NameCensus.

UK surname

Tinker

An occupational surname referring to a mender of metal kitchen utensils or pots and pans.

In the 1881 census there were 1,514 people recorded with the Tinker surname, ranking it #2,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,540, ranked #4,019, down from #2,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Almondbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Bassetlaw and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tinker is 1,912 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.7%.

1881 census count

1,514

Ranked #2,775

Modern count

1,540

2016, ranked #4,019

Peak year

1911

1,912 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tinker had 1,514 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,540 in 2016, ranked #4,019.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,912 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tinker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tinker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tinker 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 1,105 #2,543
1861 historical 1,045 #2,684
1881 historical 1,514 #2,775
1891 historical 1,496 #2,944
1901 historical 1,861 #2,826
1911 historical 1,912 #2,595
1997 modern 1,718 #3,470
1998 modern 1,711 #3,619
1999 modern 1,715 #3,634
2000 modern 1,699 #3,644
2001 modern 1,645 #3,680
2002 modern 1,681 #3,681
2003 modern 1,666 #3,645
2004 modern 1,656 #3,659
2005 modern 1,608 #3,722
2006 modern 1,585 #3,760
2007 modern 1,590 #3,788
2008 modern 1,596 #3,800
2009 modern 1,628 #3,826
2010 modern 1,637 #3,877
2011 modern 1,617 #3,881
2012 modern 1,564 #3,927
2013 modern 1,605 #3,903
2014 modern 1,593 #3,952
2015 modern 1,554 #4,001
2016 modern 1,540 #4,019

Geography

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Where Tinkers are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Bassetlaw and Wakefield. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Kirkburton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Bassetlaw 016 Bassetlaw
3 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
4 Wakefield 042 Wakefield
5 Kirklees 058 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tinker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tinker

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Tinker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tinker household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Tinker is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tinker is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tinker falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tinker

The surname Tinker is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is an occupational name derived from the Middle English word "tinkere," which referred to a skilled craftsman who mended pots, pans, and other metal household items. The name is believed to have come from the tinking or tinkling sound made by the mending of these vessels.

Tinkers were considered essential members of medieval society, as they traveled from village to village, repairing household wares and kettles. They were often associated with the Romany Gypsy community, who were known for their metalworking and tinsmithing skills.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tinker can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert le Tinkere from Oxfordshire. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, with a mention of a William Tynker.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Tinker became more widespread across England. Notable individuals with this surname include John Tinker (c.1589-1657), a English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, and Mary Tinker (c.1630-1700), who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials.

In the 18th century, the name Tinker was associated with the Tinker's Uprising, a rebellion against the English government led by Jemmy Tinker in 1753. Jemmy Tinker was a member of the Travelling community and his uprising highlighted the struggles faced by the Romany people during that time.

Other notable individuals with the surname Tinker include Benjamin Tinker (1770-1835), an American Revolutionary War soldier, and Mary Tinker (1931-2017), an American activist who played a pivotal role in the landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines, which established the right of students to engage in political protest at school.

Throughout history, the surname Tinker has been associated with skilled metalworkers, itinerant traders, and members of the Romany community. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the travels and contributions of those who bore this occupational surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tinker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tinker 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 690 Tinkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.72x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 690 4.72x
Lancashire 299 1.71x
Lincolnshire 123 5.21x
Cheshire 102 3.13x
Derbyshire 56 2.42x
Kent 47 0.93x
Middlesex 42 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 40 2.01x
Surrey 23 0.32x
Norfolk 21 0.93x
Gloucestershire 16 0.55x
Wiltshire 14 1.07x
Hampshire 10 0.33x
Durham 7 0.16x
Montgomeryshire 6 1.77x
Staffordshire 5 0.10x
Northumberland 3 0.14x
Somerset 2 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Devon 1 0.03x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Westmorland 1 0.31x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 51 Tinkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.48x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 51 6.48x
Wooldale 49 197.50x
Austonley 39 471.01x
Shepley 35 434.24x
Huddersfield 31 14.55x
Hyde 31 32.24x
Leeds 28 3.39x
Brightside Bierlow 27 9.41x
Erith 26 52.41x
Upperthong 25 200.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 24 6.27x
Cheetham 24 18.37x
Glossop Dale 23 21.26x
Mottram 23 155.83x
Cartworth 22 181.97x
Dukinfield 22 14.61x
Salford 22 4.27x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 20 54.22x
West Clayton 20 275.48x
Barnsley 19 12.59x
Hulme 16 4.38x
Horbury 15 58.64x
Rawmarsh 15 29.03x
Blackley 14 45.60x
Sheffield 14 3.01x
Hepworth 13 219.97x
Lockwood 13 24.71x
Mablethorpe 13 401.23x
Mirfield 13 16.19x
Saddleworth 13 11.52x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 12 17.61x
Norton 12 63.03x
Penistone 12 105.26x
Allerton Bywater 11 138.89x
Colsterworth 11 220.44x
Haughton 11 43.05x
Hipperholme Cum 11 17.12x
Kirkby Green 11 1774.19x
Plumstead 11 6.55x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 11 21.82x
Batley 10 7.19x
Everton 10 1.79x
Honley 10 39.06x
Liversedge 10 15.36x
Newton 10 7.41x
Ardwick 9 5.70x
Barnby Moor 9 750.00x
Battersea 9 1.66x
Gainsborough 9 16.18x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 9.56x
Holbeck 9 9.29x
Pendlebury 9 24.34x
Almondbury 8 11.31x
Cheltenham 8 3.58x
Dewsbury 8 5.33x
Islington London 8 0.56x
Kirkheaton 8 33.73x
Ranby 8 1194.03x
South Crosland 8 51.95x
Southampton St Mary 8 4.21x
St Maryle Wigford 8 43.64x
Templenewsam 8 75.54x
Thurlstone 8 55.48x
Westbury 8 26.26x
Whitwell 8 87.05x
Ackton 7 195.53x
Carlton In Lindrick 7 132.58x
Holton Beckering 7 843.37x
Kensington London 7 0.85x
Linthwaite 7 22.77x
Middle Rasen 7 155.90x
Preston 7 86.63x
Roystone 7 122.38x
Sculcoates 7 3.02x
Soothill 7 13.25x
Spalding 7 14.95x
Thornhill 7 16.40x
Llanllwchaiarn 6 40.96x
North Meols 6 3.50x
West Derby 6 1.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 110
Sarah 65
Elizabeth 54
Ann 31
Hannah 31
Eliza 29
Jane 27
Emily 23
Martha 22
Alice 21
Annie 21
Emma 19
Margaret 13
Maria 13
Harriet 11
Ellen 10
Frances 9
Louisa 9
Ada 8
Agnes 7
Anne 7
Caroline 7
Catherine 7
Esther 7
Lucy 7
Charlotte 6
Edith 6
Isabella 6
Kate 6
Minnie 6
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Harriett 5
Lydia 5
Ruth 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Betsy 4
Susan 4
Beatrice 3
Clara 3
Dinah 3
Eleanor 3
Julia 3
May 3
Nancy 3
Nellie 3
Susannah 3
Margt. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 89
William 78
George 62
James 45
Joseph 38
Charles 27
Arthur 21
Robert 17
Thomas 17
Harry 16
Alfred 15
Fred 13
Henry 13
Frank 11
Walter 11
Edward 10
Herbert 10
Frederick 9
Samuel 9
Ernest 8
Geo. 8
Joe 8
David 7
Tom 7
Abel 6
Albert 6
Richard 6
Wm. 6
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Edmund 4
Fred. 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Joshua 4
Thos. 4
Uriah 4
Allen 3
Arnold 3
Ben 3
Hezekiah 3
Jno. 3
Sam 3
Tedbar 3
Daniel 2
Douglas 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Seth 2
Zechariah 2

FAQ

Tinker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tinker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,514 people were recorded with the Tinker surname. That placed it at #2,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tinker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,540 in 2016. That gives Tinker a modern rank of #4,019.

What does the Tinker surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a mender of metal kitchen utensils or pots and pans.

What does the Tinker map show?

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