NameCensus.

UK surname

Alsop

A surname derived from the Old English words "ald" (old) and "sopp" (muddy place), likely referring to someone living near a muddy old area.

In the 1881 census there were 1,342 people recorded with the Alsop surname, ranking it #3,052 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,515, ranked #4,086, down from #3,052 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Glossop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, East Cambridgeshire and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alsop is 1,585 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

1,342

Ranked #3,052

Modern count

1,515

2016, ranked #4,086

Peak year

1998

1,585 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alsop had 1,342 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,052 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,515 in 2016, ranked #4,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,550 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Alsop surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alsop surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alsop 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 1,550 #1,849
1861 historical 1,285 #2,215
1881 historical 1,342 #3,052
1891 historical 1,266 #3,411
1901 historical 1,335 #3,749
1911 historical 1,411 #3,420
1997 modern 1,541 #3,821
1998 modern 1,585 #3,866
1999 modern 1,576 #3,915
2000 modern 1,567 #3,915
2001 modern 1,536 #3,910
2002 modern 1,570 #3,924
2003 modern 1,519 #3,956
2004 modern 1,503 #3,987
2005 modern 1,445 #4,080
2006 modern 1,479 #4,019
2007 modern 1,443 #4,133
2008 modern 1,454 #4,125
2009 modern 1,458 #4,205
2010 modern 1,508 #4,170
2011 modern 1,525 #4,097
2012 modern 1,518 #4,042
2013 modern 1,528 #4,088
2014 modern 1,529 #4,107
2015 modern 1,527 #4,072
2016 modern 1,515 #4,086

Geography

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Where Alsops are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Glossop and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, East Cambridgeshire, Kirklees and Bolsover. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Glossop Derbyshire
4 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon
2 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
3 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
4 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
5 Kirklees 056 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alsop

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alsop

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Alsop is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alsop is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Alsop falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Alsop is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Alsop

The surname Alsop is of English origin, derived from a small village located in the East Midlands region known as Alsop en le Dale. The name can be traced back to the 13th century and is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ælf" meaning "elf" and "hop" meaning "remote valley or enclosed place."

Alsop en le Dale is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Elleshope," suggesting that the name was initially associated with a specific location. The spelling variations throughout history include Allsopp, Allsop, Allsoppe, and Allshopp, reflecting the evolution of the English language over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Alsop dates back to 1275 when a William de Alsop was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire. Another early record from 1327 mentions a John de Alsop in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Alsop was Vincent Alsop (1630-1703), an English Presbyterian minister and religious writer. He was born in Derbyshire and is known for his work "Antisozzo," a treatise against the Socinian heresy.

Another prominent individual with the surname Alsop was Richard Alsop (1761-1815), an American author, translator, and merchant from Middletown, Connecticut. He was a member of the Connecticut Wits group and is best known for his satirical writings and translations of French literature.

In the field of science, Joseph Alsop (1910-1989) was an American ornithologist and conservationist who made significant contributions to the study of birds and their habitats. He founded the Audubon Camp on Hog Island in Maine, which played a crucial role in promoting environmental education and conservation efforts.

Mary Alsop King Waddington (1832-1923), an American author and socialite, was also a notable figure with the Alsop surname. She was born in New York and is known for her memoirs and writings about high society life in Europe during the 19th century.

Joseph Alsop (1910-1989), an influential American journalist and political commentator, is another prominent individual with the surname Alsop. He co-founded the influential newsletter "The Alsop Review" and was widely respected for his insights on foreign policy and international affairs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alsop families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alsop 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 148 Alsops recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.15x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 148 1.15x
Lancashire 139 0.90x
Derbyshire 135 6.62x
Warwickshire 121 3.68x
Gloucestershire 119 4.66x
Nottinghamshire 100 5.70x
Middlesex 93 0.71x
Staffordshire 77 1.75x
Devon 47 1.73x
Somerset 33 1.57x
Cambridgeshire 31 3.76x
Cheshire 30 1.04x
Shropshire 30 2.67x
Durham 24 0.62x
Surrey 21 0.33x
Northamptonshire 18 1.47x
Leicestershire 16 1.11x
Essex 15 0.58x
Wiltshire 15 1.30x
Aberdeenshire 14 1.16x
Lincolnshire 12 0.58x
Cornwall 10 0.68x
Glamorgan 10 0.44x
Northumberland 10 0.52x
Dunbartonshire 9 2.57x
Kent 9 0.20x
Monmouthshire 9 0.96x
Suffolk 9 0.57x
Cumberland 7 0.62x
Worcestershire 7 0.41x
Berkshire 4 0.41x
Hampshire 2 0.07x
Oxfordshire 2 0.25x
Banffshire 1 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.13x
Denbighshire 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.39x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Perthshire 1 0.17x
Sussex 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hucknall Under in Nottinghamshire leads with 58 Alsops recorded in 1881 and an index of 640.88x.

Place Total Index
Hucknall Under 58 640.88x
Napton On Hill 58 1468.35x
Bonsall 25 413.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 23 9.56x
Polesworth 23 147.53x
Leamington Priors 21 25.99x
Bristol St George 17 14.39x
Burbage 15 198.94x
Clifton 15 11.62x
Haddenham 15 193.30x
Wirksworth 15 80.91x
Ashton Under Lyne 14 4.15x
Islington London 14 1.11x
St Benedict Cambridge 14 301.08x
Wooldale 14 63.96x
Inverurie 13 95.31x
Bristol St Paul In 12 17.64x
Darley 12 145.63x
Liverpool 12 1.28x
Paddington London 12 2.51x
Cheddar 11 104.27x
Church Preen 11 2115.38x
Iron Acton 11 213.18x
West Ham 11 1.94x
Arkengarthdale 10 223.21x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 4.07x
Crook Billy Row 10 20.16x
Gilling 10 257.73x
Mansfield 10 16.46x
Nottingham St Mary 10 2.20x
Preston 10 2.42x
St Pancras London 10 0.95x
Ardwick 9 6.46x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 9 67.11x
Gt Hanwood 9 625.00x
Lea Cleverton 9 439.02x
Madron Penzance 9 16.79x
Brampton 8 28.07x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 18.88x
Darlaston 8 13.17x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 3.05x
Llangynwyd Higher 8 73.46x
Marrick 8 583.94x
Nether Hallam 8 4.58x
Pinxton 8 77.22x
Poughill 8 689.66x
St George Hanover Square 8 3.49x
Stretford 8 9.41x
Walsall Foreign 8 3.52x
Austonley 7 95.76x
Birmingham 7 0.64x
Chelsea London 7 1.78x
Chesterfield 7 9.16x
Chipping Sodbury 7 147.06x
Cockfield 7 129.63x
Droylsden 7 13.89x
Duston 7 62.95x
Glossop Dale 7 7.33x
Hackney London 7 0.96x
Harthill Cum Woodall 7 141.70x
Heaton Norris 7 7.96x
Idle 7 11.70x
Kensington London 7 0.97x
Manchester 7 1.01x
New Kilpatrick 7 21.03x
Oxton 7 43.05x
Peterborough 7 7.89x
Salford 7 1.54x
Saxelby With Ingleby 7 131.83x
Snenton 7 10.15x
St Marylebone London 7 1.01x
Thornbury 7 40.09x
Werneth 7 77.78x
West Derby 7 1.55x
Westerleigh 7 122.16x
Alsop Le Dale 6 2307.69x
Cartworth 6 56.23x
Draycott In Moors 6 331.49x
Hulme 6 1.86x
Marple 6 30.41x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 89
William 74
George 51
Thomas 44
James 34
Charles 33
Henry 26
Joseph 23
Edward 17
Robert 16
Alfred 15
Arthur 13
Samuel 12
Frederick 9
Fred 7
Richard 7
Edwin 6
Francis 6
Harry 6
Matthew 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Wm. 5
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Benjamin 3
Christopher 3
Mark 3
Anthony 2
David 2
Dennis 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Joe 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Luke 2
Oliver 2
Percy 2
Pryce 2
Sam 2
Solomon 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Uriah 2
Wm.Hy. 2
Fredk. 1

FAQ

Alsop surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alsop surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,342 people were recorded with the Alsop surname. That placed it at #3,052 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alsop surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,515 in 2016. That gives Alsop a modern rank of #4,086.

What does the Alsop surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English words "ald" (old) and "sopp" (muddy place), likely referring to someone living near a muddy old area.

What does the Alsop map show?

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