NameCensus.

UK surname

Volkova

A Russian surname derived from the word "volk" meaning "wolf".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Peterborough, Cornwall and Corby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Volkova is 104 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

2016

104 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Volkova surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Volkova surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Volkova 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
1997 modern 1 #38,839
1998 modern 2 #38,550
2000 modern 2 #38,472
2001 modern 2 #38,335
2002 modern 4 #37,921
2003 modern 2 #38,424
2004 modern 6 #37,655
2005 modern 12 #36,936
2006 modern 17 #36,517
2007 modern 22 #36,213
2008 modern 34 #35,502
2009 modern 41 #35,221
2010 modern 58 #34,346
2011 modern 57 #34,393
2012 modern 75 #33,263
2013 modern 85 #32,658
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 95 #31,749
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Volkovas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Peterborough, Cornwall, Corby and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Peterborough 014 Peterborough
2 Cornwall 026 Cornwall
3 Corby 006 Corby
4 Kensington and Chelsea 011 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Kensington and Chelsea 021 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Volkova

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent male names

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Volkova

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Volkova surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Volkova 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Volkova is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Volkova is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Volkova falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Volkova 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
Asian - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Volkova, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Volkova

The surname VOLKOVA originated in Russia, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Russian word "volk," meaning "wolf," and the feminine suffix "-ova," indicating that it was originally a patronymic surname given to the daughters of men named Volk.

VOLKOVA is believed to have first emerged in the regions around Moscow and St. Petersburg, where it was commonly found among the Russian nobility and gentry. Some of the earliest records of the name appear in the Velvet Book, a register of noble families compiled in the late 16th century.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the VOLKOVA surname spread across various parts of the Russian Empire, including modern-day Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states. It was particularly prevalent among the Cossack communities in southern Russia, where the wolf held symbolic significance as a symbol of strength and courage.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the VOLKOVA surname was Tatiana Volkova (1610-1678), a Russian noblewoman who served as a lady-in-waiting to Tsarina Maria Miloslavskaya, the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Another prominent figure was Pyotr Volkov (1765-1835), a Russian actor and theater director who is considered a pioneer of Russian theater.

In the 19th century, the VOLKOVA surname gained international recognition through the works of Russian writers such as Ivan Turgenev and Leo Tolstoy, who featured characters with this surname in their novels. One of the most famous literary figures was Anna Volkova, the protagonist of Turgenev's novel "On the Eve," published in 1860.

Other notable individuals with the VOLKOVA surname include Yelena Volkova (1924-2005), a Soviet and Russian actress renowned for her roles in classic films like "The Cranes Are Flying" (1957); Galina Volkova (1939-2018), a Soviet and Russian ballerina who was a principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet; and Yuri Volkov (1962-2021), a Russian physicist and astronaut who spent over a year aboard the International Space Station.

Throughout its history, the VOLKOVA surname has maintained a strong presence in Russia and the former Soviet republics, with various branches and variations emerging over time, such as Volkov, Volkoff, and Wolkoff.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Volkova surname: questions and answers

How common is the Volkova surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Volkova a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Volkova surname mean?

A Russian surname derived from the word "volk" meaning "wolf".

What does the Volkova map show?

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