NameCensus.

UK surname

Earp

Derived from a place name meaning "dark water" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near a pond or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 1,090 people recorded with the Earp surname, ranking it #3,649 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,300, ranked #4,607, down from #3,649 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, Wednesbury and Stapenhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, North Warwickshire and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Earp is 1,451 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.3%.

1881 census count

1,090

Ranked #3,649

Modern count

1,300

2016, ranked #4,607

Peak year

1911

1,451 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Earp had 1,090 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,649 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,300 in 2016, ranked #4,607.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,451 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Earp surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Earp surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Earp 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 660 #3,927
1861 historical 575 #4,585
1881 historical 1,090 #3,649
1891 historical 1,068 #3,933
1901 historical 1,333 #3,757
1911 historical 1,451 #3,325
1997 modern 1,361 #4,230
1998 modern 1,420 #4,225
1999 modern 1,425 #4,236
2000 modern 1,394 #4,296
2001 modern 1,342 #4,361
2002 modern 1,363 #4,388
2003 modern 1,365 #4,306
2004 modern 1,368 #4,315
2005 modern 1,328 #4,362
2006 modern 1,313 #4,410
2007 modern 1,326 #4,408
2008 modern 1,316 #4,468
2009 modern 1,341 #4,488
2010 modern 1,357 #4,523
2011 modern 1,329 #4,548
2012 modern 1,305 #4,557
2013 modern 1,311 #4,622
2014 modern 1,322 #4,608
2015 modern 1,306 #4,612
2016 modern 1,300 #4,607

Geography

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Where Earps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, Wednesbury, Stapenhill, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, North Warwickshire, Sandwell and Birmingham. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 Wednesbury Staffordshire
3 Stapenhill Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
2 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
3 North Warwickshire 001 North Warwickshire
4 Sandwell 009 Sandwell
5 Birmingham 050 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Earp

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Earp

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Earp is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Earp is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Earp

The surname Earp is of English origin, originating in the County of Staffordshire, England in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ēar" meaning "grave" or "tomb" and "orp" meaning "protuberance" or "mound", suggesting it was initially a topographic name for someone who lived near a burial mound or grave marker.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Earp, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. The name appeared in various spellings in ancient records such as Erp, Eirp, and Eirpe, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.

In the 13th century, the Earp surname was found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating the name had spread to other parts of England. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed a Richard Eirp, providing an early example of the name's spelling variation.

The Earp surname is associated with several notable historical figures, including Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (1848-1929), an American Old West lawman and gambler who participated in the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. His brothers, Virgil Earp (1843-1905) and Morgan Earp (1851-1882), were also involved in law enforcement and the events surrounding the gunfight.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Thomas Earp (1785-1853), an English Baptist minister and author who published several religious works, including "The Gambler's Manual" and "The Village Lecturer."

In the 19th century, John Earp (1811-1877) was a British industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Earp Brewery in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, contributing to the town's reputation as a renowned brewing center.

The Earp surname has also been associated with place names in England, such as Earp in Derbyshire, which was recorded as "Ereburgh" in the Domesday Book of 1086, further highlighting the name's ancient origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Earp families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Earp 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. Staffordshire leads with 219 Earps recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.11x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 219 6.11x
Warwickshire 195 7.28x
Derbyshire 173 10.40x
Leicestershire 71 6.03x
Middlesex 63 0.59x
Lancashire 59 0.47x
Yorkshire 47 0.45x
Worcestershire 44 3.17x
Nottinghamshire 36 2.51x
Sussex 36 2.01x
Cheshire 35 1.49x
Surrey 30 0.58x
Shropshire 18 1.96x
Hampshire 14 0.64x
Durham 13 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.19x
Kent 6 0.17x
Herefordshire 5 1.15x
Northamptonshire 3 0.30x
Essex 2 0.10x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Northumberland 2 0.13x
Bedfordshire 1 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.16x
Devon 1 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Stirlingshire 1 0.26x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 82 Earps recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.18x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 82 9.18x
Aston 61 8.27x
Melbourne 54 474.93x
West Bromwich 49 23.87x
Wednesbury 43 47.99x
Stapenhill 30 121.16x
Wolverhampton 26 9.43x
Rotherham 21 35.39x
Walton On Trent 21 1304.35x
Dudley 19 11.27x
Nottingham St Mary 19 5.13x
Brighton 18 4.98x
Bethnal Green London 17 3.68x
Stanton Newhall 17 318.95x
Wilnecote 17 221.35x
Atherstone 15 109.65x
Lambeth 14 1.51x
Leicester St Margaret 13 4.53x
Gilmorton 12 512.82x
Rusholme 12 35.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 3.16x
Derby St Peter 11 20.77x
Loughborough 11 20.58x
Monks Coppenhall 10 11.30x
Worcester St John 10 60.35x
Forton 9 456.85x
Holdenhurst 9 15.76x
Preston 9 28.77x
Derby St Michael 8 229.23x
Eastbourne 8 9.71x
Hylton 8 143.63x
Leicester St Mary 8 8.41x
Litchurch 8 11.95x
Wellington 8 15.51x
Wisbech St Peter 8 23.71x
Barrow In Furness 7 4.08x
Ilkley 7 40.70x
Kings Norton 7 5.63x
Liscard 7 16.57x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 7 25.95x
St George In East London 7 7.01x
Stretford 7 10.09x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 2.80x
Elford 6 387.10x
Horninglow 6 35.52x
Islington London 6 0.58x
Little Bolton 6 3.70x
Newington 6 1.53x
Runcorn 6 11.10x
Snenton 6 10.66x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 13.05x
Willesden 6 5.99x
Breedon On The Hill 5 140.85x
Burton Upon Trent 5 5.96x
Camberwell 5 0.74x
Cannock 5 7.99x
Gorton 5 4.22x
Heage 5 56.82x
Hereford All Sts 5 25.05x
Hucknall Torkard 5 13.77x
Portsea 5 1.17x
Shoreditch London 5 1.09x
St Botolph Aldgate London 5 22.85x
Willaston In Nantwich 5 69.06x
Derby St Werburgh 4 4.17x
East Retford 4 32.21x
Edgmond 4 39.60x
Handsworth 4 4.53x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 2.92x
Kenyon 4 470.59x
Kingswinford 4 3.07x
Leicester Newarke 4 65.15x
Nether Whitacre 4 187.79x
Rushall 4 18.96x
Tipton 4 3.64x
Chesterfield 3 4.81x
Kidderminster Borough 3 3.70x
Staunton Harold 3 348.84x
Tooting Graveney 3 20.83x
Toxteth Park 3 0.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 66
John 62
Thomas 54
Joseph 42
George 32
Henry 25
Charles 19
James 17
Edwin 13
Frederick 13
Edward 11
Robert 11
Samuel 11
Arthur 10
Harry 10
Richard 9
Albert 8
Alfred 8
Walter 7
Frank 4
Benjamin 3
Thos. 3
Abraham 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Groves 2
Herbert 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Willie 2
Ambrose 1
Andrew 1
Bertram 1
Cecil 1
Charly 1
Ebenezar 1
Ed. 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Hary 1
Herney 1
Howard 1
Inson 1
Isaac 1
J.R. 1
Wm.Daniel 1

FAQ

Earp surname: questions and answers

How common was the Earp surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,090 people were recorded with the Earp surname. That placed it at #3,649 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Earp surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,300 in 2016. That gives Earp a modern rank of #4,607.

What does the Earp surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dark water" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near a pond or stream.

What does the Earp map show?

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