BAKER

The surname Baker is an English occupational name that originated in the British Isles. It is recorded as a hereditary family name among Christian communities throughout England, and it remains one of the most common surnames in the United Kingdom.

The lexical source of Baker is the Middle English term “bakere”, denoting a person who bakes bread or other baked goods. Earlier, in pre‑8th‑century Olde English, the word appears as “boeccure”. While the most obvious association is with the preparation of bread, the occupational meaning was broader in medieval society.

In medieval England the name could refer to an official responsible for the ovens of a monastery or castle, or to the keeper of a communal kitchen in a town or village where most households lacked private cooking facilities. The right to supervise such services, and to levy fees or loaves in return, was often a hereditary feudal privilege. Less frequently, the surname was adopted by individuals noted for baking fine loaves, or by those who owned kilns for the baking of pottery or bricks.

Documentary evidence for the surname dates from the late twelfth century. The earliest recorded spelling is that of William le Bakere, cited in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1177 during the reign of King Henry II. Subsequent entries include Robert Bakere, a witness in the Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, and Walter le Backere in the Hampshire rolls of 1280. The feminine form of the name is “Baxter”.

During the nineteenth century the name achieved particular fame, a circumstance reflected by more than forty‑two entries in the Dictionary of National Biography. Notable bearers include Sir Samuel Baker, celebrated as a leading African explorer alongside Stanley and Livingstone, and his brother Valentine Baker, a distinguished cavalry commander known internationally as “Baker Pasha”.

Typical given names associated with the Baker surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Richard
• Stephen

Female

• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Helen
• Julie
• Karen
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Baker in...

Braille

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Morse

-....--.-..-.

Semaphore

Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Baker are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate digestive.

Surname type: Occupational name

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Baker

• Ginger Baker - Rock drummer (1939 to 2019)
• Matt Baker - TV presenter
• Tom Baker - Actor
• Kenny Baker - Actor (1934 to 2016)
• Colin Baker - Actor
• Colson Baker - American rapper from Ohio
• Danny Baker - Former BBC presenter
• Chet Baker - American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer (1929 to 1988)
• Lewis Baker - Football player
• Steve Baker - Politician
• Hylda Baker - Actress and comedienne (1905 to 1986)
• Troy Baker - American actor and musician
• Cheryl Baker - Singer and pin-up girl
• Roy Thomas Baker - Record producer
• Josephine Baker - American-born French dancer, singer, and actress (1906 to 1975)
• Herbert Baker - Architect (1862 to 1946)
• Stanley Baker - Welsh actor and film producer (1928 to 1976)
• Simon Baker - Australian actor and director
• Mark Baker - Animator
• Joe Baker - England international association football player (1940 to 2003)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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