Pike is a common surname of English origin.
In the United States, Pike is the 1138th most common surname (based on the 1990 census). In England and Wales, it is the 513th most common surname (based on a Sept 2002 database of the Office for National Statistics). In Newfoundland, Pike is especially common, ranking 22nd among all surnames there (based on the 1955 voters list, as reported by E.R. Seary in "Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland"). At the time of the British Census of 1881, its relative frequency was highest in Wiltshire (7.3 times the British average), followed by Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire, the Channel Islands and Surrey. It is interesting to note that the area of highest relative frequency corresponds roughly to the ancient Kingdom of Wessex and that the first six counties of highest relative frequency are totally identical with Thomas Hardy's Wessex. Pike may thus with good reason be characterized as a "Wessex name".
Genealogists tracking the surname using DNA analysis have identified 46 "genetically different Pike family lines". The surname has many variations such as Pikes, Pykes, McPike, Picke, Pique along with Speight.
The origins of the name are not entirely clear. Individuals may have adopted the surname based on physical attributes resembling Pike (the fish), an association with Pike (the weapon), or a turnpike (one of the early meanings of which was a turning pike, a horizontal timber that was mounted so as to be able to spin or turn (such turnpikes apparently served as barriers to prevent horses from accessing foot paths, and in other instances to block passage until a toll had been paid). It has also been speculated that the name Pike might be derived in some instances from the word "peak", such as when somebody resided at the peak of a hill (note, for instance, the usage of the word "pike" in the name of Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain).
Albert Pike (1809–1891), American attorney, soldier, writer, and Confederate generalAlfred Pike (1917–2009), Canadian professional ice hockey playerAustin F. Pike (1819–1886), United States senatorBob Pike (surfer) (1940–1999), Australian surferBob Pike (trainer) (born 1947), American business trainer, entrepreneur and authorBronwyn Pike (born 1956), Australian politicianBurton Pike, professor of Comparative LiteratureChris Pike (born 1961), Welsh footballerChristopher Pike (author), pseudonym of Kevin McFadden (born 1954), American writerDave Pike (born 1938), American jazz musicianFrank Pike (soccer), Canadian soccer playerGeoff Pike (born 1958), English footballerGeoffry Morgan Pike (born 1929), Author and CartoonistJames Pike (1913–1969), American Episcopal bishop, Diocese of CaliforniaJames Pike (politician), American congressmanJames Shepherd Pike (1811–1882), journalist criticized for distorting Reconstruction era in South CarolinaIsrael Pike, American baseball playerJennifer Pike (born 1989), British violinistJill Pike (born 1980), American radio personalityJim Pike, American singerJohn Pike (settler) (1613–1688/1689), settler in Newbury, MassachusettsLt. John Pike, University of California Davis police department officer alleged to have used pepper spray on Occupy UC Davis protestersJonathan Pike (born 1949), British architectural painterKenneth L. Pike (1912–2000), American linguist and anthropologistLip Pike (1845–1893), American star of 19th century baseball, 4x home run championLiz Pike (Born 1960), American politician, Republican, in Washington stateDr. Magnus Pike (1908–1992), British scientist and TV personalityMartin Pike (athlete) (1920–1997), British sprinterMartin Pike (English footballer) (born 1964), English footballerMartin Pike (Australian rules footballer) (born 1972), Australian rules footballerMatt Pike (Born 1972) American Guitarist and VocalistMervyn Pike (1918–2004), British politicianNatalie Pike (born 1983), English model, winner of the Miss British Isles Competition in 2004Otis G. Pike (1921–2014), United States Democratic politicianPatrice Pike, American musicianPeter Pike (born 1937), British politician, Member of Parliament (−2005), member of the Labour PartyRandy Pike (1953-2014), American politicianRob Pike (born 1956), Canadian software engineer, worked at Bell Labs as a member of the Unix team, now works for GoogleRobert Pike (settler) (1616–1706), settler in Newbury, MassachusettsRosamund Pike (born 1979), British actressSamuel Pike (c. 1717 – 1773), English ministerTim Pike (born 1969), American musician, Singer with The Soul Band (Boston), Paul Allen and the Underthinkers (Seattle)Theodore Pike (1904–1987), Irish colonial administrator and international rugby union playerThomas Pike (1906–1983), marshal of the Royal Air ForceVictor Pike (1907–1986), Bishop of Sherborne and international rugby union playerWilliam Pike (−1591), Catholic martyrZebulon Pike (1779–1813), American soldier and explorer for whom Pikes Peak is namedPike (Buffyverse character), in the movie version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Luke PerryAsa Pike, in the Children of the Red King novelsCharles Pike, a ground skills teacher on The Ark who is elected chancellor of Arkadia, in season 3 of The 100Christopher Pike (Star Trek)Ernie Pike, in Argentinian comics novel, written by Hector German Oesterheld, drawn by Hugo PrattPrivate Frank Pike, naive young bank clerk and Home Guard private in Dad's Army and It Sticks Out Half a MileJoe Pike, Elvis Cole's partner in a series of private-eye novels by Robert CraisWolfrider, pike-skilled male elf in the comic book Elfquest