NameCensus.

UK surname

Thake

From an Old Norse surname for someone living on higher ground.

In the 1881 census there were 414 people recorded with the Thake surname, ranking it #7,778 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 583, ranked #8,899, down from #7,778 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Widford, London parishes and Thaxted. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Edmundsbury and Uttlesford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thake is 710 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.8%.

1881 census count

414

Ranked #7,778

Modern count

583

2016, ranked #8,899

Peak year

1998

710 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thake had 414 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,778 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 583 in 2016, ranked #8,899.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 604 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thake surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thake 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 185 #11,077
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 414 #7,778
1891 historical 417 #8,579
1901 historical 512 #7,918
1911 historical 604 #6,806
1997 modern 686 #7,359
1998 modern 710 #7,396
1999 modern 698 #7,533
2000 modern 683 #7,633
2001 modern 655 #7,758
2002 modern 639 #8,064
2003 modern 621 #8,112
2004 modern 629 #8,041
2005 modern 626 #8,008
2006 modern 612 #8,161
2007 modern 614 #8,218
2008 modern 606 #8,343
2009 modern 622 #8,359
2010 modern 612 #8,654
2011 modern 611 #8,558
2012 modern 593 #8,688
2013 modern 602 #8,728
2014 modern 601 #8,792
2015 modern 591 #8,828
2016 modern 583 #8,899

Geography

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Where Thakes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Widford, London parishes, Thaxted, Haverhill, Little Wratting and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Edmundsbury and Uttlesford. 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 Widford Hertfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Thaxted Essex
4 Haverhill, Little Wratting Suffolk
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Edmundsbury 012 St Edmundsbury
2 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
3 St Edmundsbury 014 St Edmundsbury
4 Uttlesford 005 Uttlesford
5 Uttlesford 004 Uttlesford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thake

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Thake is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thake 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

Thake falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Thake

The surname Thake has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "thacc," which means "thatch" or "thatched roof." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a thatched dwelling or worked as a thatcher.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Thake or similar spellings, such as Thac, Thache, and Thacke. These entries indicate that the name was already established in various parts of England at that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thake can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1199, which mention a Robert Thake. Another early reference comes from the Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire in 1202, where a John Thake is mentioned.

The surname Thake has also been associated with certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Thakeham in West Sussex may have connections to the name, as it could have been derived from the Old English words "thacc" and "ham," meaning "thatcher's homestead."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Thake:

1. Thomas Thake (c. 1550-1620), an English composer and organist known for his contributions to Tudor church music. 2. John Thake (1644-1688), a British merchant and Member of Parliament for Yarmouth in the late 17th century. 3. Anne Thake (1754-1835), an English writer and translator known for her work on German literature. 4. William Thake (1784-1860), a British artist and engraver who produced several notable works depicting landscapes and historical scenes. 5. Arthur Thake (1892-1974), a New Zealand cricketer who played domestic cricket for Canterbury in the early 20th century.

While the surname Thake may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and connections to various regions of England make it a fascinating name to explore, shedding light on the lives and occupations of those who bore it in centuries past.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thake families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thake 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. Essex leads with 147 Thakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.66x.

County Total Index
Essex 147 18.66x
Middlesex 108 2.71x
Hertfordshire 68 24.73x
Suffolk 33 6.79x
Surrey 22 1.13x
Cambridgeshire 11 4.35x
Kent 9 0.66x
Yorkshire 7 0.18x
Ayrshire 3 1.00x
Somerset 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haverhill in Suffolk leads with 31 Thakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 717.59x.

Place Total Index
Haverhill 31 717.59x
Bromley London 30 34.18x
Radwinter 29 2521.74x
Hackney London 24 10.73x
Widford 21 3000.00x
Thaxted 20 766.28x
Lindsell 14 3684.21x
West Ham 14 8.05x
Limehouse London 12 27.40x
Ware 12 152.28x
Great Hadham 11 621.47x
Lambeth 10 2.87x
North Weald Bassett 9 656.93x
Little Easton 8 2000.00x
Putney 8 44.00x
Rickling 8 1290.32x
Ashdon 7 608.70x
Great Bardfield 7 542.64x
Ratcliffe London 7 31.77x
Chigwell 6 80.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 7.46x
Great Abington 6 1578.95x
Great Easton 6 560.75x
Hitchin 6 48.35x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.88x
Capel 5 649.35x
Eastwick 5 3846.15x
Great Chishall 5 892.86x
Hornsey 5 9.91x
Ickleton 5 549.45x
Shoreditch London 5 2.89x
Broxbourne 4 73.39x
Stanstead Abbots 4 239.52x
Bermondsey 3 2.53x
Edmonton 3 9.33x
Gilston 3 810.81x
St Botolph Aldgate 3 55.05x
St George Hanover 3 5.76x
St Marylebone London 3 1.41x
St Quivox 3 29.70x
Stebbing 3 196.08x
Stoke Newington London 3 9.65x
Woolwich 3 5.97x
Great Baddow 2 71.43x
Helion Bumpstead 2 188.68x
Netteswell 2 444.44x
Tilty 2 1538.46x
Brenchley 1 20.53x
Chelsea London 1 0.83x
Cheshunt 1 10.41x
Coulsdon 1 28.33x
Enfield 1 3.82x
Great Dunmow 1 24.39x
Great Gaddesden 1 77.52x
Hempstead 1 116.28x
Islington London 1 0.26x
Kensington London 1 0.45x
Leyton 1 7.37x
Little Warley 1 90.91x
Rainham 1 58.48x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.19x
Walcot 1 2.92x
Wold Newton 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 20
Emma 11
Elizabeth 10
Eliza 8
Ada 7
Alice 7
Jane 7
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Ann 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Susan 4
Anna 3
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Jessie 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Phoebe 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Eunice 1
Eva 1
Fanney 1
Frances 1
Jean 1
Jesse 1
Katey 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 23
George 20
Charles 14
James 12
Henry 10
Herbert 6
Thomas 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Frank 4
Samuel 4
Stephen 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Arthur 3
Fred 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Alxr. 1
Benjamin 1
Benjiman 1
Christopher 1
Cornelious 1
Cutbart 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Ezekiel 1
Ezra 1
Felix 1
Ferdinand 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Hary 1
Jabez 1
Louis 1
Peter 1
Pharoah 1
Rbt. 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Solomon 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Thake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 414 people were recorded with the Thake surname. That placed it at #7,778 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 583 in 2016. That gives Thake a modern rank of #8,899.

What does the Thake surname mean?

From an Old Norse surname for someone living on higher ground.

What does the Thake map show?

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