NameCensus.

UK surname

Clapham

A surname derived from the place name Clapham, referring to someone from that locality.

In the 1881 census there were 2,583 people recorded with the Clapham surname, ranking it #1,729 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,514, ranked #2,632, down from #1,729 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Harrogate and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clapham is 3,214 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.7%.

1881 census count

2,583

Ranked #1,729

Modern count

2,514

2016, ranked #2,632

Peak year

1911

3,214 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clapham had 2,583 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,729 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,514 in 2016, ranked #2,632.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,214 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clapham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clapham surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Clapham 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 1,800 #1,602
1861 historical 2,017 #1,439
1881 historical 2,583 #1,729
1891 historical 2,698 #1,761
1901 historical 2,951 #1,898
1911 historical 3,214 #1,618
1997 modern 2,539 #2,492
1998 modern 2,675 #2,467
1999 modern 2,694 #2,470
2000 modern 2,680 #2,472
2001 modern 2,599 #2,486
2002 modern 2,647 #2,491
2003 modern 2,554 #2,514
2004 modern 2,552 #2,518
2005 modern 2,510 #2,531
2006 modern 2,482 #2,559
2007 modern 2,520 #2,547
2008 modern 2,528 #2,565
2009 modern 2,561 #2,588
2010 modern 2,588 #2,626
2011 modern 2,538 #2,633
2012 modern 2,550 #2,578
2013 modern 2,596 #2,581
2014 modern 2,597 #2,588
2015 modern 2,534 #2,621
2016 modern 2,514 #2,632

Geography

Back to top

Where Claphams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Bradford, Keighley and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Harrogate, Craven, Leeds and Rotherham. 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 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 019 Bradford
2 Harrogate 007 Harrogate
3 Craven 001 Craven
4 Leeds 009 Leeds
5 Rotherham 009 Rotherham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Clapham

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Clapham

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Clapham 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

Clapham is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Clapham

The surname Clapham has its roots in England, originating from the village of Clapham in the county of Yorkshire. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "clap," meaning a hill or rising ground, and "ham," which denotes a homestead or village.

Clapham was first recorded as a place name in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was written as "Clapham." The village's name likely referred to its location on a hillside, indicating that it was a settlement situated on a rising piece of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Clapham dates back to the late 12th century, when a Walter de Clapham was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190. This suggests that the name was adopted as a surname by individuals hailing from the village of Clapham.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Clapham, Clapam, and Clapham. A notable figure bearing this name was Sir John Clapham (c. 1370-1446), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament for Yorkshire during the reign of Henry VI.

The Clapham family had a strong presence in Yorkshire, and their name was associated with several locations in the region. For instance, Clapham Moor and Clapham Beck were named after the village, further solidifying the surname's connection to the area.

Another individual of note was Arthur William Clapham (1904-1990), an English mathematician and professor at the University of Cambridge. He made significant contributions to the fields of topology and algebraic geometry.

Additionally, James Clapham (1859-1940), born in Yorkshire, was a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed many notable buildings in London, including the Adelphi Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

The surname Clapham has also been associated with other parts of England, including London, where Clapham Common, a famous urban park, bears the name. However, the origins of the surname can be traced back to the village in Yorkshire, reflecting the historical importance of this location in the development of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Clapham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clapham 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 1,187 Claphams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.76x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,187 4.76x
Lancashire 270 0.90x
Middlesex 255 1.01x
Lincolnshire 121 3.01x
Durham 88 1.17x
Norfolk 72 1.86x
Surrey 61 0.50x
Gloucestershire 56 1.13x
Essex 54 1.09x
Northamptonshire 52 2.20x
Kent 44 0.51x
Leicestershire 35 1.25x
Cheshire 32 0.58x
Hertfordshire 31 1.79x
Cumberland 28 1.29x
Wiltshire 24 1.08x
Staffordshire 22 0.26x
Westmorland 22 3.98x
Cambridgeshire 20 1.25x
Northumberland 20 0.53x
Sussex 14 0.33x
Suffolk 11 0.36x
Midlothian 9 0.27x
Hampshire 8 0.16x
East Lothian 6 1.80x
Rutland 5 2.70x
Berwickshire 4 1.31x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.26x
Monmouthshire 4 0.22x
Somerset 4 0.10x
Warwickshire 4 0.06x
Derbyshire 3 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.09x
Cornwall 2 0.07x
Bedfordshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.02x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.20x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Roxburghshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 82 Claphams recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.84x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 82 30.84x
Leeds 67 4.76x
Islington London 63 2.58x
Horton In Bradford 53 13.60x
Guiseley 47 147.10x
Bradford 38 6.29x
Heigham 37 17.81x
Manningham 37 12.04x
Gomersal 34 29.20x
Markfield 26 187.86x
Over Darwen 23 9.64x
Shoreditch London 23 2.11x
Clerkenwell London 22 3.70x
Finedon 22 106.08x
Darlington 20 6.92x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 19 22.27x
Bowling 19 7.69x
Hulme 19 3.05x
Hunslet 19 4.88x
Otley 19 31.36x
Croydon 18 2.64x
Wolverhampton 18 2.75x
Huddersfield 17 4.68x
Manchester 17 1.27x
Sculcoates 17 4.30x
Newton In Clitheroe 16 561.40x
Swindon 16 9.26x
St George Hanover Square 15 3.38x
Bradfield 14 14.56x
Openshaw 14 10.01x
Wilsden 14 54.64x
Bengeo 13 64.55x
Gainsborough 13 13.70x
Shipley 13 10.04x
St Martin Lincoln 13 34.81x
St Pancras London 13 0.64x
St Swithin Lincoln 13 20.54x
Wakefield 13 6.79x
Addingham 12 64.38x
Bingley 12 7.55x
Bow London 12 3.74x
Hammersmith London 12 1.93x
Holbeck 12 7.26x
Lakenham 12 21.82x
Oldham 12 1.24x
St Luke London 12 2.97x
Stockton On Tees 12 3.32x
Worsbrough 12 16.42x
Allerton 11 34.59x
Arthington 11 284.24x
Barnsley 11 4.27x
Charlton Kings 11 32.20x
Hartshead 11 98.39x
Heighington 11 200.36x
Lambeth 11 0.50x
Leake 11 59.65x
Rigton 11 334.35x
Sheffield 11 1.38x
Tatham 11 239.13x
Thornton In Bradford 11 13.25x
Wortley In Bramley 11 5.57x
Wotton St Mary 11 42.95x
Baildon 10 21.29x
Bentham 10 52.60x
Dukinfield 10 3.89x
Hatfield In Thorne 10 64.27x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 6.23x
Ingleton 10 71.23x
Lancaster 10 5.63x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 10 11.22x
Paddington London 10 1.08x
Shadwell 10 105.26x
Sharow 10 305.81x
Cheshunt 9 14.84x
Chigwell 9 19.19x
Greasbrough 9 27.31x
Great Dunmow 9 34.75x
Lindley 9 1875.00x
Poplar London 9 1.89x
Rothwell 9 17.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 188
Sarah 112
Elizabeth 90
Annie 53
Ann 52
Jane 44
Alice 38
Hannah 38
Ellen 34
Margaret 33
Emma 31
Martha 31
Emily 30
Eliza 25
Ada 23
Florence 18
Edith 17
Louisa 16
Harriet 15
Maria 15
Kate 12
Anne 11
Betsy 11
Clara 11
Fanny 11
Frances 11
Caroline 9
Harriett 9
Minnie 9
Agnes 8
Catherine 8
Esther 8
Grace 8
Rebecca 8
Sophia 8
Amelia 7
Charlotte 7
Eleanor 7
Elizth. 7
Julia 7
Lucy 7
Susan 6
Bertha 5
Gertrude 5
Isabella 5
Jessie 5
Margret 5
Rhoda 5
Rosa 5
Rose 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 158
William 149
Thomas 104
James 80
George 68
Charles 49
Joseph 42
Henry 37
Samuel 30
Arthur 29
Richard 29
Robert 29
Walter 24
Alfred 23
Edward 19
Albert 18
Frederick 18
Herbert 16
Fred 14
Harry 14
Wm. 11
Ernest 10
Thos. 10
Matthew 9
Tom 7
Frank 6
Edwin 5
Fredrick 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 4
Joshua 4
Percy 4
Sidney 4
Abraham 3
Alexander 3
Chas. 3
Christopher 3
Jeremiah 3
Jno. 3
Lawrence 3
Leonard 3
Lewis 3
Mark 3
Michael 3
Moses 3
Peter 3
Reginald 3
Saml. 3
Willie 3
Mathew 2

FAQ

Clapham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clapham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,583 people were recorded with the Clapham surname. That placed it at #1,729 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clapham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,514 in 2016. That gives Clapham a modern rank of #2,632.

What does the Clapham surname mean?

A surname derived from the place name Clapham, referring to someone from that locality.

What does the Clapham map show?

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