NameCensus.

UK surname

Cupper

A surname likely deriving from an occupation related to cup-making or cooperage.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Cupper surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Ombersley and Hartlebury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Wychavon and Wyre Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cupper is 168 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.8%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

1891

168 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cupper had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cupper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cupper surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cupper 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 145 #18,426
1911 historical 157 #17,348
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 98 #28,621
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Cuppers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Ombersley, Hartlebury, Bitterley and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Wychavon, Wyre Forest and Fareham. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 Ombersley Worcestershire
3 Hartlebury Worcestershire
4 Bitterley Shropshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 005 Herefordshire, County of
2 Wychavon 001 Wychavon
3 Wyre Forest 004 Wyre Forest
4 Fareham 009 Fareham
5 Wyre Forest 003 Wyre Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cupper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cupper

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cupper 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

Cupper is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cupper falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cupper 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 Cupper, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cupper

The surname Cupper traces its origins to England, specifically to the medieval period, around the 13th century. This name is primarily linked to the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire and may have originally derived from an occupational role or trade. The term likely stems from the Middle English word 'cuppe,' meaning cup or goblet, which hints at a possible association with someone who made or sold cups or possibly a tavern keeper.

Early records of the name Cupper appear in various historical documents. One of the earliest references is found in a 1296 subsidy roll from the county of Gloucestershire, where a John Cooker is mentioned. Although not an exact match to the modern spelling, this connection indicates a transition of surnames through phonetic shifts over time.

By the 14th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its current form. A significant record from this period is that of William le Cupper, found in the Worcestershire Assizes of 1332. This name appears to reflect an occupational background, as the "le" in medieval English surnames often indicated a trade or profession.

The name Cupper appears sporadically in various records throughout the centuries. In the 16th century, one notable individual is Richard Cupper, who lived in the county of Warwickshire around 1540. Richard's involvement in local parish records highlights the surname's continued use in England.

During the 17th century, the name Cupper can be seen in records around London. An example is Thomas Cupper, born in 1624, who is noted in baptismal records. Thomas's presence in London indicates a possible migration from rural counties to the capital, reflecting broader social and economic changes of the period.

Into the 18th century, the surname is connected to William Cupper, born in 1710, a yeoman in Gloucestershire. William's detailed mention in land and tax records suggests a degree of prosperity and stability within the county. Further, his name in various legal documents underscores the established status of the surname within local society.

Throughout its history, the surname Cupper has maintained a consistent, albeit limited, presence in England. Its etymological roots highlight an origin tied to everyday objects or professions, reflecting the broader occupational naming traditions of medieval England. The evolution of its spelling and the dispersion of its bearers across various counties exemplify the dynamic nature of surname formation and development in English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cupper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cupper 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 30 Cuppers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.54x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 2.54x
Suffolk 24 16.69x
Worcestershire 20 12.98x
Norfolk 12 6.61x
Dorset 6 7.75x
Kent 6 1.49x
Ayrshire 5 5.66x
Wiltshire 4 3.83x
Herefordshire 3 6.20x
Lancashire 3 0.21x
Essex 2 0.86x
Hampshire 2 0.83x
Shropshire 2 1.96x
Flintshire 1 3.15x
Yorkshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ombersley in Worcestershire leads with 14 Cuppers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1627.91x.

Place Total Index
Ombersley 14 1627.91x
Hoxne 9 2195.12x
Stoke Newington London 9 97.93x
Paddington London 8 18.43x
Lakenham 7 271.32x
Dorchester All Sts 6 1621.62x
Bedfield 5 3333.33x
Islington London 5 4.37x
Kilmarnock 5 47.57x
Shoreham 5 877.19x
Clerkenwell London 4 14.36x
Hartlebury 4 434.78x
Norwich St Julian 4 526.32x
Wrentham 4 1000.00x
Hereford St Peter 3 232.56x
Parr 3 59.88x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.90x
Bitterley 2 500.00x
Framlingham 2 196.08x
West Ham 2 3.89x
Chislehurst 1 46.30x
Fulham London 1 5.84x
Hemsworth 1 149.25x
Kenton 1 1000.00x
Kings Norton 1 7.24x
Monk Soham 1 625.00x
Nettleton 1 625.00x
Portsmouth 1 17.95x
Redenhall 1 142.86x
Rhuddlan 1 35.84x
Salisbury St Edmund 1 59.52x
Salisbury St Martin 1 91.74x
Southwick 1 370.37x
Spitalfields London 1 11.26x
Swindon 1 12.35x
Syleham 1 909.09x
Whistones 1 89.29x
Yoxford 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 10
Arthur 5
Thomas 5
George 3
Harry 3
Henry 3
Edward 2
Ernest 2
James 2
Alfred 1
Armell 1
Austin 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Frak 1
Frederick 1
Robert 1
Victor 1
Wm.Herbert 1

FAQ

Cupper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cupper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Cupper surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cupper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Cupper a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Cupper surname mean?

A surname likely deriving from an occupation related to cup-making or cooperage.

What does the Cupper map show?

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