NameCensus.

UK surname

Cape

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a cape or headland.

In the 1881 census there were 761 people recorded with the Cape surname, ranking it #4,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 567, ranked #9,065, down from #4,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harrington, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Anstruther and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cape is 840 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.5%.

1881 census count

761

Ranked #4,855

Modern count

567

2016, ranked #9,065

Peak year

1861

840 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cape had 761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 567 in 2016, ranked #9,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 840 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cape surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cape surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cape 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 640 #4,055
1861 historical 840 #3,285
1881 historical 761 #4,855
1891 historical 816 #4,960
1901 historical 772 #5,804
1911 historical 808 #5,438
1997 modern 583 #8,313
1998 modern 588 #8,510
1999 modern 599 #8,453
2000 modern 586 #8,542
2001 modern 565 #8,627
2002 modern 575 #8,685
2003 modern 553 #8,802
2004 modern 549 #8,878
2005 modern 534 #8,997
2006 modern 517 #9,246
2007 modern 528 #9,174
2008 modern 535 #9,155
2009 modern 538 #9,327
2010 modern 549 #9,380
2011 modern 536 #9,468
2012 modern 523 #9,555
2013 modern 562 #9,162
2014 modern 570 #9,123
2015 modern 572 #9,036
2016 modern 567 #9,065

Geography

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Where Capes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harrington, London parishes, Gateshead and Kirk Ella. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Anstruther, Carlisle and Cornwall. 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 Harrington Cumberland
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Kirk Ella Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
2 Anstruther Fife
3 Allerdale 010 Allerdale
4 Carlisle 006 Carlisle
5 Cornwall 070 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cape

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cape

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cape is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cape is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cape falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cape

The surname CAPE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "caep" or "cape," meaning a cloak or hooded garment. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for a maker or seller of capes and cloaks during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the CAPE surname can be traced back to the late 12th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Richard Cape, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195.

The CAPE surname has been associated with several notable historical figures throughout the centuries. One prominent example is William Cape, a 16th-century English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Ely from 1559 until his death in 1615.

Another notable bearer of the CAPE surname was Joseph Cape, a Dutch-born English engraver and artist who lived from 1638 to 1722. He is best known for his engravings of portrait miniatures and landscapes, as well as his etchings of biblical scenes.

In the 18th century, Samuel Cape, a British architect and surveyor, made significant contributions to the development of London's infrastructure. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings and structures, including the Guildhall in the City of London, which was completed in 1788.

During the 19th century, the CAPE surname gained recognition through the works of Jonathan Cape, a British publisher and founder of the publishing house Jonathan Cape Ltd. Born in 1879, he played a pivotal role in promoting and publishing works by notable authors such as James Joyce, H.G. Wells, and Graham Greene.

Another prominent figure with the CAPE surname was William Cape, a 20th-century British film producer and director. Born in 1898, he was known for his work in the early years of British cinema, directing and producing several notable films, including "The Crimson Circle" (1936) and "The Rat" (1937).

While the CAPE surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, where descendants of English immigrants have carried on the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cape families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cape 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. Yorkshire leads with 148 Capes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 148 2.00x
Cumberland 127 19.79x
Middlesex 91 1.22x
Durham 60 2.71x
Lancashire 59 0.67x
Somerset 52 4.33x
Devon 29 1.87x
Surrey 21 0.58x
Warwickshire 18 0.96x
Glamorgan 15 1.16x
Gloucestershire 15 1.03x
Staffordshire 15 0.60x
Kent 13 0.51x
Wiltshire 11 1.67x
Midlothian 10 1.00x
Westmorland 10 6.11x
Essex 6 0.41x
Northamptonshire 6 0.86x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.60x
Worcestershire 6 0.62x
Angus 5 0.72x
Lincolnshire 5 0.42x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Northumberland 4 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.64x
Hertfordshire 3 0.58x
Roxburghshire 3 2.22x
Royal Navy 3 3.38x
Fife 2 0.45x
Kinross-shire 2 10.62x
Renfrewshire 2 0.35x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.22x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.68x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Monmouthshire 1 0.19x
Oxfordshire 1 0.22x
Stirlingshire 1 0.36x
Suffolk 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Somerset leads with 23 Capes recorded in 1881 and an index of 141.36x.

Place Total Index
Wellington 23 141.36x
Bridekirk 17 331.38x
Hackney London 17 4.07x
Harrington 17 219.35x
Ilminster 15 179.00x
Darlington 14 16.36x
Anlaby 13 812.50x
Bridlington 13 76.88x
Hammersmith London 12 6.54x
Holy Trinity 12 6.76x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 5.69x
Caldewgate 11 31.29x
Crosscanonby 10 47.13x
Aston 9 1.74x
Beverley St Nicholas 9 148.51x
Blennerhasset Kirkland 9 720.00x
Leeds 9 2.16x
Meathop Ulpha 9 2368.42x
Walkington 9 360.00x
Bitton 8 62.89x
Cullompton 8 118.17x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 8 23.32x
Tottington Lower End 8 19.04x
Toxteth Park 8 2.67x
Birmingham 7 1.12x
Chippenham 7 50.65x
Coxwold 7 875.00x
Hunslet 7 6.08x
Llangynwyd Lower 7 608.70x
Seaton 7 93.58x
St Pancras London 7 1.17x
West Ella 7 2413.79x
Westoe 7 5.57x
Acton 6 13.73x
Bermondsey 6 2.70x
Bishopwearmouth 6 3.15x
Bristol St James In 6 27.91x
Culmstock 6 272.73x
Duddingston 6 29.94x
Ecclesfield 6 11.08x
Holme Low 6 338.98x
Mile End Old Town London 6 3.78x
St Marylebone London 6 1.51x
Biddulph 5 35.24x
Birtley 5 55.25x
Caldbeck 5 166.11x
Cardiff St Mary 5 7.00x
Cleator 5 18.72x
Eltham 5 33.56x
Hanwell 5 37.85x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 5.21x
Hetton Le Hole 5 17.79x
High Bolton 5 714.29x
Irchester 5 114.94x
Kirkdale 5 3.36x
Lambeth 5 0.77x
Liff Benvie 5 4.77x
Normanton 5 22.53x
Penge 5 10.50x
Stanwix 5 96.34x
Thrislington 5 2631.58x
Tottenham 5 4.21x
Upholland 5 44.13x
West Ham 5 1.54x
Chorlton 4 412.37x
Devizes St Mary 4 60.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 2.66x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.00x
Erith 4 15.97x
Greencroft 4 98.28x
Horton In Bradford 4 3.47x
Hurworth 4 103.09x
Kensington London 4 0.97x
Kittisford 4 1379.31x
Paddington London 4 1.46x
Scarborough 4 5.96x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 18.93x
Walton On Hill 4 8.35x
Weetslade 4 206.19x
Whitby 4 16.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 25
Jane 22
Annie 18
Ann 17
Margaret 13
Hannah 11
Eliza 9
Ellen 8
Emily 8
Maria 8
Martha 8
Edith 7
Florence 6
Harriet 6
Susan 6
Emma 5
Caroline 4
Isabella 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Barbara 3
Bessie 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Lilly 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Minnie 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Elizth. 2
Henrietta 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Mahola 2
Olive 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Thomisina 2
Catharine 1
Elizath. 1
Ella 1
Elsie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 47
Thomas 29
Joseph 23
George 22
James 20
Charles 15
Henry 15
Alfred 8
Robert 8
Arthur 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Richard 5
Frederick 4
Wilkinson 4
Francis 3
Fred 3
Jonathan 3
Mathew 3
Alexander 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Wm. 2
Arnott 1
Bonner 1
Charlie 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Faithful 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harper 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Jas. 1
Jas.S. 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Mackereth 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Postill 1
Seth 1
Wm.Simon 1

FAQ

Cape surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cape surname in 1881?

In 1881, 761 people were recorded with the Cape surname. That placed it at #4,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cape surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 567 in 2016. That gives Cape a modern rank of #9,065.

What does the Cape surname mean?

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a cape or headland.

What does the Cape map show?

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