NameCensus.

UK surname

Camps

A surname derived from the Old French word meaning "fields" or "plains".

In the 1881 census there were 322 people recorded with the Camps surname, ranking it #9,262 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 437, ranked #11,045, down from #9,262 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Waterbeach and St Breock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Cornwall and South Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Camps is 470 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

322

Ranked #9,262

Modern count

437

2016, ranked #11,045

Peak year

1999

470 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Camps had 322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,262 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 437 in 2016, ranked #11,045.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 369 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Camps surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Camps surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Camps 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 244 #8,950
1861 historical 273 #9,134
1881 historical 322 #9,262
1891 historical 307 #10,914
1901 historical 300 #11,647
1911 historical 369 #9,867
1997 modern 447 #10,128
1998 modern 462 #10,201
1999 modern 470 #10,120
2000 modern 470 #10,089
2001 modern 458 #10,098
2002 modern 458 #10,295
2003 modern 435 #10,571
2004 modern 428 #10,737
2005 modern 408 #11,024
2006 modern 418 #10,861
2007 modern 430 #10,729
2008 modern 427 #10,892
2009 modern 435 #10,991
2010 modern 450 #10,915
2011 modern 420 #11,402
2012 modern 414 #11,431
2013 modern 436 #11,106
2014 modern 435 #11,224
2015 modern 432 #11,183
2016 modern 437 #11,045

Geography

Back to top

Where Camps' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Waterbeach, St Breock, St Kew and Cottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Cornwall and South Cambridgeshire. 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 Waterbeach Cambridgeshire
3 St Breock Cornwall
4 St Kew Cornwall
5 Cottenham Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Cornwall 021 Cornwall
3 South Cambridgeshire 017 South Cambridgeshire
4 Rossendale 002 Rossendale
5 Cornwall 024 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Camps

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Camps

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Camps is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Camps is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Camps

The surname Camps is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "champs," meaning "fields" or "open countryside." It is believed to have first emerged in the 11th century, following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Camps can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Champs," indicating that the bearer was associated with or lived near open fields or farmland.

In the 13th century, the surname began to appear in various spellings, including "Champes," "Chaumpes," and "Champs." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

The Camps surname has been linked to several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers was Sir John de Champs, a knight who participated in the Third Crusade under King Richard I in the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the records of the city of London, with Robert Camps serving as an alderman in 1349. Another notable figure was Sir William Camps, a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire in the late 15th century.

During the 16th century, the Camps surname gained prominence with the rise of the Camps family of Hertfordshire, England. Sir John Camps (1516-1558) was a prominent lawyer and member of the Privy Council under Queen Mary I.

In the 17th century, the surname spread across England and Scotland, with various branches of the Camps family establishing themselves in different regions. One notable bearer was Richard Camps (1613-1654), a Presbyterian minister and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable Camps individuals, including William Camps (1708-1776), a renowned mathematician and astronomer who served as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Camps surname continued to be associated with individuals from various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts. Some notable bearers include George Camps (1789-1853), a British politician and Member of Parliament, and Francis Camps (1905-1972), a British artist and illustrator known for his work in children's literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Camps families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Camps 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 132 Camps' recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.15x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 132 66.15x
Middlesex 55 1.75x
Cornwall 41 11.49x
Lancashire 21 0.56x
Yorkshire 11 0.35x
Northumberland 9 1.92x
Northamptonshire 8 2.70x
Hertfordshire 6 2.76x
Essex 5 0.80x
Durham 4 0.43x
Huntingdonshire 4 6.39x
Leicestershire 4 1.15x
Surrey 4 0.26x
Sussex 4 0.75x
Derbyshire 2 0.41x
Gloucestershire 2 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.47x
Bedfordshire 1 0.61x
Berkshire 1 0.42x
Dorset 1 0.48x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Kent 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 2.66x
Suffolk 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire leads with 23 Camps' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1411.04x.

Place Total Index
Waterbeach 23 1411.04x
St Andrewthe Less 19 83.33x
Chesterton 14 227.64x
Islington London 14 4.58x
St Kew 12 1008.40x
Haddenham 11 585.11x
Tynemouth 9 35.84x
Horningsea 8 1818.18x
Wilburton 8 1403.51x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 8.57x
Cottenham 7 264.15x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 7 80.46x
Spotland 7 16.84x
St Austell 7 57.42x
St Minver 7 642.20x
Chatteris 6 117.88x
Melbourn 6 309.28x
Northampton Priory St 6 33.75x
Oldham 6 4.97x
St Breock 6 310.88x
St Pancras London 6 2.37x
Bethnal Green London 5 3.65x
Nether Hallam 5 11.84x
Rampton 5 2000.00x
Roche 5 276.24x
Whitechapel London 5 16.10x
Leicester St Margaret 4 4.70x
Royston 4 216.22x
St Marylebone London 4 2.38x
Willesden 4 13.47x
Bishopwearmouth 3 3.73x
Foxton 3 652.17x
Hastings St Andrew 3 157.89x
Leyton Low 3 23.73x
Sheffield 3 3.02x
St George Martyr London 3 47.02x
St Teath 3 139.53x
Witchford 3 625.00x
Basford 2 10.22x
Bristol St Michael 2 37.74x
Chelsea London 2 2.11x
Derby St Werburgh 2 7.02x
Lambeth 2 0.73x
Landbeach 2 363.64x
Milton 2 333.33x
Monk Bretton 2 63.29x
Rushden 2 50.51x
Shoreditch London 2 1.46x
St Botolph Aldgate London 2 30.82x
St George Hanover Square 2 3.60x
St Neots 2 58.82x
West Ham 2 1.46x
Bedford St Paul 1 8.94x
Bishop Stortford 1 13.79x
Brighton 1 0.93x
Buckden 1 88.50x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 9.76x
Charlton 1 14.01x
Clapham 1 2.54x
Croydon 1 1.17x
Deeping St Nicholas 1 67.57x
Edmonton 1 3.94x
Gamlingay 1 48.08x
Hampstead London 1 2.04x
Hampton London 1 19.31x
Histon 1 95.24x
Kelshall 1 370.37x
Kensington London 1 0.57x
Oakington 1 169.49x
Padstow 1 42.19x
Poole St James 1 12.87x
Portsea 1 0.79x
Royal Navy 1 3.12x
Soham 1 23.31x
St Andrewthe Great 1 38.76x
St Ives 1 30.86x
Sunderland 1 6.04x
Swavesey 1 78.13x
Wells Next Sea 1 35.46x
Willingham 1 58.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 21
George 14
James 10
Charles 8
Edward 7
Henry 7
Thomas 7
Alfred 5
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Walter 3
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Jacob 2
Joshua 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Algernon 1
Antonio 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Drage 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
Read 1
Richard 1
Rober 1
Rowell 1
Sam 1
Samul 1
Simms 1
Vincent 1
Whiting 1
Willfred 1

FAQ

Camps surname: questions and answers

How common was the Camps surname in 1881?

In 1881, 322 people were recorded with the Camps surname. That placed it at #9,262 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Camps surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 437 in 2016. That gives Camps a modern rank of #11,045.

What does the Camps surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word meaning "fields" or "plains".

What does the Camps map show?

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