NameCensus.

UK surname

Tancock

In the 1881 census there were 326 people recorded with the Tancock surname, ranking it #9,167 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 611, ranked #8,591, up from #9,167 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes and Drewsteington, Hittisleigh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, West Devon and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tancock is 637 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.4%.

1881 census count

326

Ranked #9,167

Modern count

611

2016, ranked #8,591

Peak year

1998

637 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tancock had 326 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,167 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016, ranked #8,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 506 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tancock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tancock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tancock 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 271 #8,257
1861 historical 348 #7,339
1881 historical 326 #9,167
1891 historical 408 #8,733
1901 historical 487 #8,208
1911 historical 506 #7,772
1997 modern 615 #8,008
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 626 #8,196
2000 modern 628 #8,156
2001 modern 610 #8,193
2002 modern 624 #8,218
2003 modern 614 #8,178
2004 modern 615 #8,203
2005 modern 587 #8,402
2006 modern 581 #8,485
2007 modern 586 #8,515
2008 modern 576 #8,675
2009 modern 602 #8,580
2010 modern 601 #8,774
2011 modern 621 #8,458
2012 modern 617 #8,413
2013 modern 620 #8,515
2014 modern 623 #8,555
2015 modern 612 #8,606
2016 modern 611 #8,591

Geography

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Where Tancocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes, Drewsteington, Hittisleigh, St Thomas the Apostle, Whitestone and Staple Fitzpaine, Bickenhall, Curland,Hatch Beauchamp, Isle Abbots, Isle Brewers, Bredon, Puckington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, West Devon, Exeter and Mid Devon. 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 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Drewsteington, Hittisleigh Devon
4 St Thomas the Apostle, Whitestone Devon
5 Staple Fitzpaine, Bickenhall, Curland,Hatch Beauchamp, Isle Abbots, Isle Brewers, Bredon, Puckington Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 004 East Devon
2 West Devon 001 West Devon
3 Exeter 003 Exeter
4 Mid Devon 007 Mid Devon
5 Exeter 007 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tancock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tancock

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

Tancock 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

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

1881 census detail

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Tancock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tancock 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. Devon leads with 199 Tancocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.06x.

County Total Index
Devon 199 30.06x
Somerset 45 8.79x
Surrey 14 0.90x
Cornwall 13 3.61x
Lancashire 9 0.24x
Middlesex 9 0.28x
Sussex 9 1.68x
Wiltshire 9 3.20x
Norfolk 7 1.43x
Cumberland 3 1.10x
Gloucestershire 3 0.48x
Dorset 1 0.48x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Kent 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 2.64x
Yorkshire 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. Weston Super Mare in Somerset leads with 22 Tancocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 170.28x.

Place Total Index
Weston Super Mare 22 170.28x
Drewsteignton 16 1818.18x
Ilton 16 3333.33x
Kingsteignton 15 815.22x
Plymouth Charles The 12 41.15x
Marytavy 11 1122.45x
Broadwood Kelly 10 3125.00x
Colne 9 80.07x
Eastbourne 9 36.48x
Paignton 9 178.57x
Wolborough 9 107.53x
Pinhoe 8 1355.93x
South Petherwin 8 888.89x
Cheriton Bishop 7 1076.92x
Morchard Bishop 7 507.25x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 7 1272.73x
St Andrew Holborn 7 64.94x
White Lackington 7 2258.06x
Hemyock 6 606.06x
Winkleigh 6 451.13x
Bondleigh 5 2380.95x
Fugglestone St Peter 5 450.45x
Lambeth 5 1.80x
Newton Abbot St Mary 5 90.09x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 9.81x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 7.81x
Stowford 5 1162.79x
Tormoham 5 17.85x
Wembworthy 5 1063.83x
Bovey Tracey 4 172.41x
Chudleigh 4 190.48x
Exeter St David 4 70.80x
Sidmouth 4 105.54x
Templeton 4 2352.94x
Tiverton 4 35.09x
West Tisbury 4 459.77x
Exeter St Mary Major 3 75.19x
Exeter St Mary Steps 3 201.34x
Madron Penzance 3 22.92x
Millom 3 35.76x
Newington 3 2.55x
Colebrooke 2 259.74x
Kentisbeare 2 219.78x
Mile End Old Town 2 3.98x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 2 147.06x
Newton St Cyres 2 215.05x
Northam 2 41.49x
Topsham 2 64.10x
Westbury On Trym 2 9.47x
Beckenham 1 7.05x
Bradford Peverell 1 277.78x
Bratton Clovelly 1 153.85x
Cheam 1 60.24x
Cheltenham 1 2.08x
Crediton 1 15.95x
Culmstock 1 106.38x
Exeter Bedford Circus 1 666.67x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 6.60x
Holsworthy 1 53.48x
Leeds 1 0.56x
Lustleigh 1 250.00x
Perranzabuloe 1 32.15x
Plympton St Mary 1 26.11x
Royal Navy 1 3.09x
Scilly Islands St Martin 1 526.32x
Tedburn St Mary 1 142.86x
Tetsworth 1 212.77x
West Teignmouth 1 19.76x
Whitchurch 1 48.31x
Witheridge 1 89.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 14
Ann 8
Alice 7
Jane 7
Charlotte 5
Annie 4
Edith 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Susan 4
Elizth. 3
Emily 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Maria 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Matilda 2
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Cornelia 1
Emlin 1
Emma 1
Eth.Ann 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Leah 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
M.A. 1
Maud 1
Nellie 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 24
George 16
James 15
Henry 12
Charles 8
Thomas 8
Joseph 7
Albert 5
Alfred 4
Francis 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Frederick 2
Alexander 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Orsborn 1
Osborn 1
Reginald 1
Sydney 1
W.H. 1
Walter 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Tancock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tancock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 326 people were recorded with the Tancock surname. That placed it at #9,167 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tancock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016. That gives Tancock a modern rank of #8,591.

What does the Tancock map show?

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