NameCensus.

UK surname

Spinks

An English occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold spikes or nails.

In the 1881 census there were 2,011 people recorded with the Spinks surname, ranking it #2,187 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,827, ranked #2,388, down from #2,187 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, North Norfolk and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spinks is 3,070 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.6%.

1881 census count

2,011

Ranked #2,187

Modern count

2,827

2016, ranked #2,388

Peak year

1998

3,070 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spinks had 2,011 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,187 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,827 in 2016, ranked #2,388.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,829 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Spinks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spinks surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Spinks 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 1,063 #2,633
1861 historical 1,077 #2,613
1881 historical 2,011 #2,187
1891 historical 2,201 #2,124
1901 historical 2,537 #2,165
1911 historical 2,829 #1,842
1997 modern 2,982 #2,169
1998 modern 3,070 #2,190
1999 modern 3,052 #2,216
2000 modern 3,042 #2,211
2001 modern 2,958 #2,227
2002 modern 2,987 #2,250
2003 modern 2,900 #2,267
2004 modern 2,921 #2,251
2005 modern 2,856 #2,271
2006 modern 2,843 #2,285
2007 modern 2,876 #2,281
2008 modern 2,878 #2,297
2009 modern 2,922 #2,319
2010 modern 2,974 #2,317
2011 modern 2,904 #2,343
2012 modern 2,828 #2,363
2013 modern 2,893 #2,350
2014 modern 2,916 #2,339
2015 modern 2,861 #2,364
2016 modern 2,827 #2,388

Geography

Back to top

Where Spinks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, North Norfolk and County Durham. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 003 Broadland
2 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
3 County Durham 009 County Durham
4 Broadland 006 Broadland
5 Broadland 002 Broadland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Spinks

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Spinks

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

London Fringe

Within London, Spinks is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Spinks is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Spinks

The surname Spinks is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "spinc," which means a small bird such as a finch or sparrow. This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone with a small, bird-like appearance or demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Spinc." This entry likely refers to a place name rather than a personal name, but it provides evidence of the name's existence in England during the Norman era.

As the name evolved over time, various spellings emerged, including Spink, Spinks, and Spynks. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling that were common before the standardization of English spelling in the 18th century.

Historically, the Spinks surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Spynks, a merchant who lived in London in the 14th century and was mentioned in various trade records of the time.

Another prominent figure was John Spinks, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of the town during his tenure.

In the 18th century, Samuel Spinks (1720-1793) was a renowned engraver and printmaker based in London. His work included illustrations for books and magazines, as well as portraits and landscapes.

Moving into the 19th century, Sarah Spinks (1833-1907) was a notable English novelist and poet. She wrote several novels that explored themes of love, family, and social issues, and her work was well-received during her lifetime.

Lastly, one of the most famous bearers of the Spinks surname was Michael Spinks (1956-2022), an American professional boxer who won multiple world championships in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of his era and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994.

While the Spinks surname may have humble beginnings as a nickname related to small birds, it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history, from religion and literature to the arts and sports.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Spinks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spinks 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. Norfolk leads with 498 Spinks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.43x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 498 16.43x
Middlesex 438 2.22x
Yorkshire 135 0.69x
Surrey 124 1.29x
Essex 95 2.44x
Kent 80 1.19x
Lancashire 80 0.34x
Suffolk 64 2.67x
Warwickshire 56 1.13x
Lincolnshire 55 1.74x
Staffordshire 52 0.78x
Durham 42 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 42 1.58x
Northumberland 33 1.13x
Sussex 28 0.84x
Cambridgeshire 26 2.08x
Fife 15 1.29x
Derbyshire 14 0.45x
Hampshire 14 0.35x
Midlothian 14 0.53x
Cheshire 11 0.25x
Flintshire 10 1.89x
Glamorgan 10 0.29x
Leicestershire 10 0.46x
Argyllshire 8 1.46x
Lanarkshire 7 0.11x
Royal Navy 7 2.98x
Shropshire 7 0.41x
Devon 5 0.12x
Worcestershire 5 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.50x
Dorset 4 0.31x
Bedfordshire 3 0.29x
Cardiganshire 3 0.62x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.36x
Cornwall 3 0.13x
Gloucestershire 3 0.08x
Perthshire 3 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.17x
Inverness-shire 2 0.34x
Northamptonshire 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 0.69x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 56 Spinks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.53x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 56 3.53x
Hackney London 40 3.62x
Islington London 39 2.04x
Birmingham 37 2.23x
Great Yarmouth 35 13.94x
Lambeth 33 1.92x
Lewisham 33 9.20x
Heigham 30 18.44x
Nottingham St Mary 28 4.07x
West Ham 28 3.26x
Kensington London 24 2.19x
Ipswich St Mathew 21 31.20x
Paddington London 21 2.90x
Poplar London 21 5.64x
Tanfield 21 30.11x
Tydd St Mary 21 334.93x
Wretton 21 950.23x
Leeds 20 1.81x
Methwold 20 203.87x
Camberwell 19 1.51x
St Marylebone London 19 1.81x
Bromley London 18 4.15x
Colchester St Giles 18 46.81x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 16 68.61x
Lakenham 16 37.15x
St George Hanover 16 6.22x
Acton 15 12.98x
Hornsey 15 6.02x
Norwich St Stephen 15 53.92x
St Monance 15 107.60x
Battersea 14 1.93x
Great Grimsby 14 7.00x
Greenwich 14 4.46x
Newington 14 1.92x
Shoreditch London 14 1.64x
Aston 13 0.95x
Barnham Broom 13 433.33x
Feltwell 13 221.09x
Hampstead London 13 4.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 3.28x
Toxteth Park 13 1.64x
Brampton 12 975.61x
Hardingham 12 340.91x
Sedgley 12 4.86x
Walsall Borough 12 23.23x
Wells Next Sea 12 67.91x
Bodney 11 1571.43x
Lee 11 11.26x
Stoke Ferry 11 238.61x
Clerkenwell London 10 2.15x
Colchester St Peter 10 64.23x
Hammersmith London 10 2.06x
Handsworth 10 6.10x
Limehouse London 10 4.62x
Rhuddlan 10 21.44x
Southcoates 10 9.22x
Warrington 10 3.61x
Heston 9 13.75x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 9 9.89x
Mile End Old Town 9 2.89x
Newhaven 9 33.33x
South Creake 9 130.81x
Stanford 9 769.23x
Walthamstow 9 6.43x
Wereham 9 216.87x
Westgate 9 4.95x
Bethnal Green London 8 0.93x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 8 11.97x
Brighton 8 1.19x
Campbeltown 8 12.08x
Denham 8 267.56x
Everton 8 1.07x
Liverpool 8 0.56x
Northwold 8 98.40x
Sheffield 8 1.29x
Sprowston 8 59.79x
Wortley In Bramley 8 5.17x
Gainsborough 7 9.42x
Rushall 7 17.88x
Southwark Christchurch 7 7.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 129
John 120
George 69
Henry 60
Thomas 55
James 51
Robert 43
Charles 42
Alfred 32
Arthur 30
Joseph 28
Edward 26
Frederick 24
Richard 23
Samuel 20
Albert 17
Harry 12
Herbert 12
Walter 11
Ernest 9
Benjamin 6
Isaac 6
Abraham 5
Wm. 5
Chas. 4
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Fredrick 4
Tom 4
Christopher 3
Daniel 3
Horatio 3
Martin 3
Robt. 3
Stephen 3
Willm. 3
Alexander 2
Ezra 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jos. 2
Josiah 2
Matthew 2
Osbert 2
Percy 2
Zorobabel 2
Baker 1
Earnest 1

FAQ

Spinks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spinks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,011 people were recorded with the Spinks surname. That placed it at #2,187 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spinks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,827 in 2016. That gives Spinks a modern rank of #2,388.

What does the Spinks surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold spikes or nails.

What does the Spinks map show?

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