NameCensus.

UK surname

Apthorpe

A locational surname derived from a place named Apethorp in Northamptonshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Apthorpe surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 85, ranked #32,637, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Sheffield and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Apthorpe is 181 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.8%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

85

2016, ranked #32,637

Peak year

1901

181 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 1998

Key insights

  • Apthorpe had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016, ranked #32,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Apthorpe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Apthorpe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Apthorpe 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 90 #31,790
2013 modern 92 #31,909
2014 modern 87 #32,585
2015 modern 85 #32,693
2016 modern 85 #32,637

Geography

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Where Apthorpes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Potton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Sheffield, East Lindsey, Breckland and East Northamptonshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Potton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 036 Shropshire
2 Sheffield 064 Sheffield
3 East Lindsey 010 East Lindsey
4 Breckland 011 Breckland
5 East Northamptonshire 001 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Apthorpe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Apthorpe

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Apthorpe is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Apthorpe is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Apthorpe falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Apthorpe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Apthorpe

The surname APTHORPE is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Northamptonshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "aeppel" (apple) and "thorpe" (village or hamlet), suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a village or settlement where apple orchards were prominent.

The earliest known recorded instances of the name APTHORPE can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Northamptonshire, a census-like document compiled in 1273, which lists individuals with the surname APTHORPE residing in the village of Apthorp (now known as Apethorpe).

In the 15th century, the APTHORPE family gained prominence in Northamptonshire, with several members holding positions of influence and power. Sir John APTHORPE (c. 1455-1529) was a respected landowner and member of the gentry, serving as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another notable figure was Sir William APTHORPE (c. 1600-1675), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London. He played a significant role in the East India Company and was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his contributions.

During the English Civil War, Captain Richard APTHORPE (c. 1620-1680) was a Royalist officer who fought alongside King Charles I's forces. After the war, he was granted lands in Ireland as part of the Settlement of Ireland.

In the 18th century, the APTHORPE family continued to hold influential positions, with Sir East APTHORPE (1713-1781) serving as a Member of Parliament for Grantham and later becoming Lord Mayor of London in 1767.

The surname APTHORPE also has connections to the United States, with John APTHORPE (1744-1809) being a prominent merchant and landowner in Massachusetts during the American Revolutionary War era. He was a loyalist to the British Crown and was forced to flee to England during the conflict.

While the name APTHORPE is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames, with its origins rooted in the medieval villages of Northamptonshire and a history that spans centuries of notable individuals and events.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Apthorpe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Apthorpe 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 43 Apthorpes recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.35x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 43 47.35x
Middlesex 27 1.88x
Surrey 23 3.29x
Bedfordshire 12 16.16x
Kent 8 1.64x
Berkshire 7 6.50x
Midlothian 7 3.64x
Lancashire 5 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 4 14.05x
Sussex 4 1.65x
Hampshire 3 1.02x
Derbyshire 1 0.45x
Essex 1 0.35x
Monmouthshire 1 0.96x
Royal Navy 1 5.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 20 Apthorpes recorded in 1881 and an index of 192.68x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 20 192.68x
Lambeth 14 11.20x
Potton 9 909.09x
Chesterton 8 285.71x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 9.06x
Kensington London 7 8.78x
Sonning 7 588.24x
Wandsworth 7 50.72x
St Giles In Fields London 6 85.35x
Lytham 5 192.31x
Tottenham 5 21.89x
Broadwater 4 72.07x
Caxton 4 1428.57x
Fletton 4 439.56x
Lee 4 56.34x
St Giles Cambridge 4 341.88x
Islington London 3 2.16x
Sutton Valence 3 535.71x
Aldershot 2 20.33x
Bedford St Paul 2 39.29x
St Botolph Cambridge 2 869.57x
St Marylebone London 2 2.61x
St Pancras London 2 1.73x
All Saints Cambridge 1 156.25x
Barking 1 12.08x
Boxley 1 133.33x
Clapham 1 5.58x
Derby St Werburgh 1 7.72x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 101.01x
Hornsey 1 5.52x
Meldreth 1 285.71x
Northill 1 144.93x
Panteg 1 61.35x
Royal Navy 1 6.84x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 52.63x
Ventnor 1 35.71x
Waterbeach 1 135.14x
West Wratting 1 344.83x
Wimbledon 1 12.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Eliza 6
Elizabeth 6
Alice 4
Caroline 4
Emma 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Edith 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Carry 1
Cecil 1
Clara 1
Emily 1
Fany 1
Francis 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Apthorpe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Apthorpe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Apthorpe surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Apthorpe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016. That gives Apthorpe a modern rank of #32,637.

What does the Apthorpe surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place named Apethorp in Northamptonshire, England.

What does the Apthorpe map show?

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