NameCensus.

UK surname

Snook

A nickname referring to a person with a pointed or projecting nose, derived from the fish of the same name.

In the 1881 census there were 2,105 people recorded with the Snook surname, ranking it #2,100 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,575, ranked #2,572, down from #2,100 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and East and West Tisbury, Wardour. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Wiltshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Snook is 2,807 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.3%.

1881 census count

2,105

Ranked #2,100

Modern count

2,575

2016, ranked #2,572

Peak year

1998

2,807 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Snook had 2,105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,100 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,575 in 2016, ranked #2,572.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,741 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Snook surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Snook surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Snook 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 1,592 #1,810
1861 historical 1,447 #1,963
1881 historical 2,105 #2,100
1891 historical 2,111 #2,205
1901 historical 2,494 #2,191
1911 historical 2,741 #1,890
1997 modern 2,743 #2,338
1998 modern 2,807 #2,371
1999 modern 2,803 #2,393
2000 modern 2,762 #2,407
2001 modern 2,733 #2,384
2002 modern 2,802 #2,388
2003 modern 2,715 #2,400
2004 modern 2,698 #2,411
2005 modern 2,680 #2,403
2006 modern 2,611 #2,453
2007 modern 2,604 #2,476
2008 modern 2,621 #2,477
2009 modern 2,686 #2,473
2010 modern 2,700 #2,523
2011 modern 2,694 #2,493
2012 modern 2,590 #2,542
2013 modern 2,618 #2,563
2014 modern 2,622 #2,570
2015 modern 2,582 #2,575
2016 modern 2,575 #2,572

Geography

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Where Snooks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, East and West Tisbury, Wardour, Portsmouth, Portsea and Urchfont. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Wiltshire, North East Lincolnshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 East and West Tisbury, Wardour Wiltshire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Urchfont Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
2 Wiltshire 050 Wiltshire
3 North East Lincolnshire 019 North East Lincolnshire
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 031 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 Wiltshire 061 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Snook

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Snook

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Snook is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Snook is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Snook falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Snook 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 Snook, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Snook

The surname Snook is of English origin and has its roots in the Old English word "snoc," which means "a kind of boat" or "a snook-shaped projecting piece of land." The name is believed to have originated in areas around the River Thames in the 13th century, where the term "snook" was commonly used to refer to small fishing boats or boats used for transportation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Snook can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from the year 1279, where it appears as "Richard le Snok." This entry suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone associated with boats or living near a snook-shaped piece of land.

In the 14th century, the surname Snook started appearing in various records across southern England, particularly in counties like Berkshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 mention a "John Snok" from Berkshire, while the Essex Feet of Fines from 1389 records a "William Snoke."

One notable historical figure with the surname Snook was Sir John Snook (c. 1555-1627), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1619 to 1620. Another prominent individual was Sir William Snook (1621-1689), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Recorder of Bristol and later as a Serjeant-at-Law.

The surname Snook also appears in several place names, such as Snook's Green in Berkshire and Snook's Hill in Hampshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and geographical features resembling the shape of a snook or boat.

Other notable individuals with the surname Snook include:

1. Samuel Snook (1768-1842), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes. 2. Thomas Snook (1828-1904), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club. 3. Edith Snook (1884-1964), an English actress and singer who performed in various stage productions in the early 20th century. 4. Alfred Snook (1899-1981), an Australian cricketer who played domestic cricket for New South Wales and represented Australia in Test matches. 5. Katharine Snook (1932-2019), an American actress and playwright known for her work in theater and television.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Snook families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Snook 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. Wiltshire leads with 364 Snooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.96x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 364 19.96x
Somerset 355 10.69x
Hampshire 265 6.27x
Middlesex 255 1.24x
Dorset 187 13.82x
Surrey 157 1.56x
Glamorgan 88 2.45x
Gloucestershire 85 2.10x
Devon 43 1.00x
Kent 40 0.57x
Monmouthshire 35 2.35x
Yorkshire 31 0.15x
Berkshire 30 1.94x
Staffordshire 23 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 21 0.76x
Warwickshire 19 0.37x
Essex 13 0.32x
Sussex 13 0.37x
Carmarthenshire 12 1.38x
Royal Navy 9 3.66x
Shropshire 9 0.51x
Hertfordshire 8 0.56x
Northumberland 8 0.26x
Cumberland 7 0.39x
Durham 6 0.10x
Northamptonshire 6 0.31x
Bedfordshire 5 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.24x
Lancashire 3 0.01x
Derbyshire 2 0.06x
Herefordshire 2 0.24x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Oxfordshire 2 0.16x
Brecknockshire 1 0.24x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.12x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Isle of Man 1 0.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 71 Snooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.57x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 71 8.57x
Urchfont 50 669.34x
Islington London 39 1.95x
Walcot 32 18.10x
Creech St Michael 27 326.09x
East Knoyle 26 419.35x
Clifton 24 11.74x
Aberavon 23 69.61x
Chelsea London 22 3.54x
Alverstoke 19 12.42x
Camberwell 19 1.44x
Maiden Bradley 19 451.31x
St Marylebone London 19 1.73x
Kensington London 18 1.57x
Minster In Sheppey 18 15.44x
Somerton 18 132.84x
South Stoneham 18 19.63x
East Tisbury 17 270.27x
Lambeth 17 0.95x
Southampton St Mary 17 6.40x
West Tisbury 17 302.49x
Bedminster 16 5.13x
Portsmouth 16 16.44x
Winterborne Whitechurch 16 536.91x
Woking 16 26.42x
Clist St Lawrance 15 1764.71x
Hannington 15 675.68x
Poole St James 15 29.50x
Southampton All Sts 15 20.68x
Battersea 14 1.85x
Newington 14 1.84x
Salisbury St Edmund 14 47.83x
Westminster St James 14 6.60x
Woolwich 14 5.39x
Hackney London 13 1.12x
Salisbury St Thomas 13 89.97x
Sherborne 13 32.61x
Shrewton 13 271.97x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 1.76x
Trevethin 13 9.23x
Abergavenny 12 21.49x
Ecclesall Bierlow 12 2.89x
Mile End Old Town 12 3.69x
Muchelney 12 662.98x
Aberdare 11 4.46x
Barnes 11 25.89x
Bath St Peter St Paul 11 74.93x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 11 29.86x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 2.89x
Kimpton 11 552.76x
Yeovil 11 16.31x
Ashwick 10 186.57x
Broadway 10 186.22x
Chard 10 24.87x
Chobham 10 56.37x
Hammersmith London 10 1.97x
Nottingham St Mary 10 1.39x
Poplar London 10 2.57x
Teffont Magna 10 487.80x
Berwick St John 9 330.88x
Brockenhurst 9 123.12x
Chilmark 9 230.18x
Kilmersdon 9 54.88x
Llandaff 9 7.53x
Manston 9 681.82x
Pembrey 9 22.52x
Portishead 9 36.48x
Roath 9 5.52x
Royal Navy 9 4.28x
Salisbury The Close 9 200.89x
Semley 9 185.95x
Upway 9 174.76x
Bromley London 8 1.76x
East Pennard 8 185.61x
Llanfoist 8 77.44x
Lymington 8 25.75x
Millbrook 8 7.51x
Paddington London 8 1.06x
Reigate Borough 8 34.53x
Weymouth 8 31.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 115
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 74
Eliza 45
Jane 40
Ann 34
Emily 34
Alice 32
Annie 32
Ellen 32
Louisa 32
Emma 31
Charlotte 23
Martha 20
Maria 19
Hannah 18
Caroline 16
Ada 14
Edith 13
Bessie 12
Anne 11
Florence 11
Harriet 11
Margaret 11
Rose 11
Clara 10
Anna 9
Esther 9
Elizth. 8
Fanny 8
Kate 8
Agnes 7
Maud 7
Minnie 6
Susan 6
Amelia 5
Beatrice 5
Charlott 5
Flora 5
Frances 5
Lydia 5
Eleanor 4
Ethel 4
Henrietta 4
Isabella 4
Lucy 4
Sophia 4
Harriett 3
Hester 3
Marian 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 119
John 107
George 99
Henry 78
James 56
Thomas 47
Charles 46
Alfred 33
Albert 32
Frederick 24
Frank 23
Robert 22
Joseph 19
Samuel 19
Edwin 18
Walter 17
Edward 16
Arthur 15
Richard 15
Harry 12
Ernest 10
Sidney 9
Francis 7
Wm. 6
David 5
Edmund 5
Fred 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Tom 5
Jesse 4
Bertie 3
Horatio 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3
Robt. 3
Stephen 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Emanuel 2
Enos 2
Jno. 2
Job 2
Jonah 2
Leonard 2
Levi 2
Martin 2
Nelson 2
Oliver 2
Solomon 2

FAQ

Snook surname: questions and answers

How common was the Snook surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,105 people were recorded with the Snook surname. That placed it at #2,100 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Snook surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,575 in 2016. That gives Snook a modern rank of #2,572.

What does the Snook surname mean?

A nickname referring to a person with a pointed or projecting nose, derived from the fish of the same name.

What does the Snook map show?

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