NameCensus.

UK surname

Copleston

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Copleston surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 177, ranked #21,230, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wrexham, London parishes and Offwell, North Leigh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Shepway and Havering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Copleston is 217 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.6%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

177

2016, ranked #21,230

Peak year

2004

217 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Copleston had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016, ranked #21,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Copleston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Copleston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Copleston 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 70 #24,911
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 121 #21,169
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 163 #16,939
1997 modern 213 #16,948
1998 modern 214 #17,366
1999 modern 215 #17,425
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 206 #17,624
2002 modern 209 #17,803
2003 modern 206 #17,799
2004 modern 217 #17,276
2005 modern 210 #17,572
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 207 #18,080
2008 modern 204 #18,403
2009 modern 203 #18,840
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 183 #20,356
2013 modern 181 #20,879
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 186 #20,576
2016 modern 177 #21,230

Geography

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Where Coplestons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wrexham, London parishes, Offwell, North Leigh, Barnes and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Shepway, Havering, Poole and Blaenau Gwent. 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 Wrexham Denbighshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Offwell, North Leigh Devon
4 Barnes Surrey
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 019 Chelmsford
2 Shepway 014 Shepway
3 Havering 028 Havering
4 Poole 006 Poole
5 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Copleston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Copleston

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Copleston is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Copleston is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Copleston falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Copleston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Copleston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Copleston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Copleston 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. Middlesex leads with 27 Coplestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 27 2.64x
Bedfordshire 15 28.29x
Devon 13 6.10x
Denbighshire 9 23.26x
Wiltshire 9 9.94x
Kent 8 2.29x
Nottinghamshire 8 5.79x
Gloucestershire 5 2.49x
Hertfordshire 2 2.83x
Lancashire 2 0.16x
Sussex 2 1.16x
Berkshire 1 1.30x
Cheshire 1 0.44x
Hampshire 1 0.48x
Somerset 1 0.61x
Worcestershire 1 0.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Luton in Bedfordshire leads with 15 Coplestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 163.40x.

Place Total Index
Luton 15 163.40x
St Marylebone London 9 16.46x
Wrexham Regis 9 313.59x
Wroughton 9 1153.85x
Nottingham St Mary 8 22.40x
Offwell 8 6666.67x
Plumstead 8 68.67x
Islington London 6 6.04x
Bethnal Green London 5 11.24x
Cheltenham 4 25.81x
Willand 4 3333.33x
Stoke Newington London 3 37.59x
Brighton 2 5.74x
Hendon 2 54.20x
St Albans St Peter 2 84.03x
Toxteth Park 2 4.86x
Clifton 1 9.84x
Dunham Massey 1 144.93x
Great Malvern 1 35.84x
Kensington London 1 1.76x
Lamyatt 1 1111.11x
Littleham 1 64.10x
Portsmouth 1 20.70x
Westminster St James 1 9.50x
Wokingham 1 57.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 6
Arthur 4
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Alfred 2
Benj. 2
Edward 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Reginald 2
Samuel 2
C. 1
Clement 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herby 1
Josiah 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Waters 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Copleston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Copleston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Copleston surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Copleston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016. That gives Copleston a modern rank of #21,230.

What does the Copleston map show?

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