NameCensus.

UK surname

Rooke

A surname derived from the Old French word "roc" meaning a rock or crag.

In the 1881 census there were 2,206 people recorded with the Rooke surname, ranking it #2,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,202, ranked #2,122, down from #2,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Silkstone and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, Allerdale and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rooke is 3,543 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.1%.

1881 census count

2,206

Ranked #2,011

Modern count

3,202

2016, ranked #2,122

Peak year

2000

3,543 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rooke had 2,206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,202 in 2016, ranked #2,122.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,355 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rooke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rooke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rooke 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 1,100 #2,557
1861 historical 1,023 #2,740
1881 historical 2,206 #2,011
1891 historical 2,395 #1,966
1901 historical 2,984 #1,877
1911 historical 3,355 #1,557
1997 modern 3,447 #1,877
1998 modern 3,493 #1,928
1999 modern 3,540 #1,920
2000 modern 3,543 #1,912
2001 modern 3,468 #1,911
2002 modern 3,497 #1,940
2003 modern 3,354 #1,972
2004 modern 3,369 #1,964
2005 modern 3,302 #1,974
2006 modern 3,282 #2,000
2007 modern 3,311 #2,002
2008 modern 3,323 #2,012
2009 modern 3,387 #2,025
2010 modern 3,406 #2,048
2011 modern 3,345 #2,052
2012 modern 3,271 #2,059
2013 modern 3,294 #2,079
2014 modern 3,315 #2,084
2015 modern 3,247 #2,104
2016 modern 3,202 #2,122

Geography

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Where Rookes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Silkstone and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, Allerdale, Wirral and Bradford. 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 1
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
2 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
3 Wirral 021 Wirral
4 Bradford 008 Bradford
5 Allerdale 010 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rooke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rooke

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

Rooke is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rooke

The surname Rooke has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "roc," which means "castle" or "fortified dwelling." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived or worked in castles or fortified settlements.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rooke can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a tax record compiled in 1274-1275. In this document, a person named William Roc is mentioned, potentially being an early ancestor of those bearing the Rooke surname.

The Rooke name also appears in the Domesday Book, the famous survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This record includes references to places like "Rokes" and "Rokes-bury," which could be early place names associated with the surname.

During the Middle Ages, the Rooke surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. Some notable individuals from this period include Sir Thomas Rooke (1504-1572), a Member of Parliament for Guildford, and Sir George Rooke (1650-1709), an English naval officer who played a crucial role in the War of the Spanish Succession.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Rooke family established itself as a prominent landowning family in various parts of England. One notable member was Sir Gervase Rooke (1586-1647), a Member of Parliament for Tregony and a supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War.

Another significant figure was Sir Lawrence Rooke (1622-1662), a royalist soldier who fought for King Charles I and later served as Governor of Duncannon Fort in Ireland.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the Rooke surname made notable contributions in various fields. For example, John Rooke (1737-1805) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Willoughby Rooke (1804-1876) was an English lawyer and Conservative politician who served as a Member of Parliament for East Norfolk.

Throughout its history, the Rooke surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Rookesbury in Hampshire, Rookwood in Suffolk, and Rookhope in County Durham. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time, contributing to its evolution and diversity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rooke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rooke 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 349 Rookes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.62x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 349 1.62x
Yorkshire 302 1.41x
Lancashire 185 0.72x
Warwickshire 147 2.71x
Surrey 142 1.35x
Devon 96 2.14x
Sussex 96 2.64x
Hampshire 88 1.99x
Essex 75 1.76x
Gloucestershire 61 1.44x
Cornwall 57 2.34x
Staffordshire 55 0.76x
Durham 53 0.83x
Kent 53 0.72x
Cumberland 50 2.70x
Worcestershire 44 1.56x
Cambridgeshire 41 3.01x
Hertfordshire 26 1.75x
Dorset 22 1.56x
Wiltshire 22 1.16x
Berkshire 20 1.24x
Herefordshire 20 2.26x
Oxfordshire 19 1.43x
Somerset 19 0.55x
Westmorland 19 4.01x
Lincolnshire 18 0.52x
Shropshire 15 0.81x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.45x
Northamptonshire 12 0.59x
Suffolk 12 0.46x
Glamorgan 11 0.29x
Monmouthshire 11 0.71x
Derbyshire 9 0.27x
Norfolk 9 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.46x
Cheshire 6 0.13x
Northumberland 6 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 5 1.17x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.73x
Royal Navy 4 1.56x
Flintshire 2 0.35x
Brecknockshire 1 0.23x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.32x

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 72 Rookes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.98x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 72 3.98x
Islington London 58 2.78x
Aston 54 3.61x
Brighton 42 5.73x
Shoreditch London 37 3.96x
Hackney London 29 2.40x
Worsbrough 29 46.37x
Barnsley 27 12.26x
West Bromwich 27 6.49x
Leeds 26 2.16x
Ealing 23 11.95x
Manchester 21 1.83x
Chelsea London 18 2.77x
Lambeth 18 0.96x
Rotherhithe 18 6.76x
Ashdon 17 274.64x
Bermondsey 17 2.65x
Calstock 17 35.55x
Romford 17 25.29x
Newington 16 2.01x
St Pancras London 16 0.92x
Hulme 15 2.81x
West Ham 15 1.60x
East Stonehouse 14 15.85x
Kensington London 14 1.17x
Leamington Priors 14 10.48x
Alverstoke 13 8.14x
Brockenhurst 12 157.27x
Camberwell 12 0.87x
Great Torrington 12 47.21x
Kendal 12 13.85x
Lancaster 12 7.89x
Liverpool 12 0.77x
Fulham London 11 3.52x
Garway 11 279.19x
Kidderminster Borough 11 6.68x
North Cerney 11 238.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 3.19x
Tormoham 11 5.80x
West Derby 11 1.47x
Westminster St John 11 4.19x
Barton Upon Irwell 10 5.20x
Boldre 10 63.25x
Hammersmith London 10 1.88x
Kings Norton 10 3.96x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 7.77x
South Stoneham 10 10.44x
Stranton 10 4.64x
Acaster Malbis 9 461.54x
Deptford St Paul 9 1.59x
Erith 9 12.43x
Haswell 9 19.60x
Kirkdale 9 2.09x
Milford 9 69.77x
Paddington London 9 1.14x
Ringmer 9 87.98x
Salford 9 1.20x
Scarborough 9 4.64x
Southwick 9 46.85x
St Andrewthe Less 9 5.77x
St George Hanover 9 3.20x
St Peter Cambridge 9 196.08x
Accrington 8 3.44x
Ardsley 8 32.52x
Blackburn 8 1.18x
Clawton 8 243.90x
Cockermouth 8 20.49x
Collierley 8 28.02x
Cranborne 8 46.81x
Gwennap 8 17.39x
Ilfracombe 8 17.33x
Linton Upon Ouse 8 365.30x
Middlesbrough 8 2.88x
Munslow 8 178.17x
Reading St Lawrence 8 23.13x
St Marylebone London 8 0.70x
Ulverston 8 10.75x
Whitby 8 11.12x
Wolverley 8 32.40x
Dartford 7 9.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 133
Elizabeth 93
Sarah 70
Jane 44
Eliza 38
Ann 36
Ellen 36
Alice 33
Emily 33
Annie 29
Emma 24
Hannah 21
Margaret 21
Florence 20
Maria 20
Fanny 19
Ada 18
Catherine 18
Louisa 16
Harriet 15
Caroline 13
Charlotte 13
Edith 13
Martha 13
Amelia 11
Anne 11
Elizth. 9
Agnes 8
Clara 8
Harriett 8
Minnie 8
Rebecca 8
Frances 7
Gertrude 7
Kate 7
Maud 7
Susan 7
Esther 6
Francis 6
Isabella 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Lucy 6
Rose 6
Sophia 6
Eleanor 5
Grace 5
Helen 5
Olive 5
Lily 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 124
John 110
George 83
James 66
Charles 62
Henry 57
Thomas 48
Joseph 28
Alfred 25
Frederick 24
Robert 23
Arthur 21
Edward 21
Richard 21
Albert 14
Ernest 13
Walter 13
Frank 12
Samuel 12
Harry 11
David 10
Edwin 9
Herbert 9
Jno. 9
Michael 9
Patrick 9
Francis 7
Josiah 6
Chas. 5
Geo. 5
Philip 5
Stephen 5
Thos. 5
Benjamin 4
Fredrick 4
Sydney 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
Earnest 3
Edgar 3
Fred 3
Peter 3
Wm. 3
Chas.B. 2
Christopher 2
Felix 2
Louis 2
Mark 2
Nelson 2
Oliver 2

FAQ

Rooke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rooke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,206 people were recorded with the Rooke surname. That placed it at #2,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rooke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,202 in 2016. That gives Rooke a modern rank of #2,122.

What does the Rooke surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "roc" meaning a rock or crag.

What does the Rooke map show?

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