NameCensus.

UK surname

Asplen

An English place surname derived from the village of Asplen or Aspland.

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Asplen surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 94, ranked #31,871, down from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girton, Wilsford and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cambridge, Torbay and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Asplen is 124 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.2%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

94

2016, ranked #31,871

Peak year

1911

124 bearers

Map years

2

1891 to 1911

Key insights

  • Asplen had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016, ranked #31,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 124 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Asplen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Asplen surname density by area, 1911 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Asplen 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 85 #24,636
1911 historical 124 #20,023
1997 modern 92 #28,079
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 98 #27,988
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 92 #29,576
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 94 #30,538
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 94 #31,871

Geography

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Where Asplens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Girton, Wilsford, London parishes, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cambridge, Torbay and Fenland. 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 Girton Cambridgeshire
2 Wilsford Lincolnshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cambridge 001 Cambridge
2 Cambridge 006 Cambridge
3 Torbay 001 Torbay
4 Fenland 006 Fenland
5 Torbay 005 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Asplen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Asplen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Asplen, 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 Asplen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Asplen 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Asplen is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Asplen is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Asplen 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 Asplen 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 Asplen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Asplen

The surname Asplen is believed to have its origins in England, dating back to early medieval times. The name likely originated from Old English words or terms related to specific geographic or topographic features. One plausible source is the combination of "æspe" meaning "aspen tree" and "leah" or "ley," meaning "wood" or "clearing." As such, the surname Asplen could indicate a person who lived near an aspen wood or clearing.

The name may be connected historically to areas in England where aspen trees were prevalent, such as parts of Norfolk or Suffolk, known for their woodland landscapes. Early records show variations in spelling, typical of the time when standardized spelling was non-existent, leading to forms such as Aspley, Asplin, and Aspling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, where lands were often described by their landscape features, hinting at the possible existence of early variants of Asplen. Medieval manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries also mention landowners or tenants with similar surnames.

In 1379, the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire listed a Richard Asplin, showing that the surname had already been in use and recorded in legal documents. Another historical figure is Henry Asplen, a landowner in the 16th century who appeared in records of land disputes in Norfolk around 1550.

Thomas Asplen, born in 1622, was a notable individual who served as a local alderman and was documented in several parish records from Suffolk. His gravestone, found in a churchyard in Bury St Edmunds, is one of the earliest physical remnants of the surname.

By the 18th century, the Asplen name appeared in various counties, and one prominent figure was John Asplen, born in 1745, who was noted for his contributions to agricultural practices in Derbyshire. His writings and innovations in farming methods are still referenced in local historical accounts.

In the late 19th century, Edward Asplen, born in 1823, made a name for himself as an industrialist in Birmingham. He spearheaded advancements in metallurgy and his efforts significantly contributed to the Industrial Revolution. Edward's family history remains documented in Birmingham's industrial archives, showcasing the surname's presence and influence over centuries.

The history of the surname Asplen is a testament to the movement and evolution of families across England, each adaptation of the name reflecting the linguistic and social changes of their times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Asplen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Asplen 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 56 Asplens recorded in 1881 and an index of 133.33x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 56 133.33x
Lincolnshire 8 7.55x
Kent 1 0.44x
Lancashire 1 0.13x
Middlesex 1 0.15x
Surrey 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Girton in Cambridgeshire leads with 17 Asplens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15454.55x.

Place Total Index
Girton 17 15454.55x
St Andrewthe Less 12 250.00x
Kelby 8 40000.00x
March 6 425.53x
Over 5 2000.00x
Chesterton 4 307.69x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 4 869.57x
All Saints Cambridge 2 666.67x
Foxton 2 2000.00x
Haslingfield 2 1176.47x
Milton 2 1538.46x
Beckenham 1 33.78x
Lambeth 1 1.73x
Lower Booths 1 70.92x
St Pancras London 1 1.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 7
Charles 4
George 4
William 3
Arthur 2
Young 2
Fred 1
Harry 1
James 1
Jasper 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Urban 1
Walter 1
Wm.John 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 Asplen households.

FAQ

Asplen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Asplen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Asplen surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Asplen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016. That gives Asplen a modern rank of #31,871.

What does the Asplen surname mean?

An English place surname derived from the village of Asplen or Aspland.

What does the Asplen map show?

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