NameCensus.

UK surname

Aspin

A locational surname referring to someone from Aspen, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,214 people recorded with the Aspin surname, ranking it #3,329 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,193, ranked #4,993, down from #3,329 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bolton-le-Moors and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aspin is 1,610 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.7%.

1881 census count

1,214

Ranked #3,329

Modern count

1,193

2016, ranked #4,993

Peak year

1911

1,610 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aspin had 1,214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,329 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,193 in 2016, ranked #4,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,610 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Aspin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aspin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Aspin 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 503 #4,971
1861 historical 655 #4,093
1881 historical 1,214 #3,329
1891 historical 1,315 #3,302
1901 historical 1,547 #3,331
1911 historical 1,610 #3,017
1997 modern 1,254 #4,542
1998 modern 1,298 #4,571
1999 modern 1,330 #4,499
2000 modern 1,306 #4,555
2001 modern 1,278 #4,551
2002 modern 1,302 #4,561
2003 modern 1,214 #4,759
2004 modern 1,220 #4,746
2005 modern 1,173 #4,852
2006 modern 1,186 #4,821
2007 modern 1,177 #4,895
2008 modern 1,181 #4,894
2009 modern 1,217 #4,885
2010 modern 1,248 #4,884
2011 modern 1,201 #4,972
2012 modern 1,167 #5,025
2013 modern 1,220 #4,924
2014 modern 1,212 #4,972
2015 modern 1,190 #5,008
2016 modern 1,193 #4,993

Geography

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Where Aspins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bolton-le-Moors, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 011 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Blackburn with Darwen 010 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Blackburn with Darwen 001 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Aspin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Aspin

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Aspin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Aspin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Aspin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Aspin is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Aspin falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Aspin

The surname Aspin is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "æspen" or "æsprinc," which referred to an aspen tree or a small brook. This suggests that the name likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near an aspen grove or a small stream.

The earliest known record of the Aspin surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1176, where it is spelled "Aspinne." This document was a record of financial transactions and accounts kept by the English Exchequer. Additionally, the name appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Wiltshire in 1207 as "Aspene."

In the 13th century, the Aspin surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire. This is evidenced by the appearance of the name in various medieval records from these regions, including the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1246, where it is spelled "Aspin."

One of the earliest notable figures with the Aspin surname was Sir John Aspin, a 14th-century English landowner and knight from Yorkshire. He was born around 1320 and served as a member of Parliament for Yorkshire in 1355.

Another historical figure bearing the Aspin name was Thomas Aspin, a 16th-century English clergyman and theologian. Born in Lancashire around 1520, he was a prominent figure during the English Reformation and served as the rector of Hutton Cranswick in Yorkshire from 1558 until his death in 1594.

The Aspin surname can also be found in various place names throughout England, such as Aspin Hill in Derbyshire and Aspin Close in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, suggesting that the name was well-established in certain regions.

Other notable individuals with the Aspin surname include:

1. William Aspin (1721-1784), an English clergyman and author from Yorkshire. 2. John Aspin (1775-1828), an English engraver and artist known for his portraits and landscapes. 3. Elizabeth Aspin (1825-1897), an English novelist and writer from Lancashire. 4. George Aspin (1842-1917), an English industrialist and businessman from Yorkshire who founded the Aspin Textile Mills. 5. Arthur Aspin (1859-1945), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Aspin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aspin 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. Lancashire leads with 962 Aspins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.89x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 962 6.89x
Yorkshire 109 0.94x
Surrey 40 0.70x
Cheshire 27 1.04x
Northumberland 17 0.97x
Kent 16 0.40x
Derbyshire 8 0.43x
Norfolk 7 0.39x
Durham 5 0.14x
Essex 5 0.22x
Middlesex 3 0.03x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.71x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 401 Aspins recorded in 1881 and an index of 107.97x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 401 107.97x
Lower Darwen 59 322.05x
Tockholes 34 1708.54x
Accrington 27 21.27x
Over Darwen 26 23.32x
Higher Booths 25 99.36x
Clayton Le Moors 21 77.52x
Halifax 21 12.27x
Kirkham 21 113.76x
Leeds 21 3.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 19 6.23x
Burnley 19 16.16x
Livesey 19 77.55x
Rishton 19 116.07x
Bury 17 10.66x
Kingston On Thames 16 11.62x
Salford 16 3.90x
Church 13 65.96x
Battersea 12 2.77x
Castleton 12 8.61x
Great Bolton 12 6.49x
Oswaldtwistle 12 24.33x
Huncoat 11 293.33x
Little Bolton 11 6.13x
Blatchinworth 10 31.46x
Chadderton 10 14.65x
Preston 10 2.68x
Ryhill Camerton 10 900.90x
Chester St Oswald 9 19.14x
Clitheroe 9 21.90x
Longhurst 9 265.49x
Doncaster 8 9.39x
Habergham Eaves 8 6.27x
Liversedge 8 15.41x
Morpeth 8 38.87x
Musbury 8 196.08x
Whalley 8 39.33x
Willesborough 8 74.14x
Beard 7 116.86x
Birtle Cum Bamford 7 76.84x
Camberwell 7 0.93x
Crayford 7 39.93x
Worsbrough 7 20.49x
Bradford 6 2.13x
Darcy Lever 6 74.63x
Edgeworth 6 80.00x
Liverpool 6 0.71x
Padiham 6 17.79x
Radcliffe 6 8.92x
Macclesfield 5 4.33x
Methwold 5 85.47x
Stockport 5 3.74x
Tottington Higher End 5 31.47x
West Ham 5 0.98x
Westoe 5 2.52x
Witton 5 28.47x
Yate Pickup Bank 5 180.51x
Great Crosby 4 10.51x
Samlesbury 4 130.29x
Scarborough 4 3.78x
Thornton In Bradford 4 10.31x
Worsley 4 4.65x
Bramhall 3 27.88x
Gate Fulford 3 11.02x
Hoghton 3 85.23x
Middle Hulton 3 36.28x
Oldham 3 0.67x
Scotforth 3 33.08x
Torkington 3 306.12x
Tottington Lower End 3 4.52x
Broughton In Salford 2 1.57x
Caterham 2 7.89x
Eccleston In Prescot 2 2.85x
Gildersome 2 14.28x
Heap 2 2.70x
Keighley 2 1.61x
Knutsford Nether 2 12.74x
Saddleworth 2 2.22x
Sculcoates 2 1.08x
Sharples 2 13.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 100
Elizabeth 52
Alice 43
Margaret 42
Jane 38
Sarah 32
Ellen 30
Ann 26
Nancy 17
Betty 13
Agnes 10
Betsy 10
Martha 10
Isabella 9
Catherine 7
Hannah 7
Eliza 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Annie 5
Emily 5
Esther 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Bertha 4
Elizth. 4
Janet 4
Louisa 4
Margt. 4
Anne 3
Clara 3
Deborah 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Henrietta 3
Rachel 3
Rose 3
Beatrice 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth.Ann 2
Florence 2
Jesse 2
Margret 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Selina 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 92
William 64
James 61
Thomas 51
Henry 29
Richard 25
Robert 23
George 18
Joseph 18
Edward 12
Benjamin 11
Alfred 10
Samuel 10
Ralph 9
Wm. 9
Albert 7
Peter 6
Thos. 6
Walter 6
Charles 5
Jas. 4
Richd. 4
Alexander 3
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Lewis 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Hugh 2
Levi 2
Louis 2
Roger 2
Tom 2
Wilfred 2
Antipas 1
Betsy 1
Charlie 1
Enoch 1
Fernandez 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Jas.Edwd. 1
Jeramiah 1
Jim 1
Yates 1

FAQ

Aspin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aspin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,214 people were recorded with the Aspin surname. That placed it at #3,329 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Aspin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,193 in 2016. That gives Aspin a modern rank of #4,993.

What does the Aspin surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Aspen, England.

What does the Aspin map show?

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