NameCensus.

UK surname

Apostol

A surname derived from the Greek word meaning "messenger" or "envoy".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Horsham and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Apostol is 160 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

160

2016, ranked #22,694

Peak year

2016

160 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016, ranked #22,694.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Apostol surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Apostol surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Apostol 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
1997 modern 8 #37,372
1998 modern 8 #37,334
1999 modern 7 #37,513
2000 modern 7 #37,430
2001 modern 8 #37,124
2002 modern 8 #37,206
2003 modern 11 #36,842
2004 modern 18 #36,245
2005 modern 20 #36,165
2006 modern 31 #35,467
2007 modern 37 #35,215
2008 modern 32 #35,610
2009 modern 46 #34,918
2010 modern 60 #34,205
2011 modern 72 #33,323
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 160 #22,694

Geography

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Where Apostols are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Horsham, Camden, Waltham Forest and Peterborough. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 012 Bedford
2 Horsham 006 Horsham
3 Camden 013 Camden
4 Waltham Forest 024 Waltham Forest
5 Peterborough 014 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Apostol

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Apostol

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Apostol, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Apostol surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Apostol household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Apostol is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Apostol is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Apostol falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Apostol 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Apostol

The surname APOSTOL is of Greek origin and can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire, specifically the regions of Thrace, Macedonia, and parts of modern-day Greece and Turkey. It is derived from the Greek word "apostolos," meaning "messenger" or "envoy," which itself is rooted in the ancient Greek verb "apostellein," meaning "to send forth."

Early records suggest that the name APOSTOL was initially used as a descriptive term for individuals who served as messengers, couriers, or envoys in the Byzantine court or ecclesiastical settings. Over time, it became a hereditary surname, passed down through generations.

One of the earliest documented references to the name APOSTOL can be found in the Codex Theodosianus, a collection of ancient Roman laws compiled in the 5th century CE. This codex mentions an individual named "Apostolius" who served as a high-ranking official in the Eastern Roman Empire.

Another significant historical reference is the Menologion of Basil II, a 10th-century Greek manuscript that includes the name "Apostolos" among a list of Byzantine officials and dignitaries.

The earliest recorded bearer of the surname APOSTOL is believed to be Ioannes Apostoles, a Byzantine scholar and mathematician who lived in the 11th century. He is known for his contributions to the study of optics and his work on the study of light refraction.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Theodoros Apostoles served as a high-ranking diplomat and ambassador in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos.

During the Ottoman Empire's rule over the Balkans, several individuals with the surname APOSTOL held influential positions as merchants, scholars, and community leaders. One such figure was Georgios Apostoles, a prominent merchant and benefactor who lived in the 16th century and contributed to the establishment of educational institutions in the region.

In more recent history, Miltos Apostolidis (1923-2005) was a renowned Greek novelist, essayist, and playwright, known for his literary works exploring themes of identity, exile, and the human condition.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Konstantinos Apostolou Doxiadis (1913-1975), a Greek architect and urban planner who contributed significantly to the field of ekistics, the science of human settlements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Apostol surname: questions and answers

How common is the Apostol surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016. That gives Apostol a modern rank of #22,694.

What does the Apostol surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek word meaning "messenger" or "envoy".

What does the Apostol map show?

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