NameCensus.

UK surname

Rooks

An English occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a castle's rookery or chessboard-maker.

In the 1881 census there were 645 people recorded with the Rooks surname, ranking it #5,530 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 504, ranked #9,938, down from #5,530 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Sunderland and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rooks is 648 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.9%.

1881 census count

645

Ranked #5,530

Modern count

504

2016, ranked #9,938

Peak year

1891

648 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rooks had 645 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,530 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 504 in 2016, ranked #9,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 648 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rooks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rooks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rooks 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 478 #5,213
1861 historical 443 #5,835
1881 historical 645 #5,530
1891 historical 648 #5,987
1901 historical 641 #6,716
1911 historical 648 #6,460
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 576 #8,608
1999 modern 598 #8,458
2000 modern 580 #8,597
2001 modern 560 #8,684
2002 modern 577 #8,664
2003 modern 559 #8,725
2004 modern 548 #8,890
2005 modern 539 #8,924
2006 modern 542 #8,918
2007 modern 535 #9,087
2008 modern 526 #9,271
2009 modern 537 #9,341
2010 modern 549 #9,380
2011 modern 547 #9,312
2012 modern 529 #9,461
2013 modern 536 #9,535
2014 modern 544 #9,476
2015 modern 530 #9,605
2016 modern 504 #9,938

Geography

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Where Rooks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes, Birstall, Bradford and Bishop Wearmouth. 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, Sunderland, Calderdale, South Northamptonshire and Babergh. 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 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Sunderland 031 Sunderland
3 Calderdale 011 Calderdale
4 South Northamptonshire 003 South Northamptonshire
5 Babergh 004 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rooks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rooks

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

Rooks 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rooks

The surname Rooks 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 descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a rookery or had a particular association with these birds.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Rooks dates back to the 13th century. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 lists a John le Rok in Oxfordshire, which is an early spelling variation of the name.

In the 14th century, the Rooks surname appears in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a William Rook is mentioned in 1317. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327 also include the name Robert Rok.

Some notable individuals bearing the Rooks surname throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Rook (c. 1570-1637), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1619.

2. Michael Rook (1672-1718), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge from 1711 until his death.

3. John Rook (1776-1856), a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Admiral and served during the Napoleonic Wars.

4. Clarence Walworth Rook (1862-1937), an American author and journalist known for his works on the history of New York City.

5. Grayson L. Rooks (1902-1985), an American lawyer and jurist who served as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

The Rooks surname is also associated with various place names in England, such as Rooksbridge in Somerset and Rookery Farm in Buckinghamshire, which likely derived from the presence of rooks or rookeries in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rooks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rooks 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. Yorkshire leads with 229 Rooks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.67x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 229 3.67x
Devon 75 5.72x
Durham 35 1.87x
Somerset 34 3.35x
Surrey 33 1.07x
Cambridgeshire 29 7.27x
Lancashire 29 0.39x
Middlesex 25 0.40x
Suffolk 21 2.74x
Lincolnshire 16 1.59x
Westmorland 15 10.83x
Essex 12 0.96x
Northumberland 10 1.07x
Cumberland 8 1.47x
Gloucestershire 8 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.94x
Staffordshire 8 0.38x
Cornwall 6 0.84x
Kent 6 0.28x
Lanarkshire 6 0.29x
Angus 4 0.69x
Dunbartonshire 4 2.36x
Norfolk 4 0.41x
Sussex 4 0.38x
Bedfordshire 3 0.92x
Derbyshire 3 0.30x
Hampshire 3 0.23x
Hertfordshire 3 0.69x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.00x
Royal Navy 2 2.66x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tiverton in Devon leads with 32 Rooks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 141.66x.

Place Total Index
Tiverton 32 141.66x
Taunton St Mary 22 118.15x
Castle Camps 16 833.33x
Bradford 15 9.92x
Old Malton 15 381.68x
Pocklington 15 254.24x
Bishopwearmouth 10 6.21x
Bury St Edmunds St James 10 48.78x
Crediton 10 80.45x
Tynemouth 10 19.92x
Burton Agnes 9 1200.00x
Cleckheaton 9 39.13x
Bishops Hull 8 243.90x
Guisbrough 8 58.61x
Holbeck 8 19.34x
Huddersfield 8 8.79x
Kimberworth 8 23.08x
Lambeth 8 1.46x
Leeds 8 2.27x
Linton 8 211.08x
Manchester 8 2.38x
Newington 8 3.44x
Bermondsey 7 3.73x
Camberwell 7 1.74x
Candlesby 7 1320.75x
Danby 7 277.78x
Hincaster 7 2800.00x
Holcombe Burnell 7 1489.36x
Ilkley 7 68.63x
Liversedge 7 25.18x
Lythe 7 281.12x
Ryhope 7 53.76x
Selby 7 53.64x
St Pancras London 7 1.38x
Barony 6 1.16x
Bristol St Paul In 6 18.23x
Caldewgate 6 20.18x
Kendal 6 23.67x
Lofthouse 6 64.38x
Misterton 6 228.14x
Richmond 6 61.48x
Sturmere 6 740.74x
Wortley In Bramley 6 12.13x
York St Lawrence 6 92.17x
Bradninch 5 135.14x
Coundon 5 65.79x
Duggleby 5 980.39x
Exeter Holy Trinity 5 97.28x
Great Driffield 5 39.03x
Hammersmith London 5 3.22x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 13.28x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 4.95x
Shimpling 5 471.70x
Wetwang 5 370.37x
Dewsbury 4 6.25x
Great Little Marsden 4 11.68x
Hawkhurst 4 59.88x
Heigham 4 7.69x
Kirkintilloch 4 17.39x
Lawshall 4 232.56x
Leyton Low 4 15.82x
Liff Benvie 4 4.51x
Linthorpe 4 10.74x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 10.93x
Nafferton 4 150.38x
Shipley 4 12.35x
South Molton 4 55.48x
Westoe 4 3.76x
Allerton 3 37.69x
Clee With Weelsby 3 13.60x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 3 17.24x
Haslingden 3 9.69x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 31.55x
Huggate 3 252.10x
Hulme 3 1.92x
Market Weighton Arras 3 73.89x
Shoreditch London 3 1.10x
St George Bloomsbury 3 8.30x
St Marylebone London 3 0.89x
Stamford St George 3 66.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 35
Thomas 26
Charles 18
Henry 16
George 14
James 14
Joseph 10
Robert 10
Walter 9
Edward 8
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Samuel 5
Francis 4
Frank 4
Richard 4
Matthew 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Patrick 2
Reuben 2
Robt. 2
Sandy 2
Thos. 2
Barzzillia 1
David 1
G.H.S. 1
Hannah 1
Harrison 1
Horace 1
Jacob 1
Marshall 1
Martin 1
Matthias 1
Maurice 1
Oswald 1
Peter 1
Priestman 1
Rebecca 1
Reginald 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Rooks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rooks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 645 people were recorded with the Rooks surname. That placed it at #5,530 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rooks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 504 in 2016. That gives Rooks a modern rank of #9,938.

What does the Rooks surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a castle's rookery or chessboard-maker.

What does the Rooks map show?

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