NameCensus.

UK surname

Billups

Derived from a place name meaning "hill-tops" in Old English, referring to someone who lived on or near hills.

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Billups surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Billups is 128 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 132.7%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2012

128 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Billups had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Billups surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Billups surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Billups 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 23 #31,039
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 72 #25,642
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 128 #25,852
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Billups' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham and Doncaster. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 006 Rotherham
2 Doncaster 009 Doncaster
3 Rotherham 008 Rotherham
4 Rotherham 004 Rotherham
5 Rotherham 005 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Billups

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Billups

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Billups surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Billups household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Billups is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Billups 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

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

Meaning and origin of Billups

The surname Billups has its origins in England, with records indicating it first appeared in the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bil" meaning "dweller near a hill or ridge" and "hop" meaning "small valley or hollow". This suggests the name originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in a valley near a hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Richard Billop is mentioned as residing in Oxfordshire. Another early record is from 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire, listing a Thomas de Bylhop.

The Billups surname appears to have been initially concentrated in the west midlands region of England, particularly in counties such as Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, including Billop, Billup, Bilhope, and Bilhope.

In the 16th century, the name can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, where a John Billups was christened in 1587. Around the same time, a Thomas Billups was recorded as living in the village of Chaddesley Corbett in Worcestershire.

One notable historical figure with the Billups surname was Sir John Billups, a Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in the late 17th century. He was born in 1643 and died in 1706.

Another prominent individual was William Billups, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1638 to 1696. He was a vicar in Berkshire and published several religious works.

In the 18th century, a John Billups (1715-1786) was a successful merchant and landowner in Bristol, known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities and education.

The name also appears in colonial American records, with a Thomas Billups being among the early settlers in Virginia in the late 17th century. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various states, including Maryland and North Carolina.

One of the most famous individuals with the Billups surname was Chauncey Billups, an American professional basketball player who was born in 1976 and enjoyed a successful career in the NBA, playing for several teams including the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Billups families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Billups 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 19 Billups' recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.77x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 19 62.77x
Surrey 7 3.01x
Worcestershire 7 11.22x
Essex 6 6.36x
Glamorgan 2 2.40x
Huntingdonshire 2 21.07x
Sussex 2 2.48x
Hertfordshire 1 3.04x
Middlesex 1 0.21x
Norfolk 1 1.36x
Yorkshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wimblington in Cambridgeshire leads with 8 Billups' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4444.44x.

Place Total Index
Wimblington 8 4444.44x
Hanley Castle 7 1891.89x
March 6 594.06x
West Ham 6 28.80x
Chatteris 5 649.35x
Rotherhithe 4 67.68x
Camberwell 3 9.83x
Cardiff St John 2 73.53x
Eastbourne 2 53.91x
Bury 1 1666.67x
Colkirk 1 1428.57x
Hitchin 1 67.11x
Manningham 1 17.15x
Mile End Old Town London 1 9.83x
Ramsey 1 131.58x

Top female names

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

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 Billups households.

FAQ

Billups surname: questions and answers

How common was the Billups surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Billups surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Billups surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Billups a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Billups surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hill-tops" in Old English, referring to someone who lived on or near hills.

What does the Billups map show?

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