NameCensus.

UK surname

Tank

An occupational surname for someone who made or maintained tanks or cisterns for holding liquids, or lived near one.

In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Tank surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 742, ranked #7,354, up from #21,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tank is 748 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 762.8%.

1881 census count

86

Ranked #21,449

Modern count

742

2016, ranked #7,354

Peak year

2014

748 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tank had 86 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 742 in 2016, ranked #7,354.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Tank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tank surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Tank 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 86 #21,449
1891 historical 66 #28,541
1901 historical 77 #25,627
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 517 #9,079
1998 modern 526 #9,238
1999 modern 548 #9,012
2000 modern 539 #9,094
2001 modern 538 #8,950
2002 modern 576 #8,674
2003 modern 595 #8,383
2004 modern 608 #8,270
2005 modern 640 #7,855
2006 modern 658 #7,734
2007 modern 682 #7,590
2008 modern 686 #7,600
2009 modern 698 #7,654
2010 modern 741 #7,439
2011 modern 732 #7,454
2012 modern 728 #7,393
2013 modern 744 #7,395
2014 modern 748 #7,397
2015 modern 743 #7,354
2016 modern 742 #7,354

Geography

Back to top

Where Tanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leicester and Birmingham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leicester 010 Leicester
2 Birmingham 079 Birmingham
3 Leicester 002 Leicester
4 Leicester 006 Leicester
5 Leicester 007 Leicester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Tank

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Tank

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Tank surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Tank household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Tank is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tank is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tank falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tank is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Tank

The surname TANK is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "tanc," which referred to a small pool or pond. This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a small body of water.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname TANK can be found in various medieval records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I.

Throughout history, the surname TANK has undergone various spelling variations, such as Tanke, Tancke, and Taunke. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects, scribal errors, and the lack of standardized spelling conventions in earlier times.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname TANK was John Tanke, a landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Broughton, Oxfordshire, in the late 14th century. Records from the time indicate that he was born around 1350 and lived until the early 1400s.

Another notable figure with the surname TANK was Sir William Tanke, a knight who served in the army of King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was later granted lands in Normandy for his service.

In the 16th century, the name TANK appears in the records of the city of London, where a merchant named Richard Tanke is mentioned in the Guild of Mercers records from 1567. He was a successful trader who dealt in various goods, including textiles and spices.

During the 17th century, the name TANK can be found in the parish records of several English counties, such as Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. One notable figure from this time was John Tanke, a clergyman who served as the rector of the parish of Swindon from 1634 until his death in 1671.

In the 18th century, the surname TANK was also found in Scotland, where a family of that name lived in the town of Kirkcaldy, Fife. One member of this family, James Tank, was a prominent merchant and shipowner who lived from 1725 to 1798.

As the centuries passed, the surname TANK continued to be found throughout various regions of England and Scotland, with some bearers of the name also migrating to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Tank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tank 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. Cornwall leads with 38 Tanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.40x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 38 37.40x
Middlesex 13 1.45x
Carmarthenshire 8 21.15x
Channel Islands 7 26.33x
Staffordshire 7 2.31x
Surrey 7 1.60x
Essex 6 3.39x
Devon 2 1.07x
Lancashire 2 0.19x
Merionethshire 1 6.09x
Somerset 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bodmin in Cornwall leads with 15 Tanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 892.86x.

Place Total Index
Bodmin 15 892.86x
Ladock 9 3103.45x
St Pancras London 9 12.46x
Bermondsey 6 22.46x
Illogan 6 223.05x
Rugeley 6 276.50x
West Ham 6 15.34x
St Helier 5 57.74x
Llanfairarybryn 4 1025.64x
Llangunnor 4 1176.47x
Kea 3 394.74x
Lifton 2 444.44x
St George Bloomsbury 2 38.84x
St Just In Roseland 2 454.55x
St Saviour 2 136.05x
Stratton 2 363.64x
Huncoat 1 344.83x
Lambeth 1 1.28x
Llanaber 1 153.85x
Lower Booths 1 52.36x
St Austell 1 28.82x
St Marylebone London 1 2.09x
Tipton 1 10.78x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 86.21x
Westminster St James 1 10.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Grace 4
Jane 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Hannah 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Gertrude 1
Gwen 1
Harriet 1
Hildee 1
Jessie 1
Joseph 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaretta 1
Margaritta 1
Maud 1
Nanny 1
Nelly 1
Sharlotte 1
Tabetha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 7
William 7
Richard 5
James 4
John 4
David 2
Samuel 2
Charls 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Henry 1
Mathew 1
Randalphe 1
Walter 1
Wilhelm 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Tank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Tank surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 742 in 2016. That gives Tank a modern rank of #7,354.

What does the Tank surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who made or maintained tanks or cisterns for holding liquids, or lived near one.

What does the Tank map show?

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