NameCensus.

UK surname

Stoker

An occupational surname for a person who maintained fires or stoked furnaces.

In the 1881 census there were 2,030 people recorded with the Stoker surname, ranking it #2,167 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,903, ranked #2,321, down from #2,167 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sunderland and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stoker is 2,974 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.0%.

1881 census count

2,030

Ranked #2,167

Modern count

2,903

2016, ranked #2,321

Peak year

1999

2,974 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stoker had 2,030 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,167 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,903 in 2016, ranked #2,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,909 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Stoker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stoker surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stoker 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 1,400 #2,051
1861 historical 2,006 #1,451
1881 historical 2,030 #2,167
1891 historical 2,311 #2,027
1901 historical 2,576 #2,134
1911 historical 2,909 #1,792
1997 modern 2,812 #2,293
1998 modern 2,943 #2,289
1999 modern 2,974 #2,283
2000 modern 2,919 #2,307
2001 modern 2,836 #2,312
2002 modern 2,912 #2,313
2003 modern 2,846 #2,307
2004 modern 2,796 #2,352
2005 modern 2,734 #2,367
2006 modern 2,738 #2,366
2007 modern 2,790 #2,349
2008 modern 2,789 #2,367
2009 modern 2,883 #2,341
2010 modern 2,952 #2,335
2011 modern 2,912 #2,338
2012 modern 2,893 #2,312
2013 modern 2,949 #2,308
2014 modern 2,950 #2,316
2015 modern 2,905 #2,321
2016 modern 2,903 #2,321

Geography

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Where Stokers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sunderland and Northumberland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 009 County Durham
2 Sunderland 003 Sunderland
3 County Durham 053 County Durham
4 Northumberland 024 Northumberland
5 Sunderland 033 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stoker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stoker

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Stoker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stoker household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Stoker is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Stoker 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

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

Meaning and origin of Stoker

The surname Stoker originates from England and has its roots dating back to the 13th century. It derives from the Old English word "stoker," which referred to a person who stoked or tended fires, particularly furnaces or kilns. The name likely arose as an occupational surname given to those engaged in this trade.

In the medieval period, the Stoker surname was concentrated in the English counties of Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire, where various spellings like Stokar, Stokere, and Stokker were found in historical records. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it is spelled as "le Stokere."

The Stoker surname is notably absent from the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. However, it makes an appearance in later historical documents, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where a John le Stoker is listed.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Stoker surname was Walter le Stoker, who lived in Stafford, England, in the late 13th century. Another early bearer of the name was John Stoker, a resident of Derbyshire mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332.

The Stoker surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England. For instance, the village of Stokesby in Norfolk was once known as "Stokere's by," suggesting a connection to an early Stoker family residing in the area.

Notable individuals with the Stoker surname include:

1. Bram Stoker (1847-1912), the Irish author best known for his Gothic horror novel "Dracula." 2. John Stoker (c. 1635-1704), an English Puritan minister and author of several religious works. 3. Thomas Stoker (1753-1818), an English civil engineer who designed and constructed several notable bridges in the late 18th century. 4. Sir Ralph Stoker (1782-1865), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Knight Bachelor. 5. Sir Keith Stoker (1900-1983), a British diplomat and ambassador to several countries in the mid-20th century.

The Stoker surname has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, where it originated as an occupational name for those tending fires and furnaces. While the name may have modest beginnings, it has been borne by notable individuals throughout the centuries, including renowned authors, engineers, and military figures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stoker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stoker 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. Durham leads with 695 Stokers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.79x.

County Total Index
Durham 695 11.79x
Northumberland 434 14.72x
Yorkshire 230 1.17x
Middlesex 154 0.78x
Staffordshire 102 1.52x
Surrey 91 0.94x
Lancashire 89 0.38x
Warwickshire 29 0.58x
Essex 20 0.51x
Kent 20 0.30x
Oxfordshire 16 1.31x
Lanarkshire 15 0.23x
Lincolnshire 14 0.44x
Gloucestershire 12 0.31x
Wiltshire 11 0.63x
Devon 9 0.22x
Midlothian 9 0.34x
Derbyshire 8 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.30x
Hampshire 7 0.17x
Northamptonshire 6 0.32x
Somerset 6 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.40x
Cumberland 5 0.29x
Denbighshire 5 0.67x
Herefordshire 5 0.62x
Monmouthshire 5 0.35x
Glamorgan 4 0.12x
Brecknockshire 3 0.76x
Cheshire 3 0.07x
Sussex 3 0.09x
Worcestershire 3 0.12x
Suffolk 2 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.07x
Norfolk 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. Westoe in Durham leads with 66 Stokers recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.74x.

Place Total Index
Westoe 66 19.74x
Gateshead 57 12.91x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 40 15.66x
Wallsend 37 39.56x
Bedlington 36 36.56x
Bethnal Green London 35 4.06x
Elswick 32 13.60x
Lambeth 32 1.85x
Hetton Le Hole 28 37.47x
Haswell 27 63.89x
Brandon Byshottles 26 35.19x
Ryhope 26 63.51x
Bishopwearmouth 25 4.94x
Tynemouth 25 15.83x
Wolverhampton 22 4.28x
Morpeth 21 60.55x
Cowpen 20 29.45x
Stockton On Tees 20 7.04x
South Shields 19 36.17x
Newcastle On Tyne St 18 11.77x
Wolstanton 18 8.86x
Brewood 17 88.13x
Collierley 17 64.71x
Crook Billy Row 17 22.51x
Aston 16 1.16x
Helmington Row 16 58.25x
Longbenton 16 12.81x
North Bedburn 16 97.09x
Prudhoe Castle 16 279.23x
Sunderland 16 15.36x
York St Mary 16 19.67x
Benfieldside 15 38.68x
Hackney London 15 1.35x
Pelton 15 53.46x
Tudhoe 15 29.08x
Houghton Le Spring 14 34.35x
St Pancras London 14 0.88x
Stranton 14 7.05x
Gorton 13 5.88x
Eachwick 12 3076.92x
Hambleton 12 333.33x
Seaton Delaval 12 46.33x
Shoreditch London 12 1.40x
Allerton Bywater 11 103.48x
Barony 11 0.68x
Birmingham 11 0.66x
Byker 11 7.55x
Doncaster 11 7.67x
Heworth 11 9.47x
Lamesley 11 34.66x
Medomsley 11 39.99x
Mile End Old Town 11 3.52x
North Shields 11 18.69x
Towton 11 1718.75x
West Mersea 11 146.67x
Clifford Cum Boston 10 56.63x
Hartley 10 127.23x
Haughton 10 1282.05x
Horton 10 68.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 10 25.79x
Sherburn 10 55.71x
Tooting Graveney 10 37.20x
Bermondsey 9 1.53x
Elvet 9 21.14x
Henley On Thames 9 35.89x
Islington London 9 0.47x
Kinver 9 46.66x
Manchester 9 0.85x
North Leith 9 7.32x
Prudhoe 9 43.86x
Wylam 9 138.46x
Chelsea London 8 1.34x
Leeds 8 0.72x
Seaham 8 37.21x
West Derby 8 1.16x
Dringhouses 7 220.82x
Great Torrington 7 29.91x
Hammersmith London 7 1.43x
Langley Burrell 7 96.15x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 7 7.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 164
Elizabeth 90
Sarah 71
Jane 69
Margaret 69
Ann 45
Hannah 34
Isabella 32
Annie 25
Alice 23
Ellen 21
Eliza 14
Emily 14
Catherine 13
Emma 13
Louisa 12
Charlotte 11
Dorothy 11
Frances 10
Anne 9
Edith 9
Eleanor 9
Ada 8
Amelia 7
Anna 7
Esther 7
Harriet 7
Maria 7
Martha 7
Elizth. 6
Rebecca 6
Clara 5
Matilda 5
Susannah 5
Agnes 4
Barbara 4
Caroline 4
Elizh. 4
Fanny 4
Margret 4
Margt. 4
Minnie 4
Amy 3
Ethel 3
Florence 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Keziah 3
Susan 3
Susanna 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 160
William 121
Thomas 96
George 58
Robert 53
Joseph 52
James 49
Charles 31
Henry 30
Edward 26
Richard 22
Frederick 15
Alfred 13
Arthur 11
Matthew 11
Albert 10
Wm. 10
Thos. 8
Benjamin 7
Jonathan 7
Ralph 7
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Samuel 6
Stephen 6
Alexander 5
Jno. 5
Nicholas 5
David 4
Francis 4
Geo. 4
Michael 4
Robt. 4
Tom 4
Andrew 3
Christopher 3
Ernest 3
Forster 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Lewis 3
Mark 3
Victor 3
Anderson 2
Barrett 2
Cecil 2
Gilbert 2
Jas. 2
Jonah 2
Walter 2

FAQ

Stoker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stoker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,030 people were recorded with the Stoker surname. That placed it at #2,167 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stoker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,903 in 2016. That gives Stoker a modern rank of #2,321.

What does the Stoker surname mean?

An occupational surname for a person who maintained fires or stoked furnaces.

What does the Stoker map show?

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