NameCensus.

UK surname

Clapp

An English occupational surname referring to a person who rang bells or made bells.

In the 1881 census there were 1,110 people recorded with the Clapp surname, ranking it #3,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,278, ranked #4,681, down from #3,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Lympston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Sedgemoor and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clapp is 1,503 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.1%.

1881 census count

1,110

Ranked #3,587

Modern count

1,278

2016, ranked #4,681

Peak year

1911

1,503 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clapp had 1,110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,278 in 2016, ranked #4,681.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,503 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clapp surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clapp surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clapp 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 744 #3,548
1861 historical 733 #3,720
1881 historical 1,110 #3,587
1891 historical 1,249 #3,457
1901 historical 1,315 #3,802
1911 historical 1,503 #3,207
1997 modern 1,363 #4,223
1998 modern 1,367 #4,358
1999 modern 1,365 #4,403
2000 modern 1,355 #4,417
2001 modern 1,308 #4,459
2002 modern 1,361 #4,397
2003 modern 1,310 #4,455
2004 modern 1,284 #4,533
2005 modern 1,262 #4,552
2006 modern 1,277 #4,512
2007 modern 1,299 #4,490
2008 modern 1,298 #4,517
2009 modern 1,309 #4,578
2010 modern 1,325 #4,618
2011 modern 1,325 #4,559
2012 modern 1,288 #4,611
2013 modern 1,333 #4,551
2014 modern 1,341 #4,546
2015 modern 1,308 #4,604
2016 modern 1,278 #4,681

Geography

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Where Clapps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Lympston, London parishes and Ilminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Sedgemoor and Mendip. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Lympston Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ilminster Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 001 East Devon
2 Sedgemoor 012 Sedgemoor
3 Mendip 013 Mendip
4 East Devon 008 East Devon
5 East Devon 011 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clapp

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clapp

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

Clapp is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clapp falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Clapp

The surname Clapp is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "clappu" or "clæppan," meaning "to clap" or "to strike." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, referring to someone who clapped or beat cloth to remove dust or lint during the cloth-making process.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Clapp can be traced back to the late 12th century in various regions of England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Robert Clapp is mentioned.

In the renowned Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname Clapp. However, there are several entries that could be related to the name's origins, such as the village of Clappenhow in Worcestershire, which may have derived its name from the Old English words "clæppan" and "hoh," meaning "a spur of land where cloth was beaten."

During the Middle Ages, the surname Clapp was found in various spellings, including Clappe, Clape, and Clepe, reflecting the regional variations in dialect and pronunciation. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Roger Clapp (1609-1691), a prominent Puritan settler and military officer in colonial Massachusetts. 2. Thomas Clapp (1703-1767), an English clergyman and author, best known for his work "The Rodolphiad," a mock-heroic poem. 3. Asa Clapp (1805-1891), an American inventor and manufacturer, known for his contributions to the development of the sewing machine. 4. William Warland Clapp (1826-1891), an English-born Canadian businessman and politician, who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons. 5. Edward Everett Clapp (1854-1923), an American lawyer and politician, who served as the Mayor of Boston from 1903 to 1905.

The surname Clapp has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Clapper Lane in Buckinghamshire and Clapperton in Northumberland, further emphasizing its connection to the cloth-making industry and the act of "clapping" or beating cloth.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clapp families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clapp 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. Devon leads with 359 Clapps recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.87x.

County Total Index
Devon 359 15.87x
Somerset 248 14.18x
Middlesex 121 1.11x
Surrey 76 1.44x
Gloucestershire 61 2.86x
Dorset 44 6.17x
Glamorgan 27 1.43x
Monmouthshire 22 2.80x
Hampshire 20 0.90x
Staffordshire 18 0.49x
Lancashire 17 0.13x
Kent 16 0.43x
Wiltshire 12 1.25x
Warwickshire 9 0.33x
Essex 7 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.48x
Suffolk 7 0.53x
Norfolk 6 0.36x
Sussex 6 0.33x
Pembrokeshire 5 1.45x
Angus 4 0.40x
Yorkshire 4 0.04x
Berkshire 3 0.37x
Derbyshire 3 0.18x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.20x
Royal Navy 3 2.32x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.15x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Durham 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.22x
Leicestershire 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. Combe Raleigh in Devon leads with 30 Clapps recorded in 1881 and an index of 3488.37x.

Place Total Index
Combe Raleigh 30 3488.37x
Ilminster 24 196.40x
Allington 21 330.19x
Diptford 21 850.20x
Exeter St Mary Major 21 153.96x
Honiton 21 167.73x
Tiverton 21 53.90x
Luppitt 18 803.57x
Clifton 17 15.78x
Topsham 17 159.18x
Walcot 17 18.25x
Southwark St George Martyr 16 7.32x
Weare 16 658.44x
Littleham 15 90.69x
Bedminster 14 8.52x
Monckton Combe 14 250.45x
Lympston 13 321.78x
Stoke Damerel 13 8.21x
Burnham 12 89.96x
Ottery St Mary 12 80.86x
Penge 12 17.29x
St Woollos 12 13.69x
Wellington 12 50.59x
Chapel Allerton 11 1182.80x
Exeter St Thomas The 11 47.70x
Islington London 11 1.04x
Lambeth 11 1.16x
North Petherton 11 77.96x
Tormoham 11 11.49x
Dartmouth St Saviour 10 154.80x
Westbury On Trym 10 13.85x
Bethnal Green London 9 1.91x
Clapham 9 6.63x
Exeter Holy Trinity 9 101.58x
Melcombe Regis 9 30.45x
Poplar London 9 4.39x
Cheltenham 8 4.87x
Clatworthy 8 952.38x
Ealing 8 8.24x
Llantrisant 8 16.78x
Portsea 8 1.83x
St George In East London 8 7.83x
St Marylebone London 8 1.38x
Stoke Newington London 8 9.45x
Wednesbury 8 8.73x
Winterbourne 8 67.91x
Ashill 7 400.00x
Bromley London 7 2.93x
Compton Chamberlayne 7 625.00x
Croydon 7 2.38x
Holy Trinity 7 147.37x
Ipswich St Clement 7 20.80x
Kensington London 7 1.16x
Newport 7 18.68x
Old Cleeve 7 112.00x
Poole St James 7 26.12x
Silverton 7 148.62x
Stretford 7 9.87x
West Ham 7 1.48x
Yarcombe 7 269.23x
Bradninch 6 94.04x
Briton Ferry 6 26.57x
Chelwood 6 1111.11x
Chipstable 6 491.80x
Crewkerne 6 32.29x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 11.58x
Great Yarmouth 6 4.33x
Hackney London 6 0.98x
Harborne 6 5.10x
Little Bolton 6 3.62x
Ramsgate 6 9.91x
Sowton 6 394.74x
Wandsworth 6 5.74x
Weston Super Mare 6 13.58x
Woodbury 6 89.42x
Aylesbeare 5 152.91x
Camberwell 5 0.72x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 6.11x
Paddington London 5 1.25x
Swansea Town 5 3.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 80
John 53
George 44
Charles 32
Henry 27
James 26
Thomas 26
Samuel 21
Robert 20
Frederick 18
Albert 15
Alfred 13
Edward 11
Joseph 11
Richard 10
Frank 9
Harry 8
Walter 8
Arthur 6
Francis 6
Edwin 5
Daniel 4
Benjamin 3
Herbert 3
Wm. 3
Christopher 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Reginald 2
Seymour 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Barnard 1
Barth. 1
Cecil 1
Charlie 1
Clarence 1
Elizabeth 1
Emanuel 1
Franck 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Hubert 1
Hungerford 1
Infant 1
Ivor 1
J. 1
Jarvis 1
Job 1
Worthy 1

FAQ

Clapp surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clapp surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,110 people were recorded with the Clapp surname. That placed it at #3,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clapp surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,278 in 2016. That gives Clapp a modern rank of #4,681.

What does the Clapp surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who rang bells or made bells.

What does the Clapp map show?

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