NameCensus.

UK surname

Tankard

An English surname derived from a container used for holding liquids.

In the 1881 census there were 462 people recorded with the Tankard surname, ranking it #7,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 528, ranked #9,603, down from #7,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bradford and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, East Riding of Yorkshire and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tankard is 589 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.3%.

1881 census count

462

Ranked #7,183

Modern count

528

2016, ranked #9,603

Peak year

1999

589 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tankard had 462 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 528 in 2016, ranked #9,603.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 565 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tankard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tankard surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tankard 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 300 #7,650
1861 historical 308 #8,233
1881 historical 462 #7,183
1891 historical 435 #8,279
1901 historical 534 #7,683
1911 historical 565 #7,146
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 583 #8,548
1999 modern 589 #8,548
2000 modern 585 #8,555
2001 modern 551 #8,789
2002 modern 561 #8,845
2003 modern 559 #8,725
2004 modern 534 #9,057
2005 modern 526 #9,109
2006 modern 521 #9,193
2007 modern 517 #9,331
2008 modern 521 #9,342
2009 modern 524 #9,516
2010 modern 557 #9,270
2011 modern 552 #9,243
2012 modern 543 #9,264
2013 modern 554 #9,279
2014 modern 548 #9,418
2015 modern 538 #9,489
2016 modern 528 #9,603

Geography

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Where Tankards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bradford, Sheffield and Halifax. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, East Riding of Yorkshire, Sheffield and Bradford. 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 London parishes London 2
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 012 Wakefield
2 Wakefield 018 Wakefield
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 018 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Sheffield 006 Sheffield
5 Bradford 023 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tankard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tankard

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tankard 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

Tankard is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tankard falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tankard

The surname Tankard is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "tancarde," which referred to a large vessel or cask used for storing liquids, particularly ale or wine. The name likely originated as an occupational surname, given to those who were employed in the production or transportation of such tankards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tankard can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a William Tankard. Similarly, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 list a John Tankard. These early references suggest the name was already well-established in various parts of England by the 13th and 14th centuries.

The Tankard surname is also closely associated with certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Tancard in Wiltshire may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region. Similarly, the now-extinct settlement of Tankard's Green in Oxfordshire could have contributed to the name's prevalence in that area.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tankard. One such figure was Sir John Tankard (c. 1530-1592), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1578. Another was James Tankard (1668-1736), a prominent English merchant and member of the Royal African Company, which was involved in the transatlantic slave trade.

In the literary realm, Jeremy Tankard (1701-1782) was an English poet and clergyman, best known for his satirical works. Additionally, Richard Tankard (1834-1905) was a successful English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contribution of Sir John Tankard (1829-1904), a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership during these conflicts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tankard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tankard 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. Yorkshire leads with 297 Tankards recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.66x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 297 6.66x
Lancashire 83 1.56x
Middlesex 35 0.78x
Surrey 18 0.82x
Gloucestershire 10 1.13x
Warwickshire 8 0.71x
Derbyshire 7 0.99x
Dorset 1 0.34x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northowram in Yorkshire leads with 31 Tankards recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.20x.

Place Total Index
Northowram 31 99.20x
Sheffield 31 21.85x
Clayton 27 247.48x
Bowling 21 47.58x
Bradford 18 16.69x
Manchester 15 6.25x
Horton In Bradford 14 20.12x
Shoreditch London 12 6.16x
Thornhill 12 92.31x
Nether Hallam 10 16.59x
Oldham 10 5.81x
Chapel Allerton 9 134.93x
Drighlington 9 138.67x
Aston 8 2.56x
Hopwood 8 114.61x
Little Bolton 8 11.66x
Newington 8 4.82x
Tong 8 92.92x
Allerton 7 123.24x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 55.34x
Droylsden 7 40.21x
Liverpool 7 2.16x
Mile End Old Town 7 9.86x
Pudsey 7 29.39x
Cheltenham 6 8.82x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 22.40x
Heap 6 21.20x
Islington London 6 1.38x
Leeds 6 2.38x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 6 37.69x
Penistone 6 172.91x
West Haddlesey 6 2608.70x
Brightside Bierlow 5 5.72x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 5.52x
Hipperholme Cum 5 25.54x
Killamarsh 5 114.16x
Manningham 5 9.11x
Pontefract 5 52.08x
Southwark Christchurch 5 23.73x
West Derby 5 3.20x
Bolton In Bradford 4 139.86x
Idle 4 19.36x
Middleton In Oldham 4 25.00x
Minchinhampton 4 56.90x
Batley 3 7.08x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.83x
Denaby 3 119.05x
Halifax 3 4.59x
Horbury 3 38.46x
Kippax 3 76.53x
Limehouse London 3 6.08x
Toxteth Park 3 1.66x
Epsom 2 18.73x
Heeley 2 14.77x
Norland 2 65.36x
Rotherhithe 2 3.60x
St Luke London 2 2.77x
Beard 1 43.67x
Bermondsey 1 0.75x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.51x
Biggin 1 526.32x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 6.56x
Blackburn 1 0.70x
Bradfield 1 5.82x
Brighton 1 0.65x
Chapel Haddlesey 1 370.37x
Crompton 1 6.58x
Doncaster 1 3.07x
Dronfield 1 11.09x
Everton 1 0.59x
Glasgow 1 0.39x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 3.49x
Hornsey 1 1.76x
Keighley 1 2.11x
Little Fenton 1 769.23x
Monk Frystone 1 128.21x
Portland 1 6.30x
Walton On Hill 1 3.46x
Wetherby 1 34.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Sarah 27
Elizabeth 16
Martha 16
Hannah 10
Emily 8
Emma 8
Ann 7
Fanny 7
Annie 6
Clara 6
Margaret 5
Jane 4
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Betty 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Grace 2
Lavinia 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Minnie 2
Rachel 2
Susan 2
Amery 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christoble 1
Elena 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florry 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Katharine 1
Katherine 1
Lilly 1
Lisa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
Joseph 21
George 15
William 14
James 12
Charles 9
Thomas 8
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Edmund 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Joe 3
Peter 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Sam 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Arnold 1
Benjn. 1
Bethel 1
C.M. 1
Cornelius 1
Edwin 1
Elisha 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
J. 1
J.M. 1
Jeffrey 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Josua 1
Levi 1
Michl. 1
Wray 1

FAQ

Tankard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tankard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 462 people were recorded with the Tankard surname. That placed it at #7,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tankard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 528 in 2016. That gives Tankard a modern rank of #9,603.

What does the Tankard surname mean?

An English surname derived from a container used for holding liquids.

What does the Tankard map show?

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