NameCensus.

UK surname

Stokes

Derived from the Old English word "stoc," referring to a place, settlement, or dwelling.

In the 1881 census there were 12,605 people recorded with the Stokes surname, ranking it #333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 19,921, ranked #299, up from #333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, Shropshire and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stokes is 20,539 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.0%.

1881 census count

12,605

Ranked #333

Modern count

19,921

2016, ranked #299

Peak year

1999

20,539 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stokes had 12,605 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 19,921 in 2016, ranked #299.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,016 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stokes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stokes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stokes 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 7,859 #355
1861 historical 7,295 #389
1881 historical 12,605 #333
1891 historical 13,592 #318
1901 historical 16,220 #313
1911 historical 18,016 #256
1997 modern 19,544 #294
1998 modern 20,428 #293
1999 modern 20,539 #294
2000 modern 20,221 #295
2001 modern 19,806 #294
2002 modern 20,250 #293
2003 modern 19,738 #294
2004 modern 19,640 #294
2005 modern 19,318 #296
2006 modern 19,381 #296
2007 modern 19,488 #297
2008 modern 19,596 #297
2009 modern 19,976 #299
2010 modern 20,273 #300
2011 modern 20,038 #298
2012 modern 19,822 #296
2013 modern 20,279 #295
2014 modern 20,302 #297
2015 modern 20,056 #298
2016 modern 19,921 #299

Geography

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Where Stokes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, Shropshire, Wolverhampton, Bromsgrove and Sandwell. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 007 Gloucester
2 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
3 Wolverhampton 033 Wolverhampton
4 Bromsgrove 013 Bromsgrove
5 Sandwell 038 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stokes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stokes

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stokes 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

Stokes is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stokes falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stokes

The surname Stokes is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It derives from the Old English word "stoc," meaning a place or a hamlet. The name was initially used to identify someone who lived in or near a stockaded village or hamlet.

One of the earliest known records of the name Stokes appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Stoc" in various counties across England. The Domesday Book was a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror.

In the 13th century, variations of the name, such as Stok, Stokke, and Stokys, were found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Stokes was Sir John Stokes, a prominent lawyer and judge who lived in the late 14th century. He served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1370 to 1388.

Another notable figure was Adrianus Stokes, a Dutch-born English clergyman and academic who lived from 1591 to 1672. He was an influential figure in the Church of England and served as the Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

In the 16th century, the name Stokes was associated with several notable individuals, including John Stokes, a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in 1555 during the Marian Persecutions in England.

The 17th century saw the rise of Thomas Stokes, an English physician and botanist who lived from 1635 to 1683. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and was one of the founding members of the Royal Society.

In the 18th century, Whitehead Stokes, an English doctor and writer, gained recognition for his work on hygiene and public health. He lived from 1763 to 1838 and was a influential figure in the field of medicine.

The surname Stokes has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Stoke-on-Trent, Stokenchurch, and Stoke Poges, all of which are derived from the Old English word "stoc."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stokes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stokes 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. Middlesex leads with 1,589 Stokes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,589 1.29x
Staffordshire 1,480 3.55x
Warwickshire 1,119 3.60x
Worcestershire 614 3.81x
Kent 582 1.38x
Surrey 548 0.91x
Lancashire 533 0.36x
Essex 501 2.06x
Yorkshire 485 0.40x
Somerset 382 1.92x
Wiltshire 348 3.19x
Shropshire 309 2.90x
Gloucestershire 295 1.22x
Nottinghamshire 287 1.73x
Northamptonshire 257 2.22x
Bedfordshire 243 3.80x
Cheshire 235 0.86x
Derbyshire 230 1.19x
Lincolnshire 228 1.16x
Devon 210 0.82x
Leicestershire 194 1.42x
Glamorgan 180 0.84x
Hampshire 172 0.68x
Dorset 169 2.09x
Huntingdonshire 139 5.67x
Monmouthshire 117 1.31x
Cambridgeshire 112 1.43x
Hertfordshire 110 1.29x
Durham 106 0.29x
Suffolk 75 0.50x
Herefordshire 74 1.46x
Sussex 71 0.34x
Berkshire 69 0.75x
Lanarkshire 63 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 62 0.83x
Denbighshire 60 1.29x
Norfolk 51 0.27x
Northumberland 48 0.26x
Oxfordshire 44 0.58x
Pembrokeshire 34 0.87x
Rutland 31 3.42x
Flintshire 26 0.78x
Channel Islands 23 0.63x
Radnorshire 23 2.31x
Carmarthenshire 15 0.29x
Perthshire 12 0.22x
Cornwall 11 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 10 0.30x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.08x
Royal Navy 9 0.61x
Brecknockshire 7 0.28x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.25x
Cumberland 6 0.06x
Isle of Man 6 0.26x
Argyllshire 3 0.09x
Merionethshire 3 0.13x
Renfrewshire 3 0.03x
Westmorland 3 0.11x
Ayrshire 2 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.04x
Cardiganshire 2 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.11x
Midlothian 2 0.01x
Anglesey 1 0.05x
Inverness-shire 1 0.03x
Kinross-shire 1 0.32x
Stirlingshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 480 Stokes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.63x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 480 4.63x
Aston 345 4.03x
West Bromwich 290 12.17x
Islington London 173 1.45x
Walsall Foreign 173 8.04x
Bethnal Green London 146 2.72x
Wolverhampton 121 3.78x
Camberwell 108 1.37x
St Pancras London 104 1.05x
Kensington London 98 1.43x
Shoreditch London 98 1.83x
Hackney London 96 1.39x
Lambeth 91 0.85x
West Ham 89 1.66x
Coventry Holy Trinity 82 8.83x
Kings Norton 81 5.61x
St Marylebone London 79 1.20x
Luton 78 7.05x
Stoke Upon Trent 75 1.70x
Mile End Old Town 71 3.65x
Nottingham St Mary 70 1.63x
Toxteth Park 67 1.35x
Sedgley 64 4.14x
Cannock 61 8.40x
Oldbury 61 7.70x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 58 2.55x
Harborne 57 4.27x
Rowley Regis 57 4.91x
Coventry St Michael 56 5.60x
Dudley 55 2.81x
Paddington London 53 1.17x
Tipton 53 4.16x
Trowbridge 53 10.99x
Chelsea London 52 1.40x
Bedminster 50 2.68x
Portsea 50 1.01x
St George Hanover 49 3.04x
Northill 48 80.33x
Battersea 47 1.04x
Sheffield 46 1.18x
Clerkenwell London 44 1.51x
Limehouse London 44 3.25x
Bermondsey 42 1.14x
Cheltenham 42 2.25x
Ramsey 42 21.42x
Bringhurst Drayton 40 690.85x
Derby St Werburgh 40 3.59x
Wem 40 25.23x
Edgbaston 39 4.04x
Margate St John Baptist 38 4.93x
St Luke London 38 1.92x
Bilston 37 4.58x
Bradford On Avon 37 10.59x
Great Waltham 37 37.30x
Heaton Norris 37 4.44x
Snenton 36 5.51x
Bromsgrove 35 6.46x
Handsworth 35 3.41x
Darlaston 32 5.56x
Heeley 32 8.61x
Kingswinford 32 2.12x
Newington 32 0.70x
St Andrewthe Less 32 3.58x
Tottenham 31 1.58x
Wednesbury 31 2.98x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 30 2.63x
Burton Latimer 30 42.80x
Everton 30 0.64x
Hornsey 30 1.92x
Barrow In Furness 28 1.41x
Madeley 27 6.91x
Charlton 26 9.30x
Clifton 26 2.13x
Kidderminster Borough 26 2.76x
Ramsgate 26 3.78x
Reading St Mary 26 3.51x
Salford 26 0.60x
Southampton St Mary 26 1.64x
Bedwellty 25 1.59x
Stockport 25 1.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 828
Elizabeth 510
Sarah 510
Emma 252
Ann 246
Eliza 224
Ellen 213
Alice 183
Jane 180
Annie 160
Emily 149
Hannah 126
Louisa 110
Harriet 109
Florence 99
Fanny 95
Martha 95
Edith 78
Margaret 74
Maria 73
Ada 71
Caroline 70
Charlotte 69
Clara 69
Lucy 61
Susan 57
Frances 52
Catherine 51
Harriett 48
Kate 40
Agnes 38
Anne 37
Rose 36
Amelia 35
Rebecca 33
Susannah 33
Esther 32
Gertrude 30
Minnie 28
Amy 27
Isabella 26
Laura 26
Lydia 26
Selina 26
Sophia 26
Elizth. 23
Julia 23
Jessie 22
Lizzie 22
Matilda 22

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 785
John 658
George 474
Thomas 426
James 393
Henry 318
Charles 273
Joseph 211
Samuel 162
Edward 155
Arthur 150
Alfred 147
Frederick 131
Walter 106
Richard 97
Robert 90
Albert 86
Harry 83
Frank 58
Herbert 57
Ernest 49
Benjamin 41
Edwin 41
Francis 36
Isaac 32
David 31
Fred 30
Wm. 30
Stephen 25
Fredk. 22
Mark 19
Thos. 19
Sidney 18
Geo. 17
Fredrick 16
Daniel 15
Reuben 15
Edgar 14
Job 13
Chas. 12
Percy 12
Tom 12
Matthew 11
Alexander 10
Horace 10
Michael 10
Peter 10
Jesse 9
Sydney 9
Eli 8

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Stokes households.

FAQ

Stokes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stokes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,605 people were recorded with the Stokes surname. That placed it at #333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stokes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 19,921 in 2016. That gives Stokes a modern rank of #299.

What does the Stokes surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word "stoc," referring to a place, settlement, or dwelling.

What does the Stokes map show?

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