NameCensus.

UK surname

Epstein

A Jewish surname derived from a place near Augsburg, Germany, or from the Yiddish words for "stone" or "jewel."

In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Epstein surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 448, ranked #10,842, up from #29,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hertsmere, Barnet and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Epstein is 462 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1444.8%.

1881 census count

29

Ranked #29,484

Modern count

448

2016, ranked #10,842

Peak year

2014

462 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Epstein had 29 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 448 in 2016, ranked #10,842.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 426 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Epstein surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Epstein surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Epstein 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 29 #29,484
1891 historical 98 #24,313
1901 historical 377 #9,876
1911 historical 426 #8,856
1997 modern 434 #10,361
1998 modern 460 #10,232
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 439 #10,650
2001 modern 425 #10,716
2002 modern 432 #10,801
2003 modern 441 #10,458
2004 modern 431 #10,680
2005 modern 435 #10,480
2006 modern 419 #10,837
2007 modern 405 #11,270
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 434 #11,223
2011 modern 443 #10,924
2012 modern 433 #10,996
2013 modern 442 #10,997
2014 modern 462 #10,676
2015 modern 453 #10,769
2016 modern 448 #10,842

Geography

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Where Epsteins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall, Brighton and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hertsmere, Barnet, Bury and Salford. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
2 Barnet 034 Barnet
3 Barnet 032 Barnet
4 Bury 019 Bury
5 Salford 010 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Epstein

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Epstein

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Epstein surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Epstein 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Epstein is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Epstein is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Epstein falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Epstein 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Epstein

The surname Epstein is of German origin, derived from the Yiddish "Eppeshteyn," which means "from the place of apple trees." The name likely originated in the 13th or 14th century in the German states.

Epstein is a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or owned an apple orchard or a place where apple trees grew in abundance. It is also possible that the name was given as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked with or sold apples.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Epstein can be found in German records from the 16th century. In 1543, a document from the town of Augsburg mentions an "Abraham Epstein." Another early reference is from 1567, when a "Hertz Epstein" is recorded in the city of Frankfurt.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Epstein was Marcus Epstein, a Jewish scholar and author who lived in Prague in the late 16th century. His work, "Kol Bo," published in 1574, was an important text on Jewish laws and customs.

In the 17th century, the name Epstein appears in various records across Germany. For instance, in 1638, a "Samuel Epstein" is listed in the town of Worms, and in 1677, a "Moses Epstein" is documented in the city of Cologne.

A notable figure with the surname Epstein was Jacob Epstein, a renowned American sculptor born in New York in 1880. He is best known for his modernist sculptures, including the iconic "Rock Drill" and the controversial "Rima" nude figures.

Another prominent individual was Sir Jacob Epstein, a British sculptor and artist born in 1880 in New York City. He is renowned for his avant-garde sculptures, such as the controversial "Rima" and the iconic "Rock Drill."

Melchior Epstein, a Polish-German rabbi and scholar born in 1570, was a significant figure in Jewish religious studies. He authored several influential works, including "Arba Turim" and "Chidushei Agadot."

Marcus Epstein, a Jewish scholar and author from Prague in the late 16th century, is notable for his influential work "Kol Bo," published in 1574, which covered Jewish laws and customs.

Lastly, Theodor Epstein, a German-American philosopher and author born in 1870, made significant contributions to the field of aesthetics with his works, including "The Essence of Philosophy" and "The Meaning of Life."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Epstein families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Epstein 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 13 Epsteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 13 4.60x
Gloucestershire 6 10.82x
Staffordshire 5 5.24x
Nottinghamshire 4 10.49x
Surrey 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Peter in Gloucestershire leads with 6 Epsteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3000.00x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Peter 6 3000.00x
Burslem 5 183.15x
St Botolph Aldgate 5 1282.05x
Snenton 3 200.00x
Spitalfields London 3 140.85x
St George In East 2 104.17x
Whitechapel London 2 71.68x
Kensington London 1 6.36x
Nottingham St Nicholas 1 192.31x
Penge 1 55.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Miriam 2
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Euphemia 1
Gusta 1
Mary 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Edward 1
Elias 1
Eligar 1
Isidor 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Judah 1
Louis 1
Many 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Oscar 1
Samuel 1
Saul 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Epstein households.

FAQ

Epstein surname: questions and answers

How common was the Epstein surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Epstein surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Epstein surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 448 in 2016. That gives Epstein a modern rank of #10,842.

What does the Epstein surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from a place near Augsburg, Germany, or from the Yiddish words for "stone" or "jewel."

What does the Epstein map show?

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