NameCensus.

UK surname

Starkey

An English occupational surname referring to a person who worked as a gamekeeper or tender of livestock.

In the 1881 census there were 2,918 people recorded with the Starkey surname, ranking it #1,536 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,994, ranked #1,697, down from #1,536 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Huddersfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tamworth, Cheshire West and Chester and Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Starkey is 4,251 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.9%.

1881 census count

2,918

Ranked #1,536

Modern count

3,994

2016, ranked #1,697

Peak year

1999

4,251 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Starkey had 2,918 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,536 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,994 in 2016, ranked #1,697.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,966 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Starkey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Starkey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Starkey 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 1,735 #1,666
1861 historical 1,416 #2,012
1881 historical 2,918 #1,536
1891 historical 2,959 #1,594
1901 historical 3,827 #1,471
1911 historical 3,966 #1,292
1997 modern 4,130 #1,568
1998 modern 4,235 #1,588
1999 modern 4,251 #1,595
2000 modern 4,214 #1,599
2001 modern 4,121 #1,595
2002 modern 4,164 #1,620
2003 modern 4,050 #1,631
2004 modern 4,036 #1,633
2005 modern 3,958 #1,646
2006 modern 3,934 #1,655
2007 modern 3,990 #1,650
2008 modern 3,996 #1,663
2009 modern 4,100 #1,656
2010 modern 4,141 #1,678
2011 modern 4,066 #1,684
2012 modern 4,045 #1,661
2013 modern 4,082 #1,683
2014 modern 4,112 #1,673
2015 modern 4,023 #1,696
2016 modern 3,994 #1,697

Geography

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Where Starkeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Huddersfield and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tamworth, Cheshire West and Chester, Nuneaton and Bedworth and South Derbyshire. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tamworth 006 Tamworth
2 Cheshire West and Chester 015 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Nuneaton and Bedworth 006 Nuneaton and Bedworth
4 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
5 Tamworth 010 Tamworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Starkey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Starkey

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Starkey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Starkey is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Starkey 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 Starkey 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Starkey

The surname Starkey is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "stær-cæg" or "starkey," meaning "starkey" or "stern challenger." The name first emerged in the northern counties of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, which mentions a John Starkye. The Starkey surname also appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, referencing a William Starkey.

The Starkey family held significant influence in the county of Cheshire during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. Sir Humphrey Starkey (c. 1496-1548) was a prominent figure and author who served as the Chief Justice of the County Palatine of Chester under Henry VIII.

Another notable individual with the Starkey surname was Thomas Starkey (1499-1538), an English philosopher and humanist scholar who wrote influential works on political theory and education. He was a contemporary of Sir Thomas More and was executed for his alleged involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion.

In the 17th century, the Starkey family established themselves in the West Midlands region of England. John Starkey (1627-1665) was a renowned nonconformist minister and author who played a significant role in the Puritan movement.

The Starkey name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Starkey's Farm in Lancashire and Starkey's Lane in Cheshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating the presence of Starkey families in those areas.

Other notable individuals bearing the Starkey surname include:

1. Geoffrey Starkey (1936-2022), an English historian and author known for his works on Tudor England. 2. David Starkey (born 1945), a prominent English constitutional historian and television presenter. 3. Martin Starkey (born 1962), an English film director and screenwriter. 4. Sir Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Starr (born 1940), the legendary drummer of the Beatles. 5. Edmund Starkey (1519-1587), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Bangor.

The Starkey surname has a rich history rooted in the northern counties of England, with connections to influential figures in various fields, including law, literature, religion, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Starkey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Starkey 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. Yorkshire leads with 487 Starkeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.70x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 487 1.70x
Lancashire 449 1.31x
Staffordshire 327 3.34x
Warwickshire 319 4.36x
Middlesex 263 0.91x
Cheshire 179 2.80x
Leicestershire 102 3.17x
Lincolnshire 76 1.64x
Derbyshire 75 1.65x
Nottinghamshire 65 1.66x
Kent 58 0.59x
Surrey 58 0.41x
Isle of Man 52 9.66x
Worcestershire 42 1.11x
Cumberland 38 1.52x
Hampshire 38 0.64x
Essex 36 0.63x
Sussex 36 0.74x
Flintshire 34 4.36x
Shropshire 26 1.04x
Gloucestershire 24 0.42x
Clackmannanshire 21 8.77x
Norfolk 19 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 15 0.82x
Hertfordshire 15 0.75x
Somerset 14 0.30x
Westmorland 13 2.04x
Stirlingshire 12 1.12x
Northumberland 11 0.26x
Devon 10 0.17x
Durham 10 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.60x
Lanarkshire 5 0.05x
Midlothian 5 0.13x
Wiltshire 5 0.20x
Herefordshire 4 0.34x
Perthshire 4 0.31x
Berkshire 3 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.52x
Brecknockshire 2 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.11x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Fife 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.05x
Rutland 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Huddersfield in Yorkshire leads with 75 Starkeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.93x.

Place Total Index
Huddersfield 75 17.93x
Aston 63 3.13x
Birmingham 59 2.42x
Walsall Foreign 59 11.68x
Willenhall 53 28.93x
Barnoldswick 44 109.75x
Bethnal Green London 34 2.70x
Brighton 33 3.35x
Hugglescote 33 69.81x
Pelsall 33 113.44x
Latchford 32 75.29x
Sculcoates 31 6.81x
Hulme 28 3.90x
Hackney London 26 1.60x
Kingsbury 26 166.35x
Barrow On Humber 25 92.97x
Greenwich 25 5.42x
Nuneaton 23 27.16x
Atherstone 22 58.93x
Islington London 22 0.78x
Maughold 22 52.97x
Alloa 21 18.09x
Liverpool 21 1.01x
Nottingham St Mary 21 2.08x
Pemberton 21 15.32x
Sheffield 20 2.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 20 1.93x
Edgbaston 19 8.38x
West Ham 19 1.50x
Widnes 19 7.66x
Wolverhampton 19 2.53x
Chadderton 18 10.71x
Shoreditch London 18 1.43x
Kings Norton 17 5.01x
Holy Trinity 16 2.32x
Lambeth 16 0.63x
Leeds 16 0.99x
Lichfield St Mary 16 56.72x
Mile End Old Town 16 3.50x
Bedworth 15 28.13x
Bulwell 15 17.66x
Hanmer Bettisfield 15 413.22x
Rusholme 15 16.35x
Tamworth 15 28.68x
Barton Upon Irwell 14 5.41x
Stone 14 11.19x
West Bromwich 14 2.50x
Whitwick 14 34.27x
Kendal 13 11.15x
Manchester 13 0.84x
Norton Juxta Twycross 13 331.63x
Onchan 13 8.39x
Royton 13 12.36x
Warrington 13 3.19x
Batley 12 4.40x
Foleshill 12 15.61x
Kensington London 12 0.74x
Oldham 12 1.08x
St Ninians 12 11.33x
Tottington Lower End 12 7.34x
Westleigh 12 15.37x
Alverstoke 11 5.12x
Broughton In Salford 11 3.50x
Cannock 11 6.44x
Garston 11 10.84x
Hampstead London 11 2.44x
Preston Quarter 11 15.73x
St Marylebone London 11 0.71x
Wednesbury 11 4.50x
Agden In Altrincham 10 970.87x
Blackburn 10 1.09x
Bury 10 2.55x
Congleton 10 9.05x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 4.58x
Great Harwood 10 16.09x
Horton In Bradford 10 2.23x
Milton In Gravesend 10 6.74x
Shipley 10 6.71x
Whitehaven 10 7.52x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 10 17.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 204
Sarah 138
Elizabeth 118
Ann 80
Jane 51
Eliza 45
Ellen 40
Martha 40
Emma 38
Hannah 36
Alice 34
Annie 32
Margaret 29
Emily 23
Frances 23
Ada 18
Louisa 18
Catherine 17
Maria 17
Edith 16
Harriet 16
Florence 15
Charlotte 13
Isabella 12
Lucy 12
Clara 11
Anne 10
Caroline 10
Fanny 10
Eleanor 9
Rose 9
Gertrude 8
Kate 8
Agnes 7
Amelia 7
Nellie 7
Betsy 6
Grace 6
Julia 6
Rebecca 6
Amy 5
Esther 5
Georgina 5
Rachel 5
Rhoda 5
Susan 5
Susannah 5
Bertha 4
Francis 4
Harriett 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 204
William 187
Thomas 103
George 89
James 86
Joseph 67
Charles 60
Henry 40
Alfred 31
Edward 31
Arthur 30
Samuel 26
Richard 25
Robert 23
Frederick 21
Harry 19
Herbert 17
Walter 17
Frank 15
Albert 12
Francis 11
Wm. 11
Benjamin 10
David 9
Ernest 9
Tom 8
Daniel 7
Fredrick 7
Edwin 6
Eli 5
Joshua 5
Michael 5
Patrick 5
Thos. 5
Abraham 4
Edmund 4
Frederic 4
Geo. 4
Lewis 4
Ralph 4
Enos 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Jesse 3
Jonathan 3
Josiah 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3

FAQ

Starkey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Starkey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,918 people were recorded with the Starkey surname. That placed it at #1,536 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Starkey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,994 in 2016. That gives Starkey a modern rank of #1,697.

What does the Starkey surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who worked as a gamekeeper or tender of livestock.

What does the Starkey map show?

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