NameCensus.

UK surname

Rook

An occupational surname referring to a chess piece or a castle tower.

In the 1881 census there were 2,056 people recorded with the Rook surname, ranking it #2,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,679, ranked #3,725, down from #2,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Swale and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rook is 2,056 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.3%.

1881 census count

2,056

Ranked #2,144

Modern count

1,679

2016, ranked #3,725

Peak year

1881

2,056 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rook had 2,056 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,679 in 2016, ranked #3,725.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,056 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rook surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rook surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rook 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 1,752 #1,645
1861 historical 1,502 #1,882
1881 historical 2,056 #2,144
1891 historical 1,870 #2,466
1901 historical 1,961 #2,700
1911 historical 2,000 #2,484
1997 modern 1,771 #3,377
1998 modern 1,842 #3,388
1999 modern 1,806 #3,465
2000 modern 1,792 #3,470
2001 modern 1,742 #3,490
2002 modern 1,796 #3,459
2003 modern 1,702 #3,579
2004 modern 1,712 #3,562
2005 modern 1,675 #3,588
2006 modern 1,677 #3,588
2007 modern 1,680 #3,612
2008 modern 1,705 #3,589
2009 modern 1,731 #3,610
2010 modern 1,774 #3,606
2011 modern 1,748 #3,609
2012 modern 1,697 #3,649
2013 modern 1,718 #3,669
2014 modern 1,723 #3,678
2015 modern 1,705 #3,671
2016 modern 1,679 #3,725

Geography

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Where Rooks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Liverpool and Combmartin. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Swale and Central Bedfordshire. 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 Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean Kent
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Combmartin Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 015 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Swale 017 Swale
3 Central Bedfordshire 005 Central Bedfordshire
4 Central Bedfordshire 004 Central Bedfordshire
5 Central Bedfordshire 006 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rook

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rook

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Rook surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rook household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Rook 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

Rook 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rook

The surname Rook is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hroc," meaning a rook, which is a type of crow. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who had a resemblance to the bird or lived in an area where rooks were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rook can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Rogerus Roc is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the Old English word "hroc."

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Rok, Roke, and Rooke, in various records across England, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Thomas le Roke.

The Rook surname has been associated with various place names in England, including Rooksbridge in Somerset and Rookesbury in Hampshire. These place names likely derived from the presence of rooks in those areas, and individuals may have adopted the surname based on their association with these locations.

One notable bearer of the Rook surname was Sir Thomas Rook (c. 1570-1637), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Wallingford during the reign of King James I. Another notable figure was Thomas Rook (1651-1744), an English dissenting minister and author of several theological works.

In the 17th century, the surname Rook appeared in various colonial records in America, suggesting that individuals with this surname were among the early settlers in the New World. One example is John Rook, who arrived in Virginia in 1634.

In the 18th century, the name was found in various records across England, including the baptismal records of St. Mary's Church in Alverstoke, Hampshire, which mentions the baptism of William Rook in 1718.

Other notable bearers of the Rook surname include Edward Rook (1726-1782), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Brackley, and John Rook (1770-1838), an English engraver and artist who produced illustrations for various publications.

Throughout its history, the surname Rook has maintained its connection to the Old English word "hroc" and the bird of the same name, making it a distinctive English surname with a rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rook families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rook 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. Devon leads with 239 Rooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.75x.

County Total Index
Devon 239 5.75x
Middlesex 195 0.98x
Lincolnshire 185 5.80x
Yorkshire 181 0.92x
Hampshire 133 3.25x
Kent 133 1.95x
Cumberland 116 6.75x
Lancashire 111 0.47x
Bedfordshire 107 10.35x
Surrey 94 0.97x
Sussex 56 1.66x
Nottinghamshire 45 1.67x
Essex 44 1.12x
Norfolk 38 1.24x
Somerset 30 0.93x
Durham 29 0.49x
Northumberland 29 0.98x
Cambridgeshire 28 2.21x
Warwickshire 28 0.56x
Gloucestershire 25 0.64x
Derbyshire 23 0.74x
Cheshire 22 0.50x
Staffordshire 22 0.33x
Herefordshire 21 2.57x
Worcestershire 19 0.73x
Oxfordshire 15 1.22x
Glamorgan 14 0.40x
Northamptonshire 11 0.59x
Hertfordshire 9 0.65x
Cornwall 7 0.31x
Suffolk 7 0.29x
Lanarkshire 6 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.50x
Dorset 4 0.31x
Royal Navy 4 1.68x
Westmorland 4 0.91x
Berkshire 3 0.20x
Wiltshire 2 0.11x
East Lothian 1 0.38x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x
Roxburghshire 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. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 45 Rooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.61x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 45 5.61x
Combmartin 32 354.77x
Southill 32 381.86x
Leeds 29 2.60x
Boughton Under Blean 25 219.30x
Nettleham 25 382.26x
Biggleswade 24 70.90x
Islington London 23 1.19x
Ealing 22 12.33x
Northill 22 227.51x
Branston 20 204.50x
Walcott 19 374.02x
Faversham 18 27.72x
Cockermouth 17 47.00x
Liverpool 17 1.18x
Shoreditch London 16 1.85x
Bideford 15 33.71x
Croydon 15 2.78x
Habergham Eaves 15 6.93x
Lambeth 15 0.86x
Birmingham 14 0.83x
Bradford 14 2.92x
Ilfracombe 14 32.73x
Keighley 14 6.64x
Langford 14 164.90x
Lidford 14 75.03x
Salford 14 2.01x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 14 31.19x
Tormoham 14 7.96x
Wortley In Bramley 13 8.30x
Aston 12 0.87x
Havant 12 57.94x
Henlow 12 188.09x
Idsworth 12 442.80x
Lewisham 12 3.30x
St Luke London 12 3.75x
Tottenham 12 3.78x
West Dean 12 18.87x
Woolwich 12 4.77x
Binbrooke 11 138.36x
Brighton 11 1.62x
Great Yarmouth 11 4.33x
Lenton 11 17.36x
Much Birch 11 304.71x
Norwich St Paul 11 59.88x
Plymouth Charles The 11 6.01x
Porlock 11 210.33x
St Marylebone London 11 1.03x
Sutton 11 15.63x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.15x
Bowling 10 5.10x
Byker 10 6.81x
Camberwell 10 0.78x
Crosscanonby 10 17.60x
Keymer 10 42.09x
Kidderminster Borough 10 6.56x
Peterborough 10 7.36x
Preston Quarter 10 20.77x
Ringmer 10 105.49x
Sherwill 10 355.87x
Whalley 10 28.98x
Aspatria 9 54.48x
Blankney 9 200.00x
Goathland 9 256.41x
Hetton Le Hole 9 11.96x
Kiddington 9 569.62x
Langrigg Mealrigg 9 476.19x
Limehouse London 9 4.11x
Long Eaton 9 21.82x
Swineshead 9 85.80x
Whittington 9 20.82x
Bermondsey 8 1.35x
Elswick 8 3.38x
Fremington 8 94.79x
Glass Houghton 8 111.58x
Greatham 8 410.26x
Newington 8 1.09x
Newport 8 116.79x
Paracombe 8 301.89x
Whitchurch 8 109.59x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 137
John 126
George 87
James 73
Thomas 64
Henry 43
Charles 42
Joseph 41
Samuel 30
Edward 28
Richard 25
Robert 22
Alfred 21
Frederick 19
Harry 16
Albert 14
Arthur 12
Peter 11
Walter 9
Francis 8
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Cornelius 5
Michael 5
Wm. 5
Amos 4
David 4
Herbert 4
Isaac 4
Jonathan 4
Joshua 4
Philip 4
Stephen 4
Alexander 3
Ambrose 3
Andrew 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Percy 3
Reuben 3
Willie 3
Abert 2
Chas. 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Jonah 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Phillip 2

FAQ

Rook surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rook surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,056 people were recorded with the Rook surname. That placed it at #2,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rook surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,679 in 2016. That gives Rook a modern rank of #3,725.

What does the Rook surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a chess piece or a castle tower.

What does the Rook map show?

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