NameCensus.

UK surname

Asprey

An English locational surname derived from a place in Bedfordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 267 people recorded with the Asprey surname, ranking it #10,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 460, ranked #10,657, down from #10,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Mitcham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Asprey is 469 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.3%.

1881 census count

267

Ranked #10,573

Modern count

460

2016, ranked #10,657

Peak year

2013

469 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Asprey had 267 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 460 in 2016, ranked #10,657.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 357 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Asprey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Asprey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Asprey 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 130 #14,314
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 267 #10,573
1891 historical 309 #10,848
1901 historical 350 #10,439
1911 historical 357 #10,132
1997 modern 438 #10,282
1998 modern 429 #10,795
1999 modern 453 #10,400
2000 modern 465 #10,175
2001 modern 456 #10,136
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 448 #10,325
2004 modern 448 #10,355
2005 modern 434 #10,502
2006 modern 452 #10,204
2007 modern 459 #10,177
2008 modern 461 #10,235
2009 modern 456 #10,558
2010 modern 464 #10,633
2011 modern 459 #10,607
2012 modern 463 #10,457
2013 modern 469 #10,492
2014 modern 466 #10,608
2015 modern 464 #10,586
2016 modern 460 #10,657

Geography

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Where Aspreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Mitcham, London parishes and Wimbledon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby and Wolverhampton. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Mitcham Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Wimbledon Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 010 Selby
2 Wolverhampton 023 Wolverhampton
3 Wolverhampton 022 Wolverhampton
4 Wolverhampton 027 Wolverhampton
5 Wolverhampton 005 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Asprey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Asprey

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Asprey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Asprey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Asprey is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Asprey is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Asprey 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 Asprey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Asprey

The surname Asprey has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "æsc" meaning ash tree and "pray" meaning meadow or enclosure, suggesting that the name was originally a locational surname referring to someone who resided near an ash tree meadow or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Asprey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Aespreie" in reference to a landholder in Derbyshire. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

During the 13th century, the name Asprey emerged in various forms, including "Aspreie," "Asprey," and "Asprai," as documented in various records and manuscripts from counties such as Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire.

Notably, the name Asprey has been associated with several historical figures throughout the centuries. One such individual was Sir Richard Asprey (1530-1591), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1589.

Another notable bearer of the Asprey surname was John Asprey (1675-1743), a renowned English clockmaker and watchmaker who established the Asprey & Co. luxury goods company in London in 1781. This company has since become renowned for its exquisite jewelry, silverware, and other luxury items.

In the 18th century, the Asprey family had a significant presence in the village of Twyford, Derbyshire, where they owned several estates and played a prominent role in the local community. One member of this family was William Asprey (1721-1798), a successful landowner and businessman.

Moving into the 19th century, notable individuals with the Asprey surname include Charles Asprey (1810-1876), a respected English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, and Sir John Asprey (1845-1923), a distinguished British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Russia from 1905 to 1910.

Throughout its history, the surname Asprey has maintained a strong connection to its English roots, with many bearers of the name contributing to various fields, including business, politics, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Asprey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Asprey 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 54 Aspreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 54 1.75x
Surrey 44 3.47x
Staffordshire 42 4.78x
Middlesex 29 1.11x
Cheshire 21 3.65x
Yorkshire 11 0.43x
Hampshire 10 1.87x
Kent 10 1.13x
Worcestershire 10 2.94x
Warwickshire 7 1.07x
Glamorgan 6 1.32x
Derbyshire 5 1.23x
Berkshire 3 1.53x
Flintshire 3 4.29x
Shropshire 3 1.33x
Essex 2 0.39x
Herefordshire 2 1.87x
Somerset 2 0.48x
Denbighshire 1 1.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 21 Aspreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.07x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 21 31.07x
Lymm 13 311.00x
West Bromwich 13 25.83x
Wimbledon 12 84.21x
Manchester 11 7.91x
Worsley 9 47.24x
Chadderton 7 46.33x
Tooting Graveney 7 198.30x
Hammersmith London 6 9.35x
Hulme 6 9.30x
Over Darwen 6 24.31x
Penge 6 36.06x
Putney 6 50.55x
Sheffield 6 7.30x
Wednesfield 6 46.37x
Almondbury 5 40.06x
Eaton In Nantwich 5 1219.51x
Heston 5 57.80x
Islington London 5 1.98x
Litchurch 5 30.47x
Over Wallop 5 1041.67x
Sutton Coldfield 5 72.46x
Woolwich 5 15.23x
Caterham 4 71.30x
Hanley Castle 4 196.08x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 9.18x
Mitcham 4 49.88x
Salford 4 4.40x
St Luke London 4 9.58x
Tonge 4 61.73x
Blackburn 3 3.65x
Hope 3 86.21x
Lambeth 3 1.32x
Newbury 3 47.92x
Ryton 3 1578.95x
Tenbury 3 161.29x
Acton 2 13.10x
Gorton 2 6.88x
Great Barr 2 198.02x
Lewisham 2 4.22x
Oystermouth 2 56.98x
Plumstead 2 6.75x
Walthamstow 2 10.81x
Austrey 1 312.50x
Bath St James 1 22.88x
Battersea 1 1.04x
Bermondsey 1 1.29x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.88x
Birmingham 1 0.46x
Brighton 1 1.13x
Bromley London 1 1.75x
Christchurch 1 8.64x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.63x
Eaton In Macclesfield 1 277.78x
Farnborough 1 17.83x
Govan 1 0.48x
Great Sutton 1 333.33x
Hereford All Sts 1 20.45x
Isleworth 1 8.64x
Kensington London 1 0.69x
Lindridge 1 116.28x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 9.11x
Middleton In Oldham 1 10.79x
Nantwich 1 14.97x
Norton By Kempsey 1 135.14x
Orleton 1 196.08x
Portsea 1 0.96x
Powick 1 42.37x
Ruabon 1 7.39x
Speldhurst 1 22.12x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 8.87x
St Faith Winchester 1 40.16x
St Martin In Fields 1 6.41x
St Michael Winchester 1 91.74x
Toxteth Park 1 0.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
James 11
George 10
Joseph 10
John 9
Thomas 7
Albert 5
Edward 5
Henry 5
Frank 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Chas. 2
Emanuel 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Isaiah 2
Stephen 2
Alfred 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Elisha 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Lionel 1
Oswald 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
T. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Asprey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Asprey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 267 people were recorded with the Asprey surname. That placed it at #10,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Asprey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 460 in 2016. That gives Asprey a modern rank of #10,657.

What does the Asprey surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place in Bedfordshire, England.

What does the Asprey map show?

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