NameCensus.

UK surname

Copping

A locational surname originating from various places in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,194 people recorded with the Copping surname, ranking it #3,377 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,750, ranked #3,585, down from #3,377 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Grundisburgh, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Edmundsbury, Great Yarmouth and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Copping is 1,987 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.6%.

1881 census count

1,194

Ranked #3,377

Modern count

1,750

2016, ranked #3,585

Peak year

2000

1,987 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Copping had 1,194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,377 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,750 in 2016, ranked #3,585.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,830 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Copping surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Copping surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Copping 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 788 #3,385
1861 historical 892 #3,102
1881 historical 1,194 #3,377
1891 historical 1,468 #2,996
1901 historical 1,658 #3,108
1911 historical 1,830 #2,695
1997 modern 1,881 #3,205
1998 modern 1,927 #3,249
1999 modern 1,985 #3,193
2000 modern 1,987 #3,179
2001 modern 1,903 #3,236
2002 modern 1,953 #3,230
2003 modern 1,903 #3,237
2004 modern 1,889 #3,253
2005 modern 1,844 #3,294
2006 modern 1,805 #3,367
2007 modern 1,799 #3,411
2008 modern 1,781 #3,463
2009 modern 1,830 #3,458
2010 modern 1,827 #3,523
2011 modern 1,824 #3,493
2012 modern 1,751 #3,549
2013 modern 1,774 #3,571
2014 modern 1,798 #3,554
2015 modern 1,756 #3,587
2016 modern 1,750 #3,585

Geography

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Where Coppings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Grundisburgh, London parishes, St Pancras and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Edmundsbury, Great Yarmouth, Mid Suffolk and Babergh. 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 Grundisburgh Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Edmundsbury 008 St Edmundsbury
2 Great Yarmouth 006 Great Yarmouth
3 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk
4 Babergh 001 Babergh
5 Great Yarmouth 005 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Copping

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Copping

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

Copping 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

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

Meaning and origin of Copping

The surname Copping is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "copping," which means a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or on a small hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Copping can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273. It mentions a person named William Copping, indicating that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1327, which lists a John Copping. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial origin and was being used in different parts of England.

The Copping surname is also mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1334, which recorded a Thomas Copping. This provides further evidence of the name's presence in different regions during the Middle Ages.

One notable individual bearing the Copping surname was Sir John Copping (1512-1572), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Guildford in 1558 and 1563. He was also a prominent landowner in Surrey.

Another historical figure with the surname Copping was William Copping (1677-1739), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Defence of the Reformation" and "A Vindication of the Church of England."

In the 18th century, the Copping surname gained further recognition with the birth of George Copping (1741-1823), an English painter known for his landscapes and portraits. He was a member of the Royal Academy and his works can be found in various galleries and collections.

The name Copping also appears in connection with place names, such as Copping Syke in North Yorkshire, which is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "kop," meaning a small hill or mound, further reinforcing the surname's potential topographical origin.

Throughout history, several variations of the spelling of the Copping surname have been recorded, including Coppinge, Coppin, and Coppyn, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Copping families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Copping 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. Suffolk leads with 352 Coppings recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.81x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 352 24.81x
Middlesex 266 2.28x
Kent 102 2.57x
Surrey 83 1.46x
Norfolk 81 4.52x
Yorkshire 71 0.62x
Durham 45 1.30x
Lincolnshire 37 1.99x
Essex 34 1.48x
Cambridgeshire 21 2.85x
Lancashire 18 0.13x
Sussex 15 0.76x
Somerset 14 0.75x
Hertfordshire 13 1.62x
Hampshire 8 0.34x
Northumberland 7 0.40x
Derbyshire 6 0.33x
Cheshire 5 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 5 2.16x
Bedfordshire 3 0.50x
Leicestershire 2 0.15x
Royal Navy 2 1.44x
Devon 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Wiltshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 64 Coppings recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.83x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 64 6.83x
Hackney London 39 5.97x
Islington London 31 2.75x
Grundisburgh 30 914.63x
Lambeth 29 2.86x
Bury St Edmunds St James 25 65.98x
Hacheston 19 1098.27x
Camberwell 18 2.42x
Sittingbourne 18 57.36x
Kenton 17 1666.67x
Folkestone 14 18.16x
St George Hanover Square 14 6.82x
Whitton 14 555.56x
Trimley St Mary 13 778.44x
Darlington 12 8.97x
Depden 12 1318.68x
St Marylebone London 12 1.93x
Babcary 11 859.38x
Beccles 11 48.18x
Chelsea London 11 3.13x
Great Yarmouth 11 7.42x
Kensington London 11 1.70x
Stowmarket 11 67.11x
Witnesham 11 536.59x
Hammersmith London 10 3.49x
Wilby 10 534.76x
Woodbridge 10 55.13x
Boston 9 15.93x
Deptford St Paul 9 2.94x
Finchley 9 20.16x
Gateshead 9 3.47x
Paddington London 9 2.10x
Poplar London 9 4.09x
Strood 9 39.70x
Burgh 8 784.31x
Claydon 8 379.15x
Cudworth 8 192.31x
Elvet 8 31.99x
Guisbrough Tocketts 8 559.44x
Newington 8 1.86x
Wetheringsett Cum 8 194.17x
Brighton 7 1.77x
Cheriton 7 43.21x
East Rudham 7 221.52x
Fulham London 7 4.14x
Hardwick 7 886.08x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 9.42x
Hoxne 7 174.13x
Lavenham 7 94.34x
Little Wratting 7 660.38x
Lowestoft 7 10.44x
Shildon 7 25.14x
Smarden 7 154.19x
Thornham Magna 7 614.04x
Tottenham 7 3.77x
Brimington 6 43.32x
Bromley London 6 2.34x
Diss 6 39.09x
Shottesham All Sts 6 394.74x
South Elmham St James 6 652.17x
St George Bloomsbury 6 8.98x
Worstead 6 195.44x
Alderton 5 234.74x
Bishop Stortford 5 18.64x
Burwell 5 56.56x
Chiddingfold 5 94.16x
Cockfield 5 134.41x
Colne Engaine 5 240.38x
Cookley 5 588.24x
Dennington 5 158.73x
Dodworth 5 41.70x
Eccleshill 5 17.80x
Elswick 5 3.62x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 10.39x
Normanby In 5 16.21x
Prittlewell 5 15.69x
St Neots 5 39.78x
Stockport 5 3.78x
Swine 5 641.03x
Walsham Le Willows 5 105.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 72
William 61
John 46
James 33
Charles 32
Arthur 26
Frederick 21
Henry 21
Robert 21
Thomas 16
Alfred 15
Samuel 12
Walter 11
Edward 8
Harry 8
David 7
Herbert 7
Albert 6
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Joseph 6
Richard 5
Philip 4
Stephen 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Elijah 3
Ezekiel 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Horace 3
Laban 3
Percy 3
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Bertie 2
Earnest 2
Edgar 2
Ephraim 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Levi 2
Reuben 2
Thos. 2
Willie 2
Wilson 2
Ambrose 1
Bengeman 1
Benj. 1
Wm.Elijah 1

FAQ

Copping surname: questions and answers

How common was the Copping surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,194 people were recorded with the Copping surname. That placed it at #3,377 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Copping surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,750 in 2016. That gives Copping a modern rank of #3,585.

What does the Copping surname mean?

A locational surname originating from various places in England.

What does the Copping map show?

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