NameCensus.

UK surname

Theaker

An occupational surname derived from an archaic word meaning "a thatcher" or roofer.

In the 1881 census there were 699 people recorded with the Theaker surname, ranking it #5,193 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,018, ranked #5,725, down from #5,193 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ordsall, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, East Riding of Yorkshire and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Theaker is 1,122 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.6%.

1881 census count

699

Ranked #5,193

Modern count

1,018

2016, ranked #5,725

Peak year

2010

1,122 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Theaker had 699 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,193 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,018 in 2016, ranked #5,725.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 995 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Theaker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Theaker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Theaker 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 403 #6,004
1861 historical 426 #6,032
1881 historical 699 #5,193
1891 historical 753 #5,289
1901 historical 942 #4,966
1911 historical 995 #4,561
1997 modern 1,026 #5,371
1998 modern 1,053 #5,430
1999 modern 1,051 #5,480
2000 modern 1,046 #5,485
2001 modern 1,025 #5,476
2002 modern 1,064 #5,414
2003 modern 1,042 #5,415
2004 modern 1,040 #5,432
2005 modern 1,024 #5,445
2006 modern 1,051 #5,337
2007 modern 1,061 #5,340
2008 modern 1,076 #5,312
2009 modern 1,098 #5,326
2010 modern 1,122 #5,347
2011 modern 1,109 #5,334
2012 modern 1,054 #5,477
2013 modern 1,063 #5,538
2014 modern 1,052 #5,615
2015 modern 1,034 #5,657
2016 modern 1,018 #5,725

Geography

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Where Theakers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ordsall, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Sheffield and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, East Riding of Yorkshire, South Lakeland and Hyndburn. 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 Ordsall Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
5 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Theaker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Theaker

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Theaker 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

Theaker is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Theaker

The surname Theaker is an English occupational name derived from the Old English word "thæcere," which means "thatcher" or someone who thatched roofs with straw or reeds. This name originated in England sometime in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

The earliest known record of the Theaker surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where a person named Robert le Thekere was listed. The spelling variations of the name during this time included Thekar, Theker, Thekyr, and Thekere.

In the 15th century, the name was recorded in various parts of England, including the Hertfordshire Subsidy Rolls of 1428, which mentioned a Thomas Thekere. Another early record is from the Oxfordshire Feet of Fines in 1479, where a William Theker was mentioned.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Theaker surname was John Theaker, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1540. He was a prominent landowner and held several estates in the county.

In the 16th century, the Theaker family was well-established in the county of Worcestershire. A notable member was Thomas Theaker, born in 1580, who was a successful merchant and served as a Justice of the Peace for the county.

During the 17th century, the Theaker surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire. One notable individual was William Theaker, born in 1625 in Derbyshire, who was a scholar and author of several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Theaker family continued to flourish in England. One prominent member was John Theaker, born in 1720 in Nottinghamshire, who was a successful businessman and philanthropist. He founded several charitable organizations and was known for his generosity towards the poor.

Another notable individual with the Theaker surname was Elizabeth Theaker, born in 1785 in Yorkshire. She was a renowned author and poet, and her works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.

As the centuries passed, the Theaker surname spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as members of the family emigrated from England in search of new opportunities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Theaker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Theaker 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 343 Theakers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.08x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 343 5.08x
Lincolnshire 168 15.41x
Nottinghamshire 99 10.77x
Lancashire 20 0.25x
Staffordshire 16 0.70x
Derbyshire 12 1.12x
Somerset 11 1.00x
Middlesex 9 0.13x
Leicestershire 7 0.93x
Cheshire 4 0.27x
Kent 4 0.17x
Durham 3 0.15x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hinderwell in Yorkshire leads with 86 Theakers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1490.47x.

Place Total Index
Hinderwell 86 1490.47x
Belton 43 970.65x
Nottingham St Mary 32 13.46x
Sheffield 30 13.95x
Ordsall 23 326.70x
Owston 20 647.25x
Brightside Bierlow 19 14.34x
Bayards Leap 16 1403.51x
St Maryle Wigford 15 177.10x
Rawcliffe In Goole 14 363.64x
Scunthorpe 14 285.71x
Swinefleet 14 479.45x
Ashby 12 351.91x
High Low Bishopside 11 183.64x
South Elmshall 11 894.31x
South Kirkby 11 743.24x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 7.28x
Honley 10 84.53x
Mirfield 10 26.95x
Morley 10 28.47x
Bothamsall 9 1451.61x
Derby All Sts 9 100.90x
Holy Trinity 9 5.54x
Sturton 9 731.71x
Huddersfield 8 8.13x
Leeds 8 2.10x
Snenton 8 22.15x
Burrough 7 2000.00x
Burslem 7 10.62x
Chard 7 52.67x
Middlesbrough 7 7.96x
Rowley Regis 7 10.91x
Babworth 6 350.88x
Eastoft 6 425.53x
Haxey 6 129.59x
Lofthouse 6 59.46x
Walton On Hill 6 13.69x
Barnsley 5 7.17x
Bromley London 5 3.33x
Castleford 5 20.32x
Dalton In Huddersfield 5 33.03x
Hemsworth 5 128.87x
Kellington 5 694.44x
Wombwell 5 25.38x
Almondbury 4 12.24x
Ancaster 4 263.16x
Cottingham 4 27.47x
Everton 4 1.55x
Harlaxton 4 449.44x
Liverpool 4 0.81x
Radcliffe On Trent 4 307.69x
Scawby 4 111.11x
Ardwick 3 4.11x
Bradford 3 1.83x
Bridgewater 3 10.07x
Chesterfield 3 7.50x
Kimberworth 3 8.00x
Luddington 3 215.83x
New Sealford 3 133.93x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 9.56x
Westoe 3 2.61x
Wheatley 3 129.31x
Woolwich 3 3.49x
Ecclesfield 2 4.04x
Epworth 2 39.37x
Foston Scropton 2 162.60x
Gamston 2 338.98x
Grantham 2 14.07x
Hook 2 13.46x
Lambeth 2 0.34x
Leasingham 2 229.89x
Newark Upon Trent 2 6.06x
Sculcoates 2 1.87x
St Marylebone London 2 0.55x
Stockport 2 2.58x
Tickhill 2 46.40x
West Butterwick With 2 119.05x
Willingham 2 186.92x
Wilsford 2 124.22x
Styrrup 1 72.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Sarah 32
Ann 26
Elizabeth 25
Annie 15
Hannah 15
Alice 11
Jane 11
Emma 10
Margaret 9
Martha 8
Ellen 6
Anne 5
Clara 5
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Harriett 5
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Lilly 4
Louisa 4
Polly 4
Ruth 4
Agnes 3
Dinah 3
Frances 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Selina 3
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Flora 2
Gertrude 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lily 2
Marian 2
Betsey 1
Betty 1
Blanch 1
Dotty 1
E.Jane 1
Elizebeth 1
Jessy 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 32
George 26
Thomas 26
James 19
Henry 17
Joseph 12
Charles 10
Herbert 9
Arthur 7
Walter 7
Alfred 6
Isaac 6
Samuel 6
Fred 5
Harry 5
Richard 5
Robert 5
Tom 5
Benjamin 4
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Wm. 4
Ben 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Luke 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3
Albert 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Willie 2
Archibald 1
Brown 1
Chas. 1
Christ.M. 1
Christopher 1
Emily 1
Emmanuel 1
Ephraim 1
Ethelbert 1
Fred. 1
Joab 1
Joe 1
Johnson 1
Louis 1

FAQ

Theaker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Theaker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 699 people were recorded with the Theaker surname. That placed it at #5,193 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Theaker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,018 in 2016. That gives Theaker a modern rank of #5,725.

What does the Theaker surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from an archaic word meaning "a thatcher" or roofer.

What does the Theaker map show?

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