NameCensus.

UK surname

Stokoe

Stoker or one who stokes furnaces or fires.

In the 1881 census there were 1,012 people recorded with the Stokoe surname, ranking it #3,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,651, ranked #3,776, up from #3,870 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stokoe is 1,717 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.1%.

1881 census count

1,012

Ranked #3,870

Modern count

1,651

2016, ranked #3,776

Peak year

2010

1,717 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stokoe had 1,012 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,651 in 2016, ranked #3,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,462 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Stokoe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stokoe surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Stokoe 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 734 #3,582
1861 historical 557 #4,727
1881 historical 1,012 #3,870
1891 historical 1,035 #4,033
1901 historical 1,404 #3,592
1911 historical 1,462 #3,298
1997 modern 1,590 #3,716
1998 modern 1,636 #3,753
1999 modern 1,667 #3,726
2000 modern 1,648 #3,746
2001 modern 1,618 #3,734
2002 modern 1,663 #3,711
2003 modern 1,593 #3,780
2004 modern 1,621 #3,730
2005 modern 1,572 #3,788
2006 modern 1,536 #3,875
2007 modern 1,543 #3,891
2008 modern 1,574 #3,841
2009 modern 1,649 #3,786
2010 modern 1,717 #3,719
2011 modern 1,678 #3,756
2012 modern 1,670 #3,707
2013 modern 1,694 #3,719
2014 modern 1,709 #3,698
2015 modern 1,664 #3,762
2016 modern 1,651 #3,776

Geography

Back to top

Where Stokoes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale, Gateshead, Bywell St Peter, Bywell St Andrew (Stocksfield Hall), Ovingham (Ovington, Mickley, Prudhoe, Prudhoe and Newcastle St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Allendale Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Bywell St Peter, Bywell St Andrew (Stocksfield Hall), Ovingham (Ovington, Mickley, Prudhoe, Prudhoe Northumberland
5 Newcastle St John Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
3 County Durham 003 County Durham
4 County Durham 040 County Durham
5 County Durham 010 County Durham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Stokoe

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Stokoe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stokoe, 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 Stokoe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stokoe 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, Stokoe 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

Stokoe is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stokoe falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stokoe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stokoe

The surname Stokoe has its origins in the northern counties of England, particularly in Northumberland and County Durham. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "stoc", meaning "place" or "dwelling", combined with "hoh", meaning "heel" or "ridge". This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived at a place located on a ridge or hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1230, where a person named Robert de Stokhow is mentioned. The spelling variations during this period include Stokho, Stokhou, and Stokhowe.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Northumberland in 1334, where a John de Stokhowe is listed. This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the region during that time.

One notable individual who bore the surname Stokoe was John Stokoe (c. 1530-1610), an English clergyman and scholar from Durham. He served as the Rector of Wolsingham and was a renowned translator of the Bible into the Northumbrian dialect.

Another significant figure was George Stokoe (1786-1861), a prominent English architect from Newcastle upon Tyne. He designed several notable buildings in the city, including the Theatre Royal and the Grainger Town residential area.

In the late 18th century, a branch of the Stokoe family settled in the United States. John Stokoe (1748-1835), born in Northumberland, emigrated to Pennsylvania and became a prominent figure in the early Methodist movement in America.

Closer to the present day, there was George Stokoe (1915-1999), a British soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor awarded for gallantry in the British Armed Forces. He was awarded the medal for his actions during World War II in Normandy, France, in 1944.

Throughout its history, the surname Stokoe has been associated with various place names, such as Stokoe in Northumberland, and Stokoe Bank, a small village in County Durham. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Stokoe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stokoe 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 418 Stokoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.25x.

County Total Index
Durham 418 14.25x
Northumberland 368 25.08x
Yorkshire 76 0.78x
Surrey 41 0.85x
Middlesex 23 0.23x
Cumberland 22 2.59x
Gloucestershire 8 0.41x
Lancashire 8 0.07x
Westmorland 8 3.69x
Cheshire 7 0.32x
Suffolk 7 0.58x
Brecknockshire 5 2.54x
Hampshire 4 0.20x
Bedfordshire 3 0.59x
Essex 3 0.15x
Isle of Man 3 1.64x
Kent 3 0.09x
Herefordshire 2 0.49x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.16x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 51 Stokoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.22x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 51 23.22x
Houghton Le Spring 37 182.45x
Elswick 32 27.32x
Newcastle On Tyne St 30 39.44x
Hexham 26 114.49x
Allendale 23 169.12x
Bishopwearmouth 22 8.74x
Headingley Cum Burley 20 31.79x
Newbrough 20 769.23x
Westgate 20 22.01x
Dawdon 17 47.10x
Eltringham 17 1082.80x
Newbottle 17 106.12x
Haswell 16 76.08x
Whickham 16 59.26x
Battersea 15 4.13x
Tanfield 15 42.99x
Acomb 14 393.26x
Tweedmouth 13 71.08x
Byker 12 16.54x
Prudhoe 12 117.53x
Sandhoe 12 1666.67x
Cowpen 11 32.55x
Haydon 11 137.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 8.66x
Heworth 11 19.03x
Alston 10 63.90x
Benfieldside 10 51.81x
Ebchester 10 220.26x
Holbeck 10 15.45x
Iveston 10 73.96x
Muggleswick 10 352.11x
Seaham 10 93.55x
St George Hanover 10 7.77x
Stella 10 398.41x
Darlington 9 7.94x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 9 10.27x
Skelton In Guisbrough 9 34.04x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 4.39x
Lambeth 8 0.93x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 8 22.92x
Shoreditch London 8 1.87x
Wakefield 8 10.66x
Altrincham 7 18.40x
Beddington 7 37.67x
Caldewgate 7 15.05x
Clare 7 121.74x
Crook Billy Row 7 18.63x
Kyo 7 50.69x
Newton 7 1346.15x
Stretford 7 10.87x
Tunstall 7 47.91x
Winlaton 7 24.87x
Clapham 6 4.87x
Conside Knitsley 6 26.30x
Dalton 6 2000.00x
East Thickley 6 100.84x
Kirkby Lonsdale 6 102.39x
Pegswood 6 182.37x
Throckley 6 148.51x
Washington 6 48.78x
Woodham 6 1224.49x
East West Charlton 5 555.56x
Esh 5 23.42x
Eston 5 23.50x
Fenwick 5 1470.59x
Greencroft Langley 5 384.62x
Hay 5 68.21x
Heeley 5 16.84x
Kenton 5 238.10x
Medomsley 5 36.52x
Mickley 5 107.99x
Whitworth 5 23.28x
Cambo 4 1333.33x
Chollerton 4 97.09x
Chopwell 4 73.39x
Ryhope 4 19.64x
Southwark Christchurch 4 8.66x
Thornley 4 37.66x
West Shaftoe 4 4444.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 85
Elizabeth 52
Jane 42
Margaret 42
Ann 23
Isabella 23
Sarah 22
Annie 14
Hannah 13
Dorothy 11
Catherine 9
Frances 9
Ellen 7
Emily 7
Alice 6
Florence 6
Margt. 6
Maria 5
Anne 4
Elizth. 4
Emma 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Edith 3
Eleanor 3
Eliza 3
Ethel 3
Lizzie 3
Ruth 3
Susan 3
Amy 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Jemima 2
Kate 2
Lily 2
Susannah 2
Catharine 1
Cecily 1
Ealner 1
Elis. 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hanah 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 101
William 70
Thomas 63
Robert 37
Joseph 31
James 29
George 25
Edward 17
Charles 12
Henry 9
Ralph 9
Frederick 8
Alfred 5
Andrew 5
Richard 5
Michael 4
Tom 4
Arthur 3
David 3
Herbert 3
Martin 3
Nicholas 3
Wm. 3
Carrick 2
Cuthbert 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Mark 2
Matthias 2
Parmella 2
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Eledow 1
Emmerson 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
G.W. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
H. 1
Jabez 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Lambton 1
Leonard 1
Lowthian 1
Matthew 1

FAQ

Stokoe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stokoe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,012 people were recorded with the Stokoe surname. That placed it at #3,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stokoe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,651 in 2016. That gives Stokoe a modern rank of #3,776.

What does the Stokoe surname mean?

Stoker or one who stokes furnaces or fires.

What does the Stokoe map show?

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