NameCensus.

UK surname

Speke

In the 1881 census there were 117 people recorded with the Speke surname, ranking it #18,026 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #18,026 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and Whitchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, South Somerset and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Speke is 197 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.4%.

1881 census count

117

Ranked #18,026

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

2016

197 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Speke had 117 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,026 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Speke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Speke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Speke 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 117 #18,026
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 188 #15,550
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 171 #19,956
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 175 #19,764
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 183 #19,354
2003 modern 183 #19,152
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 177 #19,965
2008 modern 181 #19,875
2009 modern 186 #19,946
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 189 #19,949
2013 modern 182 #20,795
2014 modern 191 #20,302
2015 modern 193 #20,056
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Spekes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Whitchurch, Dudley and Lytham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, South Somerset and Herefordshire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 Whitchurch Shropshire
4 Dudley Staffordshire
5 Lytham Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 031 Shropshire
2 Shropshire 033 Shropshire
3 South Somerset 019 South Somerset
4 Herefordshire 004 Herefordshire, County of
5 Shropshire 038 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Speke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Speke

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Speke 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

Speke is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Speke falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Speke is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Speke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Speke 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. Lancashire leads with 39 Spekes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 39 2.88x
Shropshire 26 26.37x
Gloucestershire 12 5.36x
Devon 7 2.95x
Monmouthshire 7 8.49x
Somerset 7 3.81x
Middlesex 4 0.35x
Denbighshire 3 6.96x
Dorset 3 4.01x
Staffordshire 3 0.78x
Yorkshire 2 0.18x
Cheshire 1 0.40x
Essex 1 0.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.35x
Worcestershire 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Montford in Shropshire leads with 8 Spekes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4000.00x.

Place Total Index
Montford 8 4000.00x
Ashton In Makerfield 7 181.35x
Randwick 7 1590.91x
Skenfrith 7 2916.67x
Ashill 6 3333.33x
Moss Side 6 84.27x
Walton On Hill 6 81.74x
Whitchurch 5 261.78x
Bradford 4 63.09x
Heaton Norris 4 51.88x
Much Wenlock 4 439.56x
Shrewsbury St Mary 4 102.83x
Bridgnorth St Mary 3 312.50x
Cheltenham 3 17.37x
Liverpool 3 3.65x
Llangollen Vivod 3 7500.00x
Wyke Regis 3 280.37x
Exeter Heavitree 2 112.99x
Leeds 2 3.13x
Mitcheldean 2 714.29x
Oldham 2 4.58x
Padiham 2 61.16x
Pinhoe 2 952.38x
Westminster St John 2 14.39x
Alwington 1 666.67x
Birmingham 1 1.04x
Braunton 1 123.46x
Butterworth 1 30.30x
Castle Church 1 43.10x
Clun Eddycliff 1 526.32x
Hagley 1 208.33x
Hinton St George 1 370.37x
Hulme 1 3.54x
Ingatestone 1 277.78x
Lancaster 1 12.41x
Littleham 1 57.47x
Manchester 1 1.64x
Middle Temple London 1 2500.00x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 14.66x
St George Hanover 1 6.72x
Stockport 1 7.72x
Walsall Borough 1 33.44x
Warrington 1 6.23x
Whittington 1 120.48x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Speke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Speke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 117 people were recorded with the Speke surname. That placed it at #18,026 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Speke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Speke a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Speke map show?

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