NameCensus.

UK surname

Weeks

An English occupational surname referring to a person who lived near a dairy farm or worked as a dairyman.

In the 1881 census there were 6,387 people recorded with the Weeks surname, ranking it #669 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,711, ranked #1,007, down from #669 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Bath and North East Somerset and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weeks is 7,745 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.1%.

1881 census count

6,387

Ranked #669

Modern count

6,711

2016, ranked #1,007

Peak year

1911

7,745 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weeks had 6,387 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #669 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,711 in 2016, ranked #1,007.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,745 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Weeks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weeks surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Weeks 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 4,226 #674
1861 historical 3,800 #739
1881 historical 6,387 #669
1891 historical 6,394 #720
1901 historical 7,365 #733
1911 historical 7,745 #671
1997 modern 7,300 #882
1998 modern 7,440 #907
1999 modern 7,454 #915
2000 modern 7,325 #921
2001 modern 7,078 #934
2002 modern 7,191 #936
2003 modern 6,967 #941
2004 modern 6,943 #949
2005 modern 6,762 #963
2006 modern 6,729 #969
2007 modern 6,757 #975
2008 modern 6,742 #985
2009 modern 6,842 #997
2010 modern 6,955 #997
2011 modern 6,908 #987
2012 modern 6,765 #987
2013 modern 6,941 #981
2014 modern 6,925 #988
2015 modern 6,787 #999
2016 modern 6,711 #1,007

Geography

Back to top

Where Weeks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Bath and North East Somerset, North Dorset and Wiltshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 006 Torridge
2 Bath and North East Somerset 026 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Bath and North East Somerset 021 Bath and North East Somerset
4 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
5 Wiltshire 052 Wiltshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Weeks

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Weeks

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

Weeks is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Weeks falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Weeks

The surname Weeks is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wic," meaning a dwelling or a village. It is thought to have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a village or a small settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Weeks can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It was often spelled differently in ancient records, including variants like Wyk, Wyke, and Wic.

One notable early reference to the name Weeks can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John atte Wyke. The Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1279 also record a Simon de la Wyke.

During the medieval period, the surname Weeks was associated with several place names across England, such as Wyke Regis in Dorset, Wyke in Surrey, and Wyke Green in Middlesex. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Weeks throughout history are:

1. Leonard Weeks (1618-1696), an early settler in New England and one of the founders of Greenland, New Hampshire. 2. Mary Weeks (1634-1719), an accused witch during the Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts. 3. John Weeks (1786-1853), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Pavilion at Brighton. 4. Edwin Lord Weeks (1849-1903), an American artist and orientalist painter known for his depictions of Middle Eastern and North African scenes. 5. Winthrop Weeks (1855-1936), an American politician who served as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Over the centuries, the surname Weeks has been associated with various professions, from farmers and tradesmen to artists, architects, and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Weeks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weeks 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. Devon leads with 956 Weeks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.34x.

County Total Index
Devon 956 7.34x
Kent 692 3.24x
Middlesex 662 1.06x
Hampshire 612 4.77x
Somerset 550 5.46x
Gloucestershire 483 3.94x
Surrey 383 1.26x
Wiltshire 352 6.36x
Sussex 254 2.41x
Cornwall 185 2.61x
Monmouthshire 169 3.74x
Lancashire 147 0.20x
Glamorgan 132 1.21x
Dorset 117 2.85x
Yorkshire 64 0.10x
Durham 58 0.31x
Brecknockshire 51 4.08x
Cumberland 51 0.95x
Berkshire 47 1.00x
Warwickshire 44 0.28x
Essex 43 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 35 0.93x
Northumberland 33 0.35x
Staffordshire 32 0.15x
Worcestershire 29 0.36x
Shropshire 28 0.52x
Norfolk 24 0.25x
Lincolnshire 23 0.23x
Royal Navy 23 3.09x
Leicestershire 18 0.26x
Suffolk 17 0.22x
Herefordshire 11 0.43x
Channel Islands 10 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.12x
Derbyshire 9 0.09x
Oxfordshire 8 0.21x
Dunbartonshire 7 0.42x
Hertfordshire 6 0.14x
Ayrshire 4 0.09x
Bedfordshire 4 0.12x
Northamptonshire 4 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.08x
Midlothian 3 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.08x
Denbighshire 2 0.08x
Flintshire 2 0.12x
Lanarkshire 2 0.01x
West Lothian 2 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Cardiganshire 1 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.11x
Radnorshire 1 0.20x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 130 Weeks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.17x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 130 5.17x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 91 7.88x
Tormoham 91 16.52x
Lambeth 81 1.49x
Plymouth St Andrew 77 7.68x
Bristol St George 72 12.69x
Kensington London 71 2.04x
Bedminster 70 7.40x
Camberwell 69 1.73x
Hackney London 68 1.94x
Stoke Damerel 63 6.91x
Colerne 54 238.20x
Battersea 49 2.13x
Bedwellty 49 6.14x
Trevethin 49 11.48x
Chelsea London 47 2.49x
Camborne 44 15.08x
Plymouth Charles The 44 7.67x
Westbury 44 343.21x
Tonbridge 43 5.59x
Walcot 41 7.65x
Bethnal Green London 40 1.47x
Islington London 40 0.66x
Mile End Old Town 40 4.05x
Plumstead 38 5.34x
Priddy 38 785.12x
Southampton St Mary 38 4.71x
Durrington 37 441.00x
St Marylebone London 36 1.08x
Lyncombe Widcombe 35 13.28x
Wadhurst 35 50.56x
Deptford St Paul 34 2.07x
Hatherleigh 34 104.97x
Birmingham 33 0.63x
Paddington London 32 1.39x
Clifton 31 5.00x
Ystradyfodwg 31 3.25x
Bristol St James St Paul 29 7.09x
Chatham 29 4.94x
Newington 28 1.21x
Swanage 28 55.26x
Bermondsey 27 1.45x
Mayfield 26 41.69x
Aberystruth 25 6.27x
Bow London 25 3.14x
Brading 24 14.09x
Buckfastleigh 24 39.95x
Hammersmith London 24 1.56x
Lenham 24 56.36x
Poplar London 24 2.03x
Fulham London 23 2.54x
Iddesleigh 23 259.59x
Royal Navy 23 3.61x
Stapleton 23 9.88x
West Ham 23 0.84x
Calstock 22 15.84x
East Stonehouse 21 8.19x
Newton Abbot St Mary 21 19.23x
Bitton 20 18.73x
Carisbrooke 20 11.24x
Cheddar 20 39.49x
Cirencester 20 12.04x
Dolton 20 124.53x
Lewisham 20 1.76x
Newport 20 28.76x
Stoke 20 37.95x
Exeter St Sidwell 19 6.37x
High Littleton 19 114.53x
Limehouse London 19 2.77x
St Woollos 19 3.77x
Charlton Next Woolwich 18 8.09x
Dudley 18 1.81x
Everton 18 0.76x
Maidstone 18 2.83x
Swindon 18 4.20x
Ticehurst 18 27.90x
Wells St Cuthbert 18 26.20x
Westbury On Trym 18 4.33x
Folkestone 17 4.11x
Lawhitton 17 183.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 426
Elizabeth 255
Sarah 181
Jane 122
Ann 113
Ellen 110
Emma 108
Eliza 104
Emily 104
Annie 94
Alice 89
Louisa 59
Florence 48
Fanny 47
Harriet 47
Edith 45
Maria 45
Charlotte 43
Hannah 43
Kate 42
Martha 41
Caroline 38
Margaret 31
Susan 31
Clara 29
Agnes 25
Lucy 24
Anne 23
Harriett 23
Rose 23
Frances 22
Matilda 22
Ada 21
Bessie 18
Catherine 18
Esther 17
Julia 16
Sophia 16
Amy 15
Jessie 15
Minnie 15
Rosa 15
Amelia 14
Rosina 14
Eleanor 13
Grace 13
Laura 13
Lydia 13
Elizth. 12
Selina 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 457
John 321
George 267
James 197
Thomas 194
Henry 175
Charles 146
Frederick 75
Alfred 72
Edward 70
Albert 68
Joseph 65
Richard 58
Robert 57
Arthur 55
Walter 55
Samuel 47
Frank 42
Ernest 39
Harry 39
Edwin 38
Francis 35
Herbert 26
Wm. 21
David 19
Fredk. 14
Edmund 12
Sidney 12
Percy 9
Fred 8
Geo. 8
Isaac 8
Benjamin 7
Jesse 7
Mark 7
Sydney 7
Daniel 6
Reginald 6
Stephen 6
Thos. 6
Tom 6
Chas. 5
Jacob 5
Jas. 5
Matthew 5
Oliver 5
Philip 5
Willm. 5
Hugh 4
Leonard 4

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Weeks households.

FAQ

Weeks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weeks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,387 people were recorded with the Weeks surname. That placed it at #669 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weeks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,711 in 2016. That gives Weeks a modern rank of #1,007.

What does the Weeks surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who lived near a dairy farm or worked as a dairyman.

What does the Weeks map show?

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