NameCensus.

UK surname

Starkie

A locative surname referring to someone from a place named with the Old English "stærċ" (stark, harsh, severe).

In the 1881 census there were 966 people recorded with the Starkie surname, ranking it #4,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,159, ranked #5,092, down from #4,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Whalley and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey, Hyndburn and Pendle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Starkie is 1,360 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.0%.

1881 census count

966

Ranked #4,019

Modern count

1,159

2016, ranked #5,092

Peak year

1911

1,360 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Starkie had 966 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,159 in 2016, ranked #5,092.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,360 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Starkie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Starkie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Starkie 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 504 #4,961
1861 historical 363 #7,045
1881 historical 966 #4,019
1891 historical 1,009 #4,120
1901 historical 1,268 #3,912
1911 historical 1,360 #3,528
1997 modern 1,117 #4,999
1998 modern 1,171 #4,980
1999 modern 1,198 #4,934
2000 modern 1,175 #4,995
2001 modern 1,147 #5,000
2002 modern 1,180 #4,972
2003 modern 1,174 #4,895
2004 modern 1,157 #4,971
2005 modern 1,167 #4,877
2006 modern 1,191 #4,805
2007 modern 1,194 #4,826
2008 modern 1,172 #4,928
2009 modern 1,198 #4,945
2010 modern 1,192 #5,076
2011 modern 1,204 #4,954
2012 modern 1,146 #5,102
2013 modern 1,151 #5,180
2014 modern 1,167 #5,140
2015 modern 1,176 #5,061
2016 modern 1,159 #5,092

Geography

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Where Starkies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey, Hyndburn and Pendle. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Whalley Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey
2 Hyndburn 007 Hyndburn
3 Pendle 008 Pendle
4 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
5 Pendle 010 Pendle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Starkie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Starkie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Starkie, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Starkie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Starkie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Starkie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Starkie is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Starkie falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Starkie

The surname Starkie originates from the northern English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "stærk" and "leah," meaning "strong" and "wood" or "clearing" respectively. This suggests the name may have originated from a place or settlement with a strong association to a particular wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Starkie name appears in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311-1312, where a Richard de Starkynge is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time. In the 14th century, the name is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, listed as John Starky.

The Starkie family can be traced back to the village of Huntroyde in Lancashire, where they held lands and property as early as the 16th century. Notable members from this lineage include John Starkie (1589-1669), a Royalist during the English Civil War, and Nathaniel Starkie (1654-1727), a Member of Parliament for Preston.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Thomas Starkie (1782-1849), an English judge and legal writer who served as a Baron of the Exchequer. His son, Thomas Starkie Shuttleworth (1810-1888), was a distinguished lawyer and politician, holding the position of Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department.

In the literary world, Enid Starkie (1897-1970) was a renowned scholar and biographer, best known for her works on French literature and her acclaimed biography of Charles Baudelaire. Additionally, Walter Starkie (1894-1976), a scholar and writer, made significant contributions to the study of Spanish literature and culture.

The Starkie name has also been associated with several places, such as Starkie House in Lancashire, and the village of Starkholmes in Derbyshire, which may have derived its name from the Starkie family's historical presence in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Starkie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Starkie 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 800 Starkies recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.21x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 800 7.21x
Yorkshire 54 0.58x
Cumberland 24 2.98x
Lincolnshire 18 1.20x
Cheshire 14 0.68x
Kent 9 0.28x
Gloucestershire 8 0.44x
Lanarkshire 6 0.20x
Somerset 6 0.40x
Surrey 5 0.11x
Middlesex 4 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.17x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Perthshire 1 0.24x
Suffolk 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burnley in Lancashire leads with 96 Starkies recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.79x.

Place Total Index
Burnley 96 102.79x
Barrowford Booth 83 676.45x
Higham With West Close 50 2083.33x
Padiham 45 167.97x
Habergham Eaves 43 42.42x
Blackburn 41 13.90x
Salford 28 8.59x
Spotland 27 21.90x
Hindley 22 46.53x
Great Harwood 21 104.79x
Cockermouth 20 118.06x
Eccleston In Prescot 18 32.33x
Preston 18 6.07x
Todmorden Walsden 17 57.22x
Great Little Marsden 15 29.53x
Manchester 14 2.81x
Oldham 14 3.91x
Birtle Cum Bamford 12 165.75x
Ardwick 11 11.00x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 11 261.90x
Edenham 10 555.56x
Roughlee Booth 10 970.87x
Shipley 10 20.81x
Clayton Le Moors 9 41.82x
Livesey 9 46.25x
Bradford 8 15.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 4.54x
Colne 8 24.21x
Halifax 8 5.88x
Toxteth Park 8 2.13x
Birkenhead 7 4.26x
Clitheroe 7 21.45x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.85x
Great Bolton 7 4.77x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 7 21.93x
Wardleworth 7 11.05x
Warrington 7 5.32x
Westleigh 7 27.80x
Witton 7 50.18x
Barrow In Furness 6 3.98x
Clifton 6 6.48x
Gisburn 6 352.94x
Govan 6 0.80x
Oswaldtwistle 6 15.31x
Reedley Hallows 6 280.37x
Rimington 6 487.80x
Barley With Wheatley 5 500.00x
Dalton In Furness 5 11.68x
Dewsbury 5 5.26x
Hulme 5 2.16x
Langfield 5 30.86x
Newton 5 5.85x
Over Stowey 5 297.62x
Accrington 4 3.97x
Ashton With Stodday 4 909.09x
Castleford 4 11.86x
Macclesfield 4 4.36x
Newton In Makerfield 4 11.78x
Old Laund Booth 4 377.36x
Pennington In Leigh 4 18.80x
Pocklington 4 45.77x
Quernmore 4 213.90x
Toft Lound Manthorpe 4 470.59x
Everton 3 0.85x
Halliwell 3 7.43x
Higher Booths 3 15.01x
Pendlebury 3 12.82x
Wigan 3 1.94x
Wuerdle Wardle 3 8.91x
Bedford 2 8.62x
Brogden With Admirgill 2 571.43x
Cheadle 2 5.08x
Cleator 2 5.97x
Lambeth 2 0.25x
Milton In Gravesend 2 4.18x
Precinct Of Savoy 2 526.32x
Rishton 2 15.37x
Simonstone 2 148.15x
West Derby 2 0.62x
Whitehaven 2 4.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 95
Sarah 43
Elizabeth 38
Jane 27
Margaret 26
Ellen 25
Alice 23
Ann 22
Hannah 14
Martha 14
Annie 11
Eliza 9
Maria 6
Nancy 6
Ada 4
Emily 4
Lucy 4
Susannah 4
Betsy 3
Betty 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Margt. 3
Rachel 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Amelia 2
Catharine 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lily 2
Maggie 2
Margreat 2
Phoebe 2
Bety 1
Bridget 1
Eleanor 1
Elisa 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebeth 1
Janet 1
Kitty 1
Willena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 65
William 54
James 46
Thomas 44
Henry 21
Richard 18
Robert 15
George 14
Joseph 14
Edward 10
Charles 9
David 9
Arthur 6
Peter 6
Samuel 6
Hartley 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Harry 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Gilbert 3
Isaac 3
Smith 3
Willie 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Ambrose 2
Edmond 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Howarth 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Luke 2
Nelson 2
Philip 2
Starkie 2
Watson 2
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Greenwood 1
Grimshaw 1
H. 1
Jerimiah 1
Jonathon 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Starkie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Starkie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 966 people were recorded with the Starkie surname. That placed it at #4,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Starkie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,159 in 2016. That gives Starkie a modern rank of #5,092.

What does the Starkie surname mean?

A locative surname referring to someone from a place named with the Old English "stærċ" (stark, harsh, severe).

What does the Starkie map show?

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