NameCensus.

UK surname

Slark

A variant of the surname Clark or its Scottish form Clerk.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Slark surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 330, ranked #13,765, up from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ashford and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, North Devon and Adur.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slark is 378 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 150.0%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

330

2016, ranked #13,765

Peak year

1998

378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slark had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 330 in 2016, ranked #13,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 330 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Slark surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slark surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slark 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 212 #9,965
1861 historical 262 #9,458
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 308 #10,886
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 330 #10,669
1997 modern 367 #11,751
1998 modern 378 #11,871
1999 modern 354 #12,497
2000 modern 358 #12,356
2001 modern 361 #12,102
2002 modern 363 #12,296
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 356 #12,299
2005 modern 353 #12,292
2006 modern 363 #12,123
2007 modern 365 #12,205
2008 modern 357 #12,509
2009 modern 347 #13,044
2010 modern 357 #13,036
2011 modern 353 #13,004
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 339 #13,581
2015 modern 337 #13,560
2016 modern 330 #13,765

Geography

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Where Slarks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ashford, Ealing, Chiswick and Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, North Devon, Adur, Spelthorne and East Devon. 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 Ashford Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 009 Pembrokeshire
2 North Devon 002 North Devon
3 Adur 004 Adur
4 Spelthorne 008 Spelthorne
5 East Devon 003 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slark

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slark

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Slark is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Slark is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Slark

The surname SLARK is believed to have originated in the region of Saxony, Germany during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "slark," which means "sluggish" or "lazy," possibly referring to the occupation or demeanor of the original bearer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SLARK can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1387. This record mentions a certain "Johannes Slark," who was a landowner in the town of Meissen.

In the 16th century, the name SLARK appeared in various parish records and tax rolls across Saxony and neighboring regions. One notable individual was Hans SLARK (1522-1598), a merchant and alderman in the city of Leipzig.

As the SLARK family expanded and migrated across Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Slarke, Schlarke, and Schlarcke. These variations can be found in historical documents from regions like Silesia (modern-day Poland and Germany) and Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic).

One of the earliest known bearers of the name in England was Johann SLARK (1612-1678), a Protestant refugee from the Palatinate region of Germany, who settled in London and worked as a cooper (barrel maker).

In the 18th century, the SLARK name gained prominence in the United States, with the arrival of German and English immigrants. Notable individuals from this period include Captain William SLARK (1732-1805), an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and Reverend Samuel SLARK (1745-1823), a Baptist minister and abolitionist in Virginia.

Throughout the 19th century, the SLARK surname can be found in various records across Europe and North America. Notable bearers include Johann SLARK (1810-1892), a German composer and organist, and Sarah SLARK (1856-1939), an American writer and suffragette.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the SLARK name also appeared in Australia and New Zealand, likely carried by British and European settlers. One such individual was William SLARK (1870-1942), a prominent Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slark families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slark 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 48 Slarks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 48 3.73x
Surrey 29 4.62x
Kent 28 6.37x
Berkshire 9 9.31x
Lancashire 6 0.39x
Durham 3 0.78x
Hampshire 3 1.14x
Northamptonshire 3 2.48x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.57x
East Lothian 1 5.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plumstead in Kent leads with 23 Slarks recorded in 1881 and an index of 157.10x.

Place Total Index
Plumstead 23 157.10x
Croydon 18 51.69x
Ashford 9 882.35x
Islington London 9 7.21x
Ealing 7 60.82x
Reading St Giles 7 73.84x
Fulham London 6 32.14x
Liverpool 6 6.47x
St Giles In Fields 5 112.61x
Twickenham 5 90.58x
Brackley St Peter 3 361.45x
Lewisham 3 12.81x
Sunderland 3 44.38x
Yateley 3 600.00x
Camberwell 2 2.43x
Egham 2 51.95x
Heston 2 46.73x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 7.72x
Upton Cum Chalvey 2 64.52x
Westerham 2 198.02x
Wimbledon 2 28.41x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.79x
Bray 1 35.21x
Caterham 1 36.10x
Chiswick 1 14.22x
Dirleton 1 149.25x
Farnham 1 20.49x
Feltham 1 77.52x
Kensington London 1 1.40x
Paddington London 1 2.11x
Sunninghill 1 74.63x
Thorpe 1 370.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 12
George 8
Henry 8
James 5
John 5
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Dixon 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herdman 1
Martin 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Pike 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Willm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Slark surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slark surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Slark surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slark surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 330 in 2016. That gives Slark a modern rank of #13,765.

What does the Slark surname mean?

A variant of the surname Clark or its Scottish form Clerk.

What does the Slark map show?

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