NameCensus.

UK surname

Thackeray

An English surname derived from the name of a village in Nottinghamshire.

In the 1881 census there were 436 people recorded with the Thackeray surname, ranking it #7,485 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,042, ranked #5,595, up from #7,485 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, East Riding of Yorkshire and Dacorum.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thackeray is 1,074 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 139.0%.

1881 census count

436

Ranked #7,485

Modern count

1,042

2016, ranked #5,595

Peak year

2011

1,074 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thackeray had 436 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,485 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,042 in 2016, ranked #5,595.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 666 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Thackeray surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thackeray surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thackeray 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 181 #12,997
1881 historical 436 #7,485
1891 historical 504 #7,377
1901 historical 666 #6,525
1911 historical 648 #6,460
1997 modern 999 #5,505
1998 modern 1,011 #5,630
1999 modern 1,039 #5,535
2000 modern 1,036 #5,523
2001 modern 1,000 #5,578
2002 modern 1,036 #5,533
2003 modern 1,004 #5,573
2004 modern 1,018 #5,515
2005 modern 1,013 #5,491
2006 modern 1,017 #5,482
2007 modern 1,013 #5,545
2008 modern 1,007 #5,621
2009 modern 1,019 #5,676
2010 modern 1,059 #5,605
2011 modern 1,074 #5,482
2012 modern 1,037 #5,567
2013 modern 1,061 #5,546
2014 modern 1,053 #5,610
2015 modern 1,046 #5,594
2016 modern 1,042 #5,595

Geography

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Where Thackerays are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, East Riding of Yorkshire, Dacorum, Kingston upon Hull and Sheffield. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 004 High Peak
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Dacorum 005 Dacorum
4 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Sheffield 010 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thackeray

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thackeray

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Thackeray is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thackeray is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thackeray falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Thackeray

The surname Thackeray originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "thecce" meaning thatcher and "ray" meaning row or line, referring to a row of thatched cottages or a street where thatch workers lived. The name was initially an occupational surname given to those who crafted and laid thatched roofs.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Thachere" in Lincolnshire. This document, commissioned by William the Conquer, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources throughout England.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as "Thakkere," "Thakker," and "Thaccher." These variations reflect the phonetic spelling practices of the time before standardized spelling became more widespread.

Notable individuals with the surname Thackeray include William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863), a famous English novelist known for works like "Vanity Fair" and "The Luck of Barry Lyndon." His father, Richmond Thackeray (1781-1815), was a prominent bureaucrat in the East India Company.

Another notable figure was Sir Edward Talbot Thackeray (1836-1927), a British civil servant and administrator who served as the Governor of the Madras Presidency in British India from 1879 to 1886.

Francis Thackeray (1833-1909) was a British Anglican priest and author who wrote on ecclesiastical history and theology.

In the field of science, William Gascoigne Thackeray (1840-1909) was a British astronomer and chemist, known for his contributions to spectroscopy and the study of stellar atmospheres.

Moving to the 20th century, Michael Thackeray (1923-2019) was a British materials scientist renowned for his research on lithium-ion batteries and their applications in portable electronics.

The surname Thackeray has a rich history rooted in the occupational traditions of medieval England, evolving from a humble designation for thatch workers to being associated with notable figures in literature, civil service, religion, science, and other fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thackeray families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thackeray 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 203 Thackerays recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.82x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 203 4.82x
Lancashire 43 0.85x
Middlesex 39 0.92x
Durham 38 3.00x
Northumberland 20 3.16x
Derbyshire 15 2.25x
Westmorland 14 14.98x
Surrey 9 0.43x
Huntingdonshire 8 9.47x
Cheshire 6 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.56x
Dumfriesshire 4 4.26x
Essex 4 0.48x
Channel Islands 3 2.38x
Glamorgan 3 0.41x
Herefordshire 3 1.72x
Staffordshire 3 0.21x
Angus 2 0.51x
Cumberland 2 0.55x
Hampshire 2 0.23x
Warwickshire 2 0.19x
Berkshire 1 0.31x
Gloucestershire 1 0.12x
Leicestershire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ecclesall Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 26 Thackerays recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.33x.

Place Total Index
Ecclesall Bierlow 26 30.33x
Sculcoates 16 23.94x
Headingley Cum Burley 13 47.92x
Billingham 12 550.46x
Darlington 12 24.57x
Langdale 12 1121.50x
Bradford 11 10.78x
Byker 11 35.17x
Kensington London 11 4.65x
Middlesbrough 11 20.04x
St Pancras London 10 2.92x
Over Darwen 9 22.33x
Godmanchester 8 250.78x
Preston 8 5.93x
West Broughton 8 470.59x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 7 416.67x
Buxton 7 124.11x
Ilkley 7 101.60x
Manningham 7 13.48x
Ripon 7 71.57x
York St Margaret 7 268.20x
Bow London 6 11.08x
Brierley 6 845.07x
Heeley 6 46.84x
Holy Trinity 6 5.92x
Leeds 6 2.52x
Nottingham St Mary 6 4.05x
Rowley 6 652.17x
Seaton Delaval 6 107.91x
Battersea 5 3.20x
Hinderwell 5 138.89x
Hornby 5 961.54x
Hunslet 5 7.61x
Suffield Cum Everley 5 2500.00x
Barlow 4 298.51x
Bowling 4 9.58x
Dukinfield 4 9.22x
East Thickley 4 155.64x
Eccleshill 4 38.99x
Eton 4 68.61x
Framwellgate 4 53.33x
Hoddam 4 176.99x
Norton 4 72.86x
Sheffield 4 2.98x
Stockton On Tees 4 6.56x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 2.72x
Baildon 3 37.78x
Burton In Lonsdale 3 329.67x
Dovercourt 3 101.69x
Eggbrough 3 666.67x
Fulham London 3 4.86x
Gelligaer 3 17.74x
St Marylebone London 3 1.32x
St Peter Port 3 12.87x
Westgate 3 7.66x
York St Giles In 3 75.57x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 13.88x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.84x
Bramdean 2 526.32x
Castle Church 2 23.18x
Dundee 2 1.36x
Haughton 2 27.17x
Liverpool 2 0.65x
Macclesfield 2 4.79x
Millom 2 17.83x
Salford 2 1.35x
Southwark Christchurch 2 10.04x
St George Hanover 2 3.60x
Thirsk 2 41.15x
West Derby 2 1.35x
Yatton 2 740.74x
Barton Under Needwood 1 38.31x
Hereford St John 1 50.25x
Hulme 1 0.95x
New Windsor 1 9.32x
North Stainley Cum 1 166.67x
Richmond 1 15.20x
Shitlington 1 22.94x
Shoreditch London 1 0.54x
Wakefield 1 3.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 14
Emily 11
Jane 9
Hannah 8
Alice 7
Annie 7
Ellen 7
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Margaret 6
Ann 5
Ada 3
Anne 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Bertha 2
Eleanor 2
Eva 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Rachael 2
Ruth 2
Seelina 2
Selina 2
Anna 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Charity 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Emeley 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eve 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Johanna 1
John 1
Julia 1
Juliet 1
Lilian 1
Theodocia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 25
Joseph 16
Thomas 14
George 11
James 10
Charles 8
Henry 7
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Robert 6
Walter 5
Harry 4
Richard 4
Francis 3
Adam 2
Albert 2
Elisha 2
Fredk. 2
Samuel 2
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
E.W. 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Firth 1
Fleming 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.R. 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
J.D. 1
Jno.J. 1
Jno.Wiggan 1
Lot 1
M. 1
Marmaduke 1
Matthew 1
Norman 1
Richmond 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Saml. 1
Samson 1
Septimus 1
Thompson 1
Tom 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Thackeray surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thackeray surname in 1881?

In 1881, 436 people were recorded with the Thackeray surname. That placed it at #7,485 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thackeray surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,042 in 2016. That gives Thackeray a modern rank of #5,595.

What does the Thackeray surname mean?

An English surname derived from the name of a village in Nottinghamshire.

What does the Thackeray map show?

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