NameCensus.

UK surname

Camp

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked at a field or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,714 people recorded with the Camp surname, ranking it #2,513 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,185, ranked #2,967, down from #2,513 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, East Hertfordshire and Weymouth and Portland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Camp is 2,542 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.5%.

1881 census count

1,714

Ranked #2,513

Modern count

2,185

2016, ranked #2,967

Peak year

1911

2,542 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Camp had 1,714 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,513 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,185 in 2016, ranked #2,967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,542 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Camp surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Camp surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Camp 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 1,143 #2,465
1861 historical 1,215 #2,339
1881 historical 1,714 #2,513
1891 historical 1,978 #2,333
1901 historical 2,330 #2,334
1911 historical 2,542 #2,011
1997 modern 2,379 #2,628
1998 modern 2,486 #2,627
1999 modern 2,447 #2,680
2000 modern 2,438 #2,677
2001 modern 2,356 #2,701
2002 modern 2,401 #2,711
2003 modern 2,293 #2,761
2004 modern 2,269 #2,779
2005 modern 2,228 #2,801
2006 modern 2,221 #2,811
2007 modern 2,200 #2,867
2008 modern 2,200 #2,882
2009 modern 2,235 #2,910
2010 modern 2,261 #2,935
2011 modern 2,252 #2,918
2012 modern 2,248 #2,865
2013 modern 2,261 #2,896
2014 modern 2,254 #2,918
2015 modern 2,187 #2,973
2016 modern 2,185 #2,967

Geography

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Where Camps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, East Hertfordshire and Weymouth and Portland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
2 Uttlesford 005 Uttlesford
3 East Hertfordshire 009 East Hertfordshire
4 Weymouth and Portland 009 Weymouth and Portland
5 Uttlesford 004 Uttlesford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Camp

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Camp

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

London Fringe

Within London, Camp 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

Camp 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

Camp falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Camp

The surname Camp is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "camp," meaning a field or enclosure. The name can be traced back to the early medieval period in England, with some of the earliest recorded instances appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Roger de Camp, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. Another early bearer of the name was Robert le Camp, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1221.

The Camp surname is also associated with various place names in England, such as Camp Hill in Warwickshire and Campsall in Yorkshire. These place names likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in their respective regions.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Campe, Camppe, and Kempe. This variation in spelling was common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling rules.

One notable historical figure with the Camp surname was Nicholas Camp (c. 1550-1619), an English clergyman and writer who served as the rector of St. Edmund's Church in Salisbury and authored several religious works.

Another prominent individual was Walter Camp (1859-1925), an American sports writer and athlete who is widely regarded as the "Father of American Football." He helped establish many of the rules and traditions of the game and played a crucial role in its development and popularization.

In the literary world, Walter Camp Jr. (1893-1973), the son of Walter Camp, was an esteemed author and journalist. He wrote several novels and short stories, including the acclaimed work "The Human Comedy."

Sir Stratford Canning (1786-1880), a British diplomat and politician, also bore the Camp surname through his maternal lineage. He served as the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and played a significant role in the establishment of the modern nation of Greece.

Finally, Sir John Camp (1922-2008), a British businessman and philanthropist, made significant contributions to education and the arts. He served as the chairman of the prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art and was knighted for his services to the arts and higher education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Camp families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Camp 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 463 Camps recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.75x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 463 2.75x
Hertfordshire 250 21.57x
Essex 244 7.35x
Surrey 146 1.78x
Devon 141 4.03x
Yorkshire 96 0.58x
Derbyshire 93 3.53x
Kent 38 0.66x
Staffordshire 32 0.56x
Somerset 23 0.85x
Lincolnshire 21 0.78x
Bedfordshire 13 1.49x
Lancashire 13 0.07x
Suffolk 13 0.63x
Glamorgan 12 0.41x
Hampshire 12 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 11 1.03x
Leicestershire 10 0.54x
Cheshire 9 0.24x
Durham 9 0.18x
Norfolk 9 0.35x
Northumberland 8 0.32x
Gloucestershire 7 0.21x
Oxfordshire 7 0.67x
Sussex 7 0.25x
Channel Islands 6 1.20x
Warwickshire 5 0.12x
Worcestershire 5 0.23x
Isle of Man 4 1.28x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.18x
Northamptonshire 3 0.19x
Royal Navy 3 1.50x
Angus 2 0.13x
Berkshire 2 0.16x
Lanarkshire 2 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 98 Camps recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 98 7.24x
Islington London 35 2.15x
Shoreditch London 35 4.80x
Camberwell 32 2.98x
West Ham 30 4.09x
Tottenham 28 10.45x
Littlebury 24 524.02x
Poplar London 24 7.56x
Standon 23 192.79x
Ware 23 69.21x
Kensington London 21 2.25x
Lambeth 20 1.36x
Hampstead London 18 6.87x
Debden 17 361.70x
Henham 17 360.17x
Widford 17 576.27x
Hackney London 16 1.70x
Newington 16 2.58x
Cranham 15 627.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 15 4.43x
Walkern 15 307.38x
Clerkenwell London 14 3.53x
Chelsea London 13 2.57x
Dodbrooke 13 187.05x
Gilston 13 828.03x
Bermondsey 12 2.40x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.64x
Derby St Alkmund 12 15.21x
Ingatestone 12 225.14x
Plymouth St Andrew 12 4.45x
St Luke London 12 4.45x
Armley 11 14.97x
Braintree 11 36.90x
Clapham 11 5.23x
Darlaston 11 14.02x
Leyton 11 19.24x
Limehouse London 11 5.96x
Litchurch 11 10.38x
Modbury 11 123.04x
St George Hanover Square 11 3.71x
Barkway 10 219.30x
Barley 10 280.11x
Chickney 10 4166.67x
Deptford St Paul 10 2.26x
Edmonton 10 7.38x
Ilfracombe 10 27.75x
Little Amwell 10 246.91x
Netteswell 10 523.56x
Reed 10 917.43x
Roydon 10 204.92x
St Marylebone London 10 1.11x
Takeley 10 210.53x
Acton 9 9.13x
Bratton Fleming 9 298.01x
Hendon 9 14.87x
Luton 9 5.97x
Measham 9 92.98x
Watford 9 10.01x
Ardeley 8 280.70x
Barnsley 8 4.65x
Cheshunt 8 19.74x
Cottered 8 366.97x
Crediton 8 24.12x
Croydon 8 1.76x
East Stonehouse 8 11.60x
Findern 8 343.35x
Great Givendale Cum 8 1702.13x
Hornsey 8 3.76x
Macclesfield 8 4.85x
Mile End Old Town London 8 2.24x
Westminster St James 8 4.63x
Derby All Sts 7 31.83x
Ealing 7 4.66x
Easingwold 7 59.47x
Great Hadham 7 93.58x
Haxey 7 61.30x
Hunsdon 7 231.02x
Sandon 7 159.45x
South Ockendon 7 101.89x
Taunton St James 7 17.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 100
Elizabeth 69
Sarah 56
Eliza 41
Emma 38
Alice 37
Jane 35
Ann 32
Annie 26
Ellen 26
Emily 23
Martha 19
Fanny 17
Florence 16
Harriet 15
Ada 14
Hannah 13
Charlotte 12
Susan 12
Agnes 10
Caroline 9
Edith 9
Kate 9
Clara 8
Louisa 8
Maria 7
Matilda 7
Lucy 6
Margaret 6
Rose 6
Sophia 6
Amelia 5
Amy 5
Isabella 5
Julia 5
Lydia 5
Anne 4
Eleanor 4
Esther 4
Frances 4
Minnie 4
Rebecca 4
Ruth 4
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Grace 3
Harriett 3
Selina 3
Thirza 3
Augusta 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 116
John 85
George 76
James 61
Thomas 51
Charles 47
Henry 40
Joseph 30
Arthur 27
Robert 27
Edward 25
Alfred 24
Walter 23
Samuel 17
Frederick 16
Harry 11
Ernest 10
Richard 9
Benjamin 8
Albert 6
Daniel 6
Francis 6
Frank 6
Herbert 6
Edwin 5
Earnest 4
David 3
Fredrick 3
Noah 3
Peter 3
Philip 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Abel 2
Abraham 2
Amos 2
Douglas 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Gilbert 2
Harold 2
Henery 2
Isaac 2
Lorenzo 2
Martin 2
Rowland 2
Sydney 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Camp surname: questions and answers

How common was the Camp surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,714 people were recorded with the Camp surname. That placed it at #2,513 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Camp surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,185 in 2016. That gives Camp a modern rank of #2,967.

What does the Camp surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked at a field or clearing.

What does the Camp map show?

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