Starkey
A variant of the name Star, from the Old English word meaning "little bird".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Starkey. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Starkey today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Starkey births was 1956 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Starkey. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Starkey is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Starkeys were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Starkey. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1956
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1956 SSA rank
#4,397
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Starkey: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Starkey by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Starkey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Starkey
Starkey is an English given name that originated during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "stær" (meaning "starling") and "cēap" (meaning "bargain" or "transaction"), referring to someone who dealt in or bred starlings. The name was likely occupational, given to individuals involved in the trade or breeding of these birds.
In its earliest recorded use, the name appeared in various Middle English spellings, such as "Sterkay," "Starkey," and "Sterkye." It was primarily found in regions of England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where the name had its roots.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where a person named "Willelmus Starkey" is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Starkey. One of the most prominent was Thomas Starkey (c. 1499-1538), an English philosopher and counselor to King Henry VIII. He was a renowned humanist and wrote extensively on political theory and governance.
Another notable bearer of the name was Edmund Starkey (1579-1658), an English Catholic priest and controversialist. He was a staunch defender of the Catholic faith during the English Reformation and engaged in numerous theological debates.
In the 18th century, Thomas Starkey (1715-1808) was a British politician and Member of Parliament for Malton. He played a role in the political landscape of his time and was known for his advocacy of parliamentary reform.
Moving into the 19th century, John Starkey (1810-1888) was a prominent English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings, including the Swinton Park estate in Yorkshire.
Another significant figure was Thomas Starkey (1836-1901), an English-born Australian politician and businessman. He was involved in the establishment of the Australian sugar industry and served as a member of the Queensland Legislative Council.
While the name Starkey has its origins in England and was primarily used in that region, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its deep roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages and its connection to the trade and breeding of starlings in medieval England.
People
Starkey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Starkey as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Starkey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Starkey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Starkey going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Starkey a common name?
We classify Starkey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Starkey most popular?
The single biggest year for Starkey was 1956, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Starkey is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Starkey in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Starkey a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Starkey in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Starkey still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Starkey in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Starkey can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Starkey?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Starkey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.