NameCensus.

UK surname

Cupitt

An occupational surname referring to a cooper, or one who makes wooden vessels or barrels.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Cupitt surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 275, ranked #15,720, up from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Eckington and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Wakefield and Chesterfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cupitt is 289 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 205.6%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

275

2016, ranked #15,720

Peak year

2010

289 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cupitt had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016, ranked #15,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 196 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Cupitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cupitt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cupitt 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 157 #17,577
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 271 #14,486
1998 modern 271 #14,883
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 273 #14,614
2002 modern 278 #14,726
2003 modern 274 #14,680
2004 modern 256 #15,453
2005 modern 251 #15,590
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 261 #15,444
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 280 #15,141
2010 modern 289 #15,127
2011 modern 284 #15,174
2012 modern 276 #15,427
2013 modern 281 #15,487
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 282 #15,417
2016 modern 275 #15,720

Geography

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Where Cupitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Eckington, Manchester, Kirby, South and Egmanton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Wakefield and Chesterfield. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Eckington Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Kirby, South Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Egmanton Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 009 Rotherham
2 Wakefield 044 Wakefield
3 Rotherham 015 Rotherham
4 Chesterfield 003 Chesterfield
5 Chesterfield 001 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cupitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cupitt

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Cupitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cupitt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Cupitt 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

Cupitt 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cupitt

The surname Cupitt has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "copeau," meaning a small piece or chip of wood. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a woodcutter or someone involved in the woodworking trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, England, from 1296, where a Richard Cupyt is mentioned. The variant spelling "Cupit" also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1327.

In the 14th century, the name Cupitt began appearing in various records across southern England, particularly in areas like Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire. This indicates that the name may have been concentrated in these regions initially.

The Cupitt surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded Cupitts was John Cupitt, a landowner in the village of Hartfield, Sussex, who lived during the late 15th century.

During the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the Cupitt name was Sir William Cupitt (1599-1659), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bramber in Sussex.

In the 18th century, the name gained some recognition with the birth of John Cupitt (1741-1815), an English architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Another noteworthy individual was Mary Cupitt (1790-1841), a British writer and poet who published several works during the early 19th century.

The Cupitt surname has also been linked to various place names, such as Cupitt's Green in Hertfordshire and Cupitt's Farm in Surrey, both of which were likely named after local families or landowners bearing the name.

While the exact origins of the Cupitt surname remain somewhat uncertain, its long-standing presence in southern England and connections to woodworking and land ownership suggest a rich history and evolution over several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cupitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cupitt 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 39 Cupitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.96x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 39 32.96x
Derbyshire 21 15.28x
Lancashire 12 1.15x
Lincolnshire 10 7.12x
Middlesex 5 0.57x
Yorkshire 3 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Snenton in Nottinghamshire leads with 9 Cupitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 193.55x.

Place Total Index
Snenton 9 193.55x
Staveley 9 368.85x
Alfreton 7 167.46x
Great Bolton 6 43.48x
Egmanton 5 7142.86x
Paddington London 5 15.49x
Blyborough 4 5714.29x
Claylane 4 209.42x
Newstead 4 1379.31x
North Muskham 4 2500.00x
Nottingham St Mary 4 13.07x
Wilsford 4 1904.76x
Ardwick 3 31.91x
Arnold 3 173.41x
Darcy Lever 3 500.00x
Carlton 2 148.15x
Cotgrave 2 800.00x
Bulwell 1 38.91x
Buxton 1 86.21x
Cropwell Bishop 1 526.32x
Cropwell Butler 1 625.00x
Leeds 1 2.04x
Methley 1 81.97x
Normanton 1 2500.00x
Nottingham Standard 1 333.33x
Rawmarsh 1 32.57x
Skinnand 1 10000.00x
Southwell 1 116.28x
Standard Hill 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 5
Ann 3
Emma 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth.E. 1
Ethel 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Susanah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
John 7
Joseph 5
William 5
Arthur 2
James 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Hallon 1
Jeremiah 1
Moses 1
Paul 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Cupitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cupitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Cupitt surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cupitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016. That gives Cupitt a modern rank of #15,720.

What does the Cupitt surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a cooper, or one who makes wooden vessels or barrels.

What does the Cupitt map show?

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