NameCensus.

UK surname

Copeland

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bought land" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,829 people recorded with the Copeland surname, ranking it #1,577 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,668, ranked #1,182, up from #1,577 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Biddulph, Wolstanton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Machars North, Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Copeland is 5,817 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.4%.

1881 census count

2,829

Ranked #1,577

Modern count

5,668

2016, ranked #1,182

Peak year

2014

5,817 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Copeland had 2,829 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,577 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,668 in 2016, ranked #1,182.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,069 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Copeland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Copeland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Copeland 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 1,427 #2,016
1861 historical 1,869 #1,548
1881 historical 2,829 #1,577
1891 historical 3,271 #1,451
1901 historical 4,069 #1,384
1911 historical 3,889 #1,323
1997 modern 5,100 #1,282
1998 modern 5,622 #1,204
1999 modern 5,708 #1,201
2000 modern 5,684 #1,197
2001 modern 5,509 #1,209
2002 modern 5,650 #1,200
2003 modern 5,555 #1,188
2004 modern 5,581 #1,176
2005 modern 5,503 #1,172
2006 modern 5,462 #1,188
2007 modern 5,534 #1,179
2008 modern 5,599 #1,171
2009 modern 5,671 #1,192
2010 modern 5,814 #1,179
2011 modern 5,775 #1,174
2012 modern 5,599 #1,189
2013 modern 5,737 #1,178
2014 modern 5,817 #1,168
2015 modern 5,732 #1,174
2016 modern 5,668 #1,182

Geography

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Where Copelands are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Machars North, Staffordshire Moorlands, Newcastle-under-Lyme, County Durham and Sunderland. 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 Biddulph Cheshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Machars North Dumfries and Galloway
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 004 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Newcastle-under-Lyme 001 Newcastle-under-Lyme
4 County Durham 010 County Durham
5 Sunderland 014 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Copeland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Copeland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Copeland, 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 Copeland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Copeland 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, Copeland 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

Copeland is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Copeland

The surname Copeland originated in England, specifically in the region of Cumbria, in the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the place name "Copeland," which comes from the Old English words "copp" meaning hill or summit, and "land" meaning land or territory. This suggests that the name refers to someone who lived on or near a hilltop.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 12th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Richard de Copeland, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland in 1183. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of people living during that time.

The name Copeland is also found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a place called "Coupeland" in the northern county of Cumberland, which is believed to be the origin of the surname.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the Copeland surname was John de Copeland, who served as a knight and fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence under Edward I. He was captured at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and later held for ransom.

Another prominent individual was Sir Ralph Copeland (c. 1285-1326), an English military commander who served under Edward II and Edward III. He played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence and was knighted for his bravery in battle.

Sir John Copeland (c. 1350-1417) was an English soldier and diplomat who served under Richard II and Henry IV. He was involved in various military campaigns, including the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, and served as a diplomat in negotiations with France and Scotland.

In the literary realm, Gabriel Copeland (c. 1500-1585) was an English poet and translator during the Elizabethan era. He is best known for his translations of works by Italian poets, including Petrarch and Ariosto.

The surname Copeland has also been associated with various place names, such as Copeland Island in Northern Ireland, Copeland Borough in Cumbria, England, and the town of Copeland in Oklahoma, United States, reflecting the widespread distribution of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Copeland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Copeland 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. Staffordshire leads with 358 Copelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.84x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 358 3.84x
Durham 315 3.83x
Middlesex 273 0.99x
Lancashire 236 0.72x
Yorkshire 210 0.77x
Surrey 173 1.28x
Lanarkshire 155 1.73x
Cheshire 95 1.56x
Lincolnshire 95 2.15x
Nottinghamshire 70 1.88x
Derbyshire 65 1.50x
Kent 61 0.65x
Northumberland 61 1.48x
Leicestershire 53 1.73x
Wigtownshire 49 13.35x
Warwickshire 43 0.62x
Cumberland 41 1.72x
Northamptonshire 40 1.54x
Kirkcudbrightshire 33 8.25x
Aberdeenshire 32 1.25x
Hampshire 30 0.53x
Suffolk 27 0.80x
Ayrshire 26 1.26x
Berkshire 22 1.06x
Hertfordshire 20 1.05x
Cornwall 19 0.61x
Essex 18 0.33x
Dumfriesshire 17 2.78x
Midlothian 16 0.43x
Angus 13 0.51x
Banffshire 13 2.27x
Renfrewshire 13 0.61x
Norfolk 12 0.28x
Shropshire 12 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.66x
Worcestershire 11 0.30x
Perthshire 10 0.81x
Shetland 9 3.19x
Dunbartonshire 8 1.08x
Gloucestershire 8 0.15x
Devon 7 0.12x
Somerset 7 0.16x
Stirlingshire 7 0.69x
West Lothian 6 1.44x
Argyllshire 4 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.23x
Royal Navy 4 1.21x
Westmorland 4 0.66x
Bedfordshire 3 0.21x
Kincardineshire 3 0.89x
Berwickshire 2 0.60x
Sussex 2 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.12x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.18x
Isle of Man 1 0.19x
Orkney 1 0.33x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 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. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 102 Copelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.31x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 102 10.31x
Biddulph 65 123.46x
Govan 65 2.94x
Barony 44 1.94x
Lambeth 35 1.45x
Leicester St Margaret 35 4.68x
Liverpool 35 1.76x
Islington London 34 1.27x
Wolstanton 34 12.00x
Smallthorne 33 95.29x
Camberwell 32 1.81x
Bethnal Green London 30 2.50x
Bermondsey 27 3.28x
Hammersmith London 26 3.82x
Dawdon 25 24.71x
Eye 25 201.13x
Newcastle Under Lyme 24 14.53x
Staindrop 24 192.31x
St Pancras London 21 0.94x
Glasserton 20 175.75x
Urr 20 38.42x
Battersea 19 1.87x
Whickham 19 25.11x
Burslem 18 6.73x
Helmington Row 18 46.99x
Normanton 18 21.87x
Heworth 17 10.49x
Stockton On Tees 17 4.29x
Kirkby In Ashfield 16 40.14x
Shoreditch London 16 1.34x
Sutton 16 51.25x
Birmingham 15 0.65x
Fraserburgh 15 20.81x
Kirkdale 15 2.72x
Newborough 15 243.51x
Westoe 15 3.22x
Abingdon St Helen 14 23.08x
Bishop Auckland 14 12.69x
Chellaston 14 297.24x
Hackney London 14 0.90x
Croydon 13 1.74x
Edingley 13 462.63x
Lewisham 13 2.58x
Marnoch 13 42.22x
Newington 13 1.27x
Salford 13 1.35x
Snenton 13 8.88x
Ayr 12 12.29x
Bishopwearmouth 12 1.70x
Burton Upon Trent 12 5.50x
Gateshead 12 1.95x
Glasgow 12 0.76x
Greenwich 12 2.73x
Hinckley 12 16.51x
Newton 12 4.75x
Southwick 12 15.41x
Brandesburton 11 153.20x
Bury St Edmunds St James 11 12.23x
Everton 11 1.05x
Heaton Norris 11 5.89x
Preston Quarter 11 16.49x
Sheffield 11 1.26x
Tranmere 11 4.90x
Aston 10 158.98x
Badley 10 1369.86x
Barrow In Furness 10 2.24x
Bothwell 10 4.12x
Bromley London 10 1.64x
Byker 10 4.92x
Darlington 10 3.15x
Fleet 10 79.37x
Gorton 10 3.24x
Paddington London 10 0.98x
Shifnal 10 15.42x
St Martin Lincoln 10 24.38x
Wycombe 10 8.03x
Beckenham 9 7.30x
Chelsea London 9 1.08x
Hunwick Helmington 9 45.57x
Northmavine 9 41.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 178
Elizabeth 85
Sarah 84
Jane 53
Ann 49
Annie 47
Eliza 44
Emma 39
Ellen 35
Margaret 33
Alice 28
Hannah 27
Isabella 27
Emily 20
Florence 18
Fanny 17
Martha 17
Catherine 15
Louisa 15
Caroline 14
Charlotte 14
Harriet 14
Lucy 12
Edith 11
Ethel 11
Anne 10
Ada 9
Agnes 9
Frances 9
Betsy 8
Susan 8
Clara 7
Jessie 7
Kate 7
Rebecca 7
Susannah 7
Esther 6
Gertrude 6
Maria 6
May 6
Elizth. 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Mabel 4
Maud 4
Sophia 4
Edna 3
Eleanor 3
Helen 3
Minnie 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 151
John 138
George 93
Thomas 75
Joseph 55
James 52
Charles 51
Robert 51
Henry 44
Frederick 27
Alfred 25
Harry 21
Arthur 20
Walter 20
Samuel 15
Edward 14
Albert 13
Ernest 12
Richard 12
Herbert 11
Frank 10
Peter 10
Isaac 9
Wm. 9
Benjamin 8
Francis 8
Thos. 8
Matthew 7
Tom 7
Alexander 6
David 6
Geo. 5
Stephen 5
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Frederic 4
Jno. 4
Reginald 4
Robt. 4
Willm. 4
Eli 3
Enoch 3
Jessie 3
Levi 3
Johnson 2
Lawrence 2
Leonard 2
Moses 2
Percival 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Copeland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Copeland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,829 people were recorded with the Copeland surname. That placed it at #1,577 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Copeland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,668 in 2016. That gives Copeland a modern rank of #1,182.

What does the Copeland surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bought land" in Old English.

What does the Copeland map show?

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