NameCensus.

UK surname

Apple

An English surname likely referring to a person who grew or sold apples, or lived near an apple orchard.

In the 1881 census there were 44 people recorded with the Apple surname, ranking it #27,447 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #27,447 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waltham Forest, Bradford and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Apple is 115 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 161.4%.

1881 census count

44

Ranked #27,447

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2016

115 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Apple had 44 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,447 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Apple surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Apple surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Apple 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 17 #30,267
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 44 #27,447
1891 historical 50 #30,253
1901 historical 50 #28,590
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 38 #33,872
1998 modern 43 #33,557
1999 modern 45 #33,511
2000 modern 45 #33,526
2001 modern 47 #33,219
2002 modern 46 #33,631
2003 modern 44 #33,875
2004 modern 40 #34,387
2005 modern 41 #34,478
2006 modern 49 #34,152
2007 modern 50 #34,347
2008 modern 55 #34,165
2009 modern 56 #34,278
2010 modern 57 #34,421
2011 modern 56 #34,450
2012 modern 68 #33,763
2013 modern 80 #33,058
2014 modern 93 #32,025
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Apples 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 Waltham Forest, Bradford, Cornwall, Watford and Ealing. 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 Waltham Forest 020 Waltham Forest
2 Bradford 031 Bradford
3 Cornwall 072 Cornwall
4 Watford 008 Watford
5 Ealing 025 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Apple

These lists show first names that appear often with the Apple 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 Apple

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Apple surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Apple 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Apple is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Apple 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

Apple falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Apple 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 Apple, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Apple

The surname Apple is of English origin and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "æppel," which referred to the fruit of the apple tree. This name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who lived near an apple orchard or was associated with the cultivation or sale of apples.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Apple can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Appeldor," which translates to "apple tree." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman period.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Appel," "Appulle," and "Apelby." These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period.

Historically, the Apple surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including:

1. Thomas Appele (c. 1370-1437), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1420 to 1424.

2. John Apple (c. 1500-1570), an English merchant and trader who is mentioned in the records of the Merchant Adventurers' Company of York.

3. William Apple (1585-1661), an English settler in Virginia who is considered one of the earliest colonists of the Virginia Colony.

4. Jonathan Apple (1669-1745), an American farmer and landowner from Massachusetts who was one of the earliest settlers in the town of Ipswich.

5. Johann Georg Apple (1717-1801), a German-American farmer and pioneer who settled in Pennsylvania and is credited with introducing the apple variety known as the "Apple Pie" or "Pennsylvania Apple Pie."

The Apple surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Appledore in Devon and Appleton in Cheshire, which further reinforces its connection to the cultivation and trade of apples in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Apple families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Apple 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. Middlesex leads with 18 Apples recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 18 4.29x
Hampshire 11 12.80x
Warwickshire 9 8.51x
Yorkshire 2 0.48x
Derbyshire 1 1.52x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.77x
Surrey 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carisbrooke in Hampshire leads with 11 Apples recorded in 1881 and an index of 924.37x.

Place Total Index
Carisbrooke 11 924.37x
Birmingham 9 25.55x
Whitechapel London 7 169.49x
Poplar London 3 37.93x
St George In East London 3 76.14x
Bromley London 1 10.85x
Godalming 1 77.52x
Hampstead London 1 15.31x
Leeds 1 4.26x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 135.14x
Spitalfields London 1 31.75x
Tottenham 1 14.97x
Whitwell 1 384.62x
Willesden 1 25.32x
Worksop 1 59.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 2
Jacob 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Colman 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Hann 1
Josph. 1
Marcus 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
William 1
Woolf 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Apple households.

FAQ

Apple surname: questions and answers

How common was the Apple surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44 people were recorded with the Apple surname. That placed it at #27,447 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Apple surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Apple a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Apple surname mean?

An English surname likely referring to a person who grew or sold apples, or lived near an apple orchard.

What does the Apple map show?

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