UK surname
Derived from the Old English given name "Sigeric," meaning "victorious" or "triumphant."
In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Sikes surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 42, ranked #35,336, down from #22,357 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kirkheaton and Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sikes is 151 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.8%.
1881 census count
79
Ranked #22,357
Modern count
42
2016, ranked #35,336
Peak year
1851
151 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sikes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sikes surname density by area, 1861 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 | 151 | #12,840 |
| 1861 | historical | 137 | #16,465 |
| 1881 | historical | 79 | #22,357 |
| 1891 | historical | 83 | #26,376 |
| 1901 | historical | 85 | #24,636 |
| 1911 | historical | 90 | #23,797 |
| 1997 | modern | 33 | #34,377 |
| 1998 | modern | 36 | #34,246 |
| 1999 | modern | 40 | #33,967 |
| 2000 | modern | 39 | #34,066 |
| 2001 | modern | 35 | #34,261 |
| 2002 | modern | 37 | #34,390 |
| 2003 | modern | 41 | #34,113 |
| 2004 | modern | 42 | #34,222 |
| 2005 | modern | 42 | #34,395 |
| 2006 | modern | 40 | #34,854 |
| 2007 | modern | 40 | #35,037 |
| 2008 | modern | 43 | #34,931 |
| 2009 | modern | 39 | #35,321 |
| 2010 | modern | 40 | #35,403 |
| 2011 | modern | 38 | #35,501 |
| 2012 | modern | 33 | #35,767 |
| 2013 | modern | 37 | #35,582 |
| 2014 | modern | 38 | #35,547 |
| 2015 | modern | 39 | #35,472 |
| 2016 | modern | 42 | #35,336 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kirkheaton, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew, Barrington, Little and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. 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 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Kirkheaton | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 3 | Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew | Suffolk |
| 4 | Barrington, Little | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sikes 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 Sikes, 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 Sikes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sikes 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, Sikes 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 Sikes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sikes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Sikes has its origins in England, with the name first emerging in the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "sic" meaning "trench" or "gully" and "hyll" meaning "hill." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name referring to a settlement near a trench or gully on a hill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sikes can be found in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire from 1219, where a person named Robert de Sikes was mentioned. The name also appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1230, with a reference to a William de Sikes.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname appeared in various records with spellings such as Syke, Sike, and Sykes, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames and the influence of local dialects and scribes' interpretations.
In the 16th century, the surname Sikes was found in the Parish Registers of Derbyshire, where a Thomas Sikes was recorded in 1533. Another notable bearer of the name was Richard Sikes, who was born in 1590 and served as the Vicar of Pontefract in Yorkshire.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname Sikes was William Sikes, a fictional character in Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist," published in 1838. Although a literary creation, the character's name reflects the historical prevalence of the surname in Yorkshire and surrounding areas.
Other notable individuals with the surname Sikes include:
1. Thomas Sikes (1766-1834), an English clergyman and author who wrote on botany and natural history. 2. Alfred Sikes (1847-1928), an English cricketer who played for Essex County Cricket Club. 3. Edward Sikes (1842-1923), an American politician who served as the 28th Governor of South Dakota from 1909 to 1913. 4. Wirt Sikes (1836-1912), an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Attorney General from 1906 to 1909. 5. Walter Sikes (1858-1927), an English painter known for his landscapes and portraiture.
The surname Sikes has a long and rich history, with its origins rooted in the place names and settlements of medieval England. While the name has evolved over centuries, it continues to be associated with its English heritage and the areas where it first emerged.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sikes 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. Leicestershire leads with 24 Sikes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.74x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 24 | 27.74x |
| Yorkshire | 12 | 1.55x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.77x |
| Suffolk | 6 | 6.31x |
| Sussex | 6 | 4.56x |
| Kent | 5 | 1.88x |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 4.75x |
| Surrey | 5 | 1.32x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 0.43x |
| Lincolnshire | 2 | 1.60x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 2.02x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.58x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.74x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.65x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.83x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aylestone in Leicestershire leads with 7 Sikes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1029.41x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aylestone | 7 | 1029.41x |
| Cowling | 6 | 1200.00x |
| Horsham | 6 | 234.38x |
| Rothley | 6 | 2142.86x |
| Hammersmith London | 5 | 26.01x |
| Basford | 4 | 82.47x |
| Chevening | 4 | 1379.31x |
| Melton Mowbray | 4 | 256.41x |
| Sudbury St Peter | 4 | 769.23x |
| Burstow | 3 | 937.50x |
| Houghton On The Hill | 3 | 2727.27x |
| Giggleswick | 2 | 769.23x |
| Huddersfield | 2 | 17.76x |
| Ipswich St Mathew | 2 | 75.19x |
| Louth | 2 | 69.93x |
| Skeffington | 2 | 5000.00x |
| Ardwick | 1 | 11.98x |
| Barrow In Furness | 1 | 7.94x |
| Bintree | 1 | 833.33x |
| Blackburn | 1 | 4.06x |
| Cardiff St John | 1 | 22.52x |
| Clarborough | 1 | 126.58x |
| Godalming | 1 | 41.84x |
| Guildford St Mary | 1 | 212.77x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 2.31x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 4.74x |
| Leicester St Mary | 1 | 14.31x |
| Lower Bebington | 1 | 98.04x |
| Milton In Gravesend | 1 | 25.06x |
| Oldham | 1 | 3.35x |
| Ossett Cum Gawthorpe | 1 | 36.23x |
| St Michael Cambridge | 1 | 714.29x |
| Thurstonland | 1 | 370.37x |
| West Dean | 1 | 40.16x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sikes 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 Sikes 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 Sikes households.
FAQ
In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Sikes surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 42 in 2016. That gives Sikes a modern rank of #35,336.
Derived from the Old English given name "Sigeric," meaning "victorious" or "triumphant."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sikes 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.