Wilkes is an uncommon English surname and given name, derived from the English place name Wilkes meaning "from Wilkes, a place in Herefordshire." It has been used as both a first name and last name throughout history, but it's more commonly encountered as a surname. In some cases, Wilkes may also have Scottish origins, being an anglicized form of the Gaelic MacGille Easbuig, which means "son of the servant of Eusebius." The name has been popular among various notable figures in politics, literature, and arts, including American politician David Davis Wilkes and British author Daniel Defoe whose full name was Daniel Foe or Daniel Wilkes.
"Wilkes experienced a notable upsurge in popularity post-2016, with a peak of 30 births in 2018, and consistently high numbers until 2023."