NameCensus.

UK surname

Wike

Derived from a place name meaning "dairy farm" in Old English, or from a Norse personal name meaning "viking."

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Wike surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 180, ranked #21,022, down from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury, Silkstone and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Kirklees and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wike is 195 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.5%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

180

2016, ranked #21,022

Peak year

1861

195 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wike had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016, ranked #21,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 195 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wike surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wike surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Wike 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 195 #12,263
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 98 #24,313
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 113 #21,168
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 176 #19,698
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 175 #19,727
2006 modern 184 #19,254
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 181 #19,875
2009 modern 180 #20,341
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 186 #20,217
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 180 #21,022

Geography

Back to top

Where Wikes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury, Silkstone, Toxteth Park, St Kew and Darfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Kirklees and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bury Lancashire
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 St Kew Cornwall
5 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 005 Barnsley
3 Kirklees 037 Kirklees
4 South Gloucestershire 005 South Gloucestershire
5 Barnsley 012 Barnsley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Wike

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Wike

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Wike is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Wike is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wike 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 Wike is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wike

The surname Wike has its origins in England, emerging during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wic," which referred to a dwelling or a small settlement. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals who lived in a particular hamlet or village.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Wike can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain William Wyke is listed. This historical document provides evidence of the name's existence and its variant spellings during that era.

In the 15th century, the name Wike appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire. These records document a John Wyk, who was a tenant in the village of Horbury in 1447. This entry highlights the name's connection to specific locations and its potential origins as a place name.

The Wike surname has also been associated with the village of Wyke Regis in Dorset, which was formerly known as Wyke. This place name is thought to have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.

Notable individuals with the Wike surname include:

1. Thomas Wike (c. 1460 - c. 1520), an English ecclesiastic and philosopher who served as the Chancellor of Cambridge University in the early 16th century.

2. Robert Wike (c. 1570 - 1642), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London.

3. Elizabeth Wike (c. 1610 - 1680), an English Puritan author and poet, known for her religious works and writings on the spiritual life.

4. John Wike (1725 - 1798), a British soldier and military engineer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was involved in the construction of fortifications.

5. William Wike (1842 - 1912), a British architect renowned for his work on various churches and public buildings in the Victorian era, particularly in the Gothic Revival style.

While the Wike surname may have evolved from different sources and been influenced by various place names, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it likely originated as a descriptor for individuals living in small settlements or hamlets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Wike families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wike 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 45 Wikes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.90x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 45 4.90x
Lancashire 42 3.82x
Gloucestershire 2 1.10x
Leicestershire 2 1.95x
Bedfordshire 1 2.08x
Devon 1 0.52x
Middlesex 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 1.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury in Lancashire leads with 27 Wikes recorded in 1881 and an index of 214.97x.

Place Total Index
Bury 27 214.97x
Barnsley 14 147.84x
Worsbrough 11 408.92x
Kippax 6 740.74x
Elton 4 105.26x
Leeds 4 7.71x
Swinton In Rotherham 3 123.46x
West Derby 3 9.33x
Ardsley 2 188.68x
Brightside Bierlow 2 11.10x
Didsbury 2 136.99x
Ecclesfield 2 29.72x
Failsworth 2 79.37x
Leicester St Mary 2 24.10x
Tottington Lower End 2 38.24x
Arlingham 1 500.00x
Barugh 1 128.21x
Fairford 1 204.08x
Kensington London 1 1.94x
Littleham 1 70.92x
Lower Booths 1 50.76x
Pertenhall 1 909.09x
Pitchford 1 1428.57x
Rochdale 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Hannah 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Alice 2
Anthea 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Elizabet 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Margrate 1
Matilda 1
Rebeca 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
George 6
John 6
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
James 2
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Anne 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Chs.... 1
Geo.Jas. 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Herbert 1
Jabez 1
Mark 1
Rothwell 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wike surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wike surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Wike surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wike surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016. That gives Wike a modern rank of #21,022.

What does the Wike surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dairy farm" in Old English, or from a Norse personal name meaning "viking."

What does the Wike map show?

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