NameCensus.

UK surname

Shakes

An English surname referring to someone who trembled or shook.

In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Shakes surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, up from #30,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmond upon Thames, Walsall and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shakes is 156 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 525.0%.

1881 census count

24

Ranked #30,215

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

2014

156 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shakes had 24 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 63 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Shakes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shakes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shakes 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 63 #25,901
1881 historical 24 #30,215
1891 historical 31 #31,820
1901 historical 38 #29,914
1911 historical 43 #28,581
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 126 #24,287
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 147 #23,248
2010 modern 154 #23,082
2011 modern 146 #23,736
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 156 #23,231
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Shakes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmond upon Thames, Walsall, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Birmingham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmond upon Thames 004 Richmond upon Thames
2 Walsall 025 Walsall
3 Hackney 025 Hackney
4 Tower Hamlets 001 Tower Hamlets
5 Birmingham 039 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shakes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shakes

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Shakes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Shakes 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Shakes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shakes 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

Shakes falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shakes 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Shakes

The surname SHAKES has its origins in England, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sceacere," which means "to shake" or "to tremble." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a trembling or shaky demeanor or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a William Shakes is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1412, which lists a John Shakes.

The name SHAKES is closely associated with the renowned English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare (1564-1616), who is considered one of the greatest writers in the English language. Although the spelling of his surname differs slightly, it is widely accepted that the name SHAKES originated from the same root.

In the 16th century, the name SHAKES appeared in various records across different counties in England, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1558, mentioning a Robert Shakes, and the Subsidy Rolls of Leicestershire in 1572, which recorded a William Shakes.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Shakes (1505-1591), an English clergyman and reformer who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1550 to 1554 during the reign of Edward VI.

In the 17th century, the SHAKES surname can be found in various parish records and historical documents. One example is the Parish Registers of St. Mary's, Redcliffe in Bristol, which recorded the marriage of Robertus Shakes in 1622.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with the SHAKES surname was Robert Shakes (1738-1825), an English engraver and artist known for his topographical prints and views of English cities and landscapes.

Throughout the 19th century, the SHAKES name continued to appear in various records and documents across different regions of England, further solidifying its presence as a well-established English surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shakes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shakes 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. Kent leads with 13 Shakes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.28x.

County Total Index
Kent 13 16.28x
Warwickshire 8 13.55x
Middlesex 2 0.85x
Surrey 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 8 Shakes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 129.87x.

Place Total Index
Deptford St Paul 8 129.87x
Birmingham 7 35.59x
Lewisham 5 117.37x
Westminster St John 2 70.18x
Aston 1 6.15x
Camberwell 1 6.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ann 1
Annie 1
Ciecly 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Prissila 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 3
James 2
Richard 2
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
George 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 Shakes households.

FAQ

Shakes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shakes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Shakes surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shakes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Shakes a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Shakes surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone who trembled or shook.

What does the Shakes map show?

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