NameCensus.

UK surname

Copus

A locational surname referring to someone from a place named Copus.

In the 1881 census there were 274 people recorded with the Copus surname, ranking it #10,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 334, ranked #13,640, down from #10,362 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dartford, Basildon and Lambeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Copus is 374 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.9%.

1881 census count

274

Ranked #10,362

Modern count

334

2016, ranked #13,640

Peak year

1998

374 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Copus had 274 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 334 in 2016, ranked #13,640.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 348 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Copus surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Copus surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Copus 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 274 #10,362
1891 historical 265 #12,208
1901 historical 307 #11,472
1911 historical 348 #10,297
1997 modern 364 #11,827
1998 modern 374 #11,963
1999 modern 369 #12,147
2000 modern 351 #12,534
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 350 #12,620
2003 modern 324 #13,135
2004 modern 341 #12,673
2005 modern 326 #13,045
2006 modern 331 #12,990
2007 modern 338 #12,925
2008 modern 333 #13,175
2009 modern 326 #13,630
2010 modern 333 #13,717
2011 modern 339 #13,404
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 337 #13,537
2014 modern 332 #13,807
2015 modern 335 #13,622
2016 modern 334 #13,640

Geography

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Where Copus' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, St Mary Islington and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dartford, Basildon, Lambeth, Elmbridge and Barnet. 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 Lambeth London (South Districts)
3 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
4 Swansea Glamorganshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dartford 013 Dartford
2 Basildon 013 Basildon
3 Lambeth 008 Lambeth
4 Elmbridge 012 Elmbridge
5 Barnet 024 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Copus

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Copus

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Copus, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Copus surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Copus household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Copus is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Copus is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Copus falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Copus is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Copus

The surname Copus is believed to have originated in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "copp," meaning a hilltop or summit, and "hus," meaning a house or dwelling. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on or near a hilltop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where it appears as "Coppehus." This spelling variation indicates the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, the name was found in various records from the county of Warwickshire, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Coppehous." This suggests that the surname may have had its roots in that region.

A notable historical figure with the surname Copus was John Copus, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Bristol in the 15th century. Records show that he was involved in the city's wool trade and served as a bailiff (a local official) in 1463.

Another individual of note was William Copus, a farmer and landowner from the village of Harbury in Warwickshire. He is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1524, which were tax records of the time.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in the village of Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham. Here, the spelling variation "Coppus" is found, reflecting the continued evolution of the name.

A prominent figure from this time was Thomas Copus, a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry class. He was born in 1547 and owned estates in the counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Moving into the 17th century, the name can be found in the records of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Here, the spelling "Coopus" is recorded, indicating yet another variation.

One notable individual from this era was Robert Copus, a lawyer and member of the Middle Temple in London. He was born in 1612 and is mentioned in legal records from the period.

These examples provide insight into the historical roots and evolution of the surname Copus, tracing its origins back to medieval England and highlighting some of the individuals who carried this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Copus families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Copus 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. Surrey leads with 82 Copus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.30x.

County Total Index
Surrey 82 6.30x
Middlesex 79 2.96x
Oxfordshire 31 18.78x
Glamorgan 19 4.08x
Hampshire 17 3.10x
Sussex 11 2.44x
Kent 9 0.99x
Hertfordshire 8 4.34x
Warwickshire 8 1.19x
Norfolk 4 0.97x
Devon 2 0.36x
Yorkshire 2 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.57x
Wiltshire 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Watlington in Oxfordshire leads with 21 Copus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1242.60x.

Place Total Index
Watlington 21 1242.60x
Swansea Town 19 49.80x
Lambeth 18 7.72x
Portsea 17 15.83x
Acton 14 89.34x
Islington London 12 4.63x
Limehouse London 10 34.08x
Aston Rowant 9 1525.42x
Bramley 9 782.61x
Clerkenwell London 9 14.27x
Guildford St Nicholas 9 391.30x
Petworth 9 334.57x
Dorking 8 91.53x
Stoke 8 130.08x
Welwyn 8 500.00x
Aston 7 3.77x
St Pancras London 7 3.25x
Chelsea London 6 7.45x
Hammersmith London 6 9.11x
Shalford 6 416.67x
Battersea 5 5.08x
Chipstead 5 847.46x
Croydon 5 6.92x
Woolwich 5 14.84x
Great Yarmouth 4 11.75x
Esher 3 164.84x
Guildford St Mary 3 187.50x
Beckenham 2 16.78x
Fulham London 2 5.16x
Hackney London 2 1.33x
Lenham 2 109.89x
Middlesbrough 2 5.80x
St George Hanover Square 2 4.25x
St Marylebone London 2 1.40x
Stoke Damerel 2 5.14x
Wimbledon 2 13.68x
Arundel 1 39.68x
Brighton 1 1.10x
Chittoe 1 555.56x
Chobham 1 43.48x
Enfield 1 5.70x
Gillingham 1 33.22x
Hampstead London 1 2.40x
Isleworth 1 8.42x
Kensington London 1 0.67x
Mancetter 1 51.55x
Norwood 1 16.37x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.52x
St Swithin London Stone 1 1428.57x
Stoke Talmage 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Alice 7
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Elizabeth 6
Emily 6
Louisa 5
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Caroline 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Ruth 2
Winifred 2
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
H. 1
Harriet 1
Harrt. 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Hobson 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maude 1
Mildred 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Copus surname: questions and answers

How common was the Copus surname in 1881?

In 1881, 274 people were recorded with the Copus surname. That placed it at #10,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Copus surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 334 in 2016. That gives Copus a modern rank of #13,640.

What does the Copus surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place named Copus.

What does the Copus map show?

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