NameCensus.

UK surname

Ashpole

A toponymic surname derived from Ashpool in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Ashpole surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 233, ranked #17,625, down from #14,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hail Weston, Kempston and Bedford St Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ashpole is 283 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.3%.

1881 census count

171

Ranked #14,212

Modern count

233

2016, ranked #17,625

Peak year

1911

283 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ashpole had 171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016, ranked #17,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 283 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ashpole surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ashpole surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ashpole 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 120 #15,144
1861 historical 116 #18,751
1881 historical 171 #14,212
1891 historical 189 #15,547
1901 historical 255 #12,965
1911 historical 283 #11,883
1997 modern 247 #15,399
1998 modern 251 #15,631
1999 modern 252 #15,707
2000 modern 253 #15,623
2001 modern 250 #15,527
2002 modern 263 #15,277
2003 modern 251 #15,563
2004 modern 235 #16,379
2005 modern 244 #15,900
2006 modern 236 #16,384
2007 modern 233 #16,752
2008 modern 230 #17,033
2009 modern 229 #17,431
2010 modern 231 #17,711
2011 modern 237 #17,235
2012 modern 221 #17,979
2013 modern 227 #17,922
2014 modern 230 #17,872
2015 modern 224 #18,117
2016 modern 233 #17,625

Geography

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Where Ashpoles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hail Weston, Kempston, Bedford St Paul, St Matthew Bethnal Green and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford. 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 Hail Weston Huntingdonshire
2 Kempston Bedfordshire
3 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 020 Bedford
2 Bedford 002 Bedford
3 Bedford 003 Bedford
4 Bedford 004 Bedford
5 Bedford 007 Bedford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ashpole

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ashpole

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Ashpole is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ashpole is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ashpole falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ashpole

The surname Ashpole is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "æsc" meaning ash tree and "pol" meaning pool or stream, suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived near an ash tree pool or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ashpole can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a John de Ashepole. This indicates that the name was present in the East of England during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in several variations, such as Ashpoole, Ashepole, and Asshepole, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spelling at the time. The Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327 list a Robert Ashepole, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 include an entry for a Johannes Asshepole.

During the Tudor period, the name Ashpole was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire and Norfolk. The parish registers of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, contain numerous entries for the Ashpole family, with notable individuals including William Ashpole (born 1543) and his son, also named William Ashpole (born 1578).

In the 17th century, the name Ashpole appeared to have gained a presence in the city of London. The Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662 list a Thomas Ashpole as a resident of St. Giles Cripplegate, while the Vestry Books of St. Martin-in-the-Fields mention a Martha Ashpole who was buried in 1676.

One of the more notable figures bearing the surname Ashpole was Sir Edward Ashpole (1621-1691), a wealthy merchant and member of the East India Company. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1679 and was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his contributions to the city.

Another individual of note was Reverend Richard Ashpole (1655-1732), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Stifford in Essex and was a prolific author, publishing several works on theology and religious education.

As the centuries progressed, the Ashpole name continued to be found in various parts of England, with individuals such as John Ashpole (1745-1818), a prominent farmer and landowner in Leicestershire, and Mary Ashpole (1789-1864), a renowned textile artist from Warwickshire, leaving their mark on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ashpole families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ashpole 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 63 Ashpoles recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 63 3.78x
Bedfordshire 59 68.32x
Huntingdonshire 16 48.31x
Yorkshire 10 0.61x
Essex 9 2.73x
Durham 4 0.81x
Hertfordshire 4 3.48x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.89x
Hampshire 1 0.29x
Leicestershire 1 0.54x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kempston in Bedfordshire leads with 31 Ashpoles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1581.63x.

Place Total Index
Kempston 31 1581.63x
Bethnal Green London 21 28.99x
Little Paxton 10 6250.00x
Bedford St Paul 9 152.03x
Felmersham 9 3214.29x
West Ham 9 12.38x
Shoreditch London 7 9.68x
St Pancras London 7 5.21x
Islington London 6 3.71x
Kensington London 6 6.47x
Rievaulx 5 3846.15x
Bow London 4 18.84x
Totteridge 4 1111.11x
Westerton 4 1538.46x
Hackney London 3 3.21x
Hail Weston 3 1500.00x
New Malton 3 151.52x
Dry Drayton 2 952.38x
Greenford 2 645.16x
Harrold 2 344.83x
Luton 2 13.38x
Pavenham 2 800.00x
St George Hanover Square 2 6.81x
St Neots 2 111.11x
Tilbrook 2 909.09x
Aldershot 1 8.73x
Bedford St Mary 1 45.05x
Coventry St Michael 1 7.40x
Finchley 1 15.65x
Hanwell 1 33.78x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.22x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.82x
Pockley 1 909.09x
Scawton 1 1250.00x
Southoe 1 625.00x
St George In East London 1 6.37x
St Marylebone London 1 1.12x
Wootton 1 133.33x
Worcester St Peter 1 24.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Ada 2
Bertha 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Kitty 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Belinda 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Ester 1
Flora 1
Florry 1
George 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucey 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marthe 1
Maude 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
S.A. 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Sussannah 1
Violet 1
W. 1
William 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 12
George 11
James 6
Arthur 4
Alfred 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Fredk. 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Thomas 2
Alfd. 1
Benjamin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Peter 1
Thos. 1
Wiliam 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ashpole surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ashpole surname in 1881?

In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Ashpole surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ashpole surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016. That gives Ashpole a modern rank of #17,625.

What does the Ashpole surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from Ashpool in Lancashire, England.

What does the Ashpole map show?

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