NameCensus.

UK surname

Clamp

An occupational name for one who made or repaired clamps, tools for holding objects firmly.

In the 1881 census there were 916 people recorded with the Clamp surname, ranking it #4,185 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,569, ranked #3,951, up from #4,185 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Church Gresley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clamp is 1,700 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.3%.

1881 census count

916

Ranked #4,185

Modern count

1,569

2016, ranked #3,951

Peak year

2000

1,700 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clamp had 916 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,185 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,569 in 2016, ranked #3,951.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,530 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clamp surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clamp surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clamp 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 533 #4,713
1861 historical 630 #4,254
1881 historical 916 #4,185
1891 historical 1,097 #3,851
1901 historical 1,356 #3,698
1911 historical 1,530 #3,176
1997 modern 1,630 #3,635
1998 modern 1,689 #3,652
1999 modern 1,689 #3,681
2000 modern 1,700 #3,641
2001 modern 1,666 #3,640
2002 modern 1,679 #3,684
2003 modern 1,617 #3,727
2004 modern 1,601 #3,782
2005 modern 1,563 #3,815
2006 modern 1,560 #3,810
2007 modern 1,597 #3,775
2008 modern 1,615 #3,765
2009 modern 1,641 #3,799
2010 modern 1,667 #3,825
2011 modern 1,636 #3,842
2012 modern 1,593 #3,863
2013 modern 1,607 #3,895
2014 modern 1,620 #3,897
2015 modern 1,594 #3,913
2016 modern 1,569 #3,951

Geography

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Where Clamps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Church Gresley and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 3
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Church Gresley Staffordshire
4 Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire
5 Church Gresley Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
2 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
3 South Derbyshire 007 South Derbyshire
4 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
5 Stockton-on-Tees 008 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clamp

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clamp

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

Clamp 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

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

Meaning and origin of Clamp

The surname CLAMP is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "clam," meaning to clamp or fasten together, suggesting that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a maker of clamps or other fastening devices.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dated around 1273, where it appears as "Clampe." This suggests that the surname was already established in parts of England by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "le Clampe" and "Clempe," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that period. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a "William le Clampe," providing further evidence of the surname's presence in different regions of England.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the surname CLAMP. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Clampham in Norfolk and Clampmere in Shropshire.

Notable historical figures who bore the surname CLAMP include:

1. Richard Clamp (c. 1524 - 1588), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ludlow in 1559. 2. John Clamp (c. 1590 - 1648), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of Stamford Rivers in Essex. 3. William Clamp (c. 1670 - 1728), a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London. 4. Sarah Clamp (c. 1745 - 1815), a British painter and engraver who specialized in portraits and miniatures. 5. Thomas Clamp (c. 1780 - 1855), a British inventor and engineer credited with developing an early version of the knitting machine.

As the surname CLAMP spread throughout England, it also evolved into various spellings, such as Clampitt, Clampit, and Clampett, reflecting regional variations and dialects. These alternate spellings may have originated from place names or other local influences, further contributing to the diversity of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clamp families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clamp 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. Derbyshire leads with 141 Clamps recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.10x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 141 10.10x
Warwickshire 139 6.18x
Leicestershire 135 13.66x
Staffordshire 110 3.65x
Yorkshire 56 0.63x
Surrey 53 1.22x
Middlesex 48 0.54x
Norfolk 39 2.84x
Nottinghamshire 30 2.50x
Essex 29 1.65x
Suffolk 20 1.84x
Durham 18 0.68x
Kent 18 0.59x
Lancashire 15 0.14x
Worcestershire 15 1.29x
Hampshire 11 0.60x
Northumberland 8 0.60x
Sussex 5 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.74x
Denbighshire 4 1.19x
Cheshire 3 0.15x
Gloucestershire 2 0.11x
Lincolnshire 2 0.14x
Shropshire 2 0.26x
Bedfordshire 1 0.22x
Berkshire 1 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Church Gresley in Derbyshire leads with 78 Clamps recorded in 1881 and an index of 351.19x.

Place Total Index
Church Gresley 78 351.19x
Aston 40 6.46x
Normanton 27 101.69x
Ashby De La Zouch 25 109.12x
Baddesley Ensor 25 868.06x
Linton 24 653.95x
Nuneaton 19 72.94x
Wolverhampton 19 8.21x
Oakthorpe Donsthorpe 18 679.25x
Mileham 16 1066.67x
Nottingham St Mary 16 5.15x
Camberwell 15 2.63x
Sedgley 15 13.42x
Whitwick 15 119.33x
Darlaston 14 33.66x
Ibstock 13 181.06x
Birmingham 12 1.60x
Carshalton 12 72.20x
Colchester St James 12 168.30x
Atherstone 10 87.11x
Burntwood Edial 10 52.03x
Holdenhurst 10 20.86x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 10 571.43x
Kingsbury 10 207.90x
Polesworth 10 93.63x
Walsham Le Willows 10 275.48x
Shoreditch London 9 2.33x
Snarestone 9 927.84x
St Pancras London 9 1.25x
Belper 8 29.56x
Colchester St Botolph 8 53.44x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.41x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 11.63x
St Luke London 8 5.59x
Woolwich 8 7.12x
Castle Gresley 7 291.67x
Ferryhill 7 75.51x
Nailstone 7 311.11x
Sheffield 7 2.49x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.90x
Tharston 7 614.04x
Barwell 6 114.72x
Dudley 6 4.24x
Hanbury 6 363.64x
Hanwell 6 37.95x
Leicester St Margaret 6 2.49x
Market Bosworth 6 168.07x
Measham 6 116.96x
North South Anston 6 155.44x
Osbaston 6 895.52x
Snenton 6 12.71x
St Martin In Fields 6 11.24x
Burton Upon Trent 5 7.10x
Cannock 5 9.52x
Edmondsley 5 176.06x
Everton 5 1.48x
Horninglow 5 35.26x
Kings Norton 5 4.79x
Liverpool 5 0.78x
Nether Seal 5 287.36x
Newington 5 1.52x
Rushall 5 28.23x
Southwark Christchurch 5 11.97x
Stathern 5 303.03x
Syderstone 5 316.46x
Bildeston 4 167.36x
Bradwell 4 52.70x
Hucknall Torkard 4 13.13x
Llangynhafal 4 325.20x
Loughborough 4 8.92x
Monks Kirby 4 80.81x
Old Newton 4 191.39x
Stapenhill 4 19.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.25x
Tutbury 4 54.50x
Walsall Foreign 4 2.57x
Walton Le Soken 4 95.69x
Bramhall 3 36.81x
Crossgate 3 25.86x
Hugglescote 3 20.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Sarah 40
Elizabeth 32
Ann 18
Emma 17
Eliza 15
Alice 14
Ellen 14
Hannah 14
Jane 11
Maria 10
Catherine 9
Harriet 9
Ada 8
Annie 8
Caroline 8
Edith 8
Emily 7
Louisa 7
Charlotte 6
Susan 6
Agnes 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Lizzie 5
Martha 5
Anne 4
Harriett 4
Margaret 4
Selina 4
Amelia 3
Gertrude 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Rosina 3
Sophia 3
Ursula 3
Anna 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Helen 2
Leah 2
Mabel 2
Minnie 2
Nelly 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Susanah 2

Top male names

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

FAQ

Clamp surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clamp surname in 1881?

In 1881, 916 people were recorded with the Clamp surname. That placed it at #4,185 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clamp surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,569 in 2016. That gives Clamp a modern rank of #3,951.

What does the Clamp surname mean?

An occupational name for one who made or repaired clamps, tools for holding objects firmly.

What does the Clamp map show?

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