Patrick Roarke was a prominent Catholic landowner and member of the Irish Parliament. He played a significant role in the Confederate Wars of the 1640s, which sought to secure greater rights and autonomy for Irish Catholics.
During the 19th century, a ROARKE family was well-established in the town of Carrickmacross, County Monaghan. One member, James Roarke (1820-1898), was a successful merchant and served as the town's mayor on several occasions.
Another notable figure was Michael Roarke (1875-1950), an Irish republican and activist who participated in the Easter Rising of 1916. He was later elected as a member of the Irish Parliament in the 1920s.
The ROARKE surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Roarketown and Roarkesland, which were derived from the family's landholdings and settlements in various regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roarke surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 29 Roarkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.48x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 29 | 4.48x |
| Lanarkshire | 11 | 6.23x |
| Durham | 7 | 4.31x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.55x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 2.73x |
| Renfrewshire | 2 | 4.73x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.75x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 15 Roarkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.01x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Blackburn | 15 | 87.01x |
| Cambusnethan | 7 | 178.57x |
| Widnes | 7 | 149.89x |
| Winlaton | 7 | 448.72x |
| Govan | 4 | 9.16x |
| Wigan | 4 | 44.20x |
| Liverpool | 3 | 7.62x |
| St Pancras London | 3 | 6.83x |
| Eastwood | 2 | 76.63x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 2.87x |
| Edinburgh New North | 1 | 156.25x |
| Egham | 1 | 61.35x |
| South Leith | 1 | 12.15x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Roarke surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Roarke surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Roarke households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 11 |
| Cotton Winder | 3 |
| Cotton Operative | 2 |
| Cotton Spinner | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| Coal Driver | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Collier | 1 |
| Domestic | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| House Maid | 1 |
| Housemaid Unemployed | 1 |
| Labourer In Alkali Works | 1 |
| Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Mantle Maker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Roarke surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 5 in 2016. That gives Roarke a modern rank of #38,264.
A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic name "Ruadhrí" meaning red king.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Roarke bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.