NameCensus.

UK surname

Hepper

A variant spelling of the occupational surname "Hepper" referring to a basket maker.

In the 1881 census there were 224 people recorded with the Hepper surname, ranking it #11,970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 286, ranked #15,240, down from #11,970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, London parishes and Dulverton, Brompton Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Warrington and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hepper is 294 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.7%.

1881 census count

224

Ranked #11,970

Modern count

286

2016, ranked #15,240

Peak year

2011

294 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hepper had 224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016, ranked #15,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Hepper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hepper surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hepper 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 213 #9,934
1861 historical 218 #11,175
1881 historical 224 #11,970
1891 historical 234 #13,352
1901 historical 265 #12,652
1911 historical 268 #12,332
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 257 #15,401
1999 modern 252 #15,707
2000 modern 259 #15,390
2001 modern 252 #15,452
2002 modern 248 #15,896
2003 modern 247 #15,733
2004 modern 251 #15,655
2005 modern 250 #15,639
2006 modern 250 #15,749
2007 modern 263 #15,366
2008 modern 260 #15,648
2009 modern 276 #15,300
2010 modern 280 #15,485
2011 modern 294 #14,798
2012 modern 285 #15,050
2013 modern 291 #15,067
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 287 #15,235
2016 modern 286 #15,240

Geography

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Where Heppers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, London parishes, Dulverton, Brompton Regis, Stokeinteignhead, Combeinteignhead, Haccombe, St Nicholas and Tiverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Warrington, Medway and Tonbridge and Malling. 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 Darlington Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dulverton, Brompton Regis Devon
4 Stokeinteignhead, Combeinteignhead, Haccombe, St Nicholas Devon
5 Tiverton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 012 Darlington
2 Darlington 006 Darlington
3 Warrington 017 Warrington
4 Medway 027 Medway
5 Tonbridge and Malling 001 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hepper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hepper

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hepper 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

Hepper is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hepper

The surname Hepper has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the late Middle Ages around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "hepper," which refers to a worker in the hemp industry or a weaver of hemp cloth. The name was particularly prevalent in regions where hemp cultivation and textile production were significant economic activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hepper surname can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Bavaria, from the year 1387, where a certain Hans Hepper was listed as a resident. Another early reference appears in the parish records of Cologne, dated 1412, mentioning a family by the name of Hepper.

During the 15th century, the Hepper name gained prominence in the town of Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, where several members of the family worked as skilled weavers and textile merchants. Notable figures from this era include Matthias Hepper (1438-1512), a respected master weaver, and his son, Christoph Hepper (1472-1538), who established a successful textile trading business.

In the 16th century, the Hepper family expanded their influence across various regions of Germany. One notable figure was Johann Hepper (1518-1592), a scholar and theologian from Wittenberg, who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and contributed to the translation of the Bible into German.

As the centuries progressed, the Hepper name continued to be associated with various professions and trades. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in the town of Coburg, Bavaria, where they established a successful brewing business. Heinrich Hepper (1724-1798) was a renowned master brewer whose recipes and techniques were highly regarded.

Other notable individuals bearing the Hepper surname include Friedrich Hepper (1817-1891), a German botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy, and Gustav Hepper (1853-1923), a respected architect from Berlin who designed several iconic buildings in the city during the late 19th century.

While the surname Hepper originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where it was closely associated with the hemp industry and textile production in various regions of Germany.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hepper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hepper 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. Devon leads with 48 Heppers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.55x.

County Total Index
Devon 48 10.55x
Yorkshire 47 2.17x
Somerset 32 9.10x
Middlesex 29 1.33x
Northumberland 17 5.23x
Surrey 16 1.50x
Cornwall 10 4.04x
Durham 7 1.08x
Lancashire 6 0.23x
Anglesey 5 12.91x
Flintshire 2 3.41x
Staffordshire 2 0.27x
Essex 1 0.23x
Lanarkshire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wortley In Bramley in Yorkshire leads with 23 Heppers recorded in 1881 and an index of 134.11x.

Place Total Index
Wortley In Bramley 23 134.11x
Westgate 17 84.45x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 78.91x
St Mary Magdalene 10 549.45x
Creech St Michael 9 1022.73x
Tiverton 9 114.94x
St Marylebone London 7 6.00x
Wandsworth 7 33.29x
Brompton Regis 6 1578.95x
Down St Mary 6 2500.00x
Plymouth Charles The 6 29.94x
Rotherhithe 6 22.22x
Stockleigh English 6 12000.00x
Beaumaris 5 349.65x
Bedminster 5 15.13x
Dunster 5 595.24x
Gateshead 5 10.27x
Manchester 5 4.29x
St Pancras London 5 2.84x
Stoke Newington London 5 29.38x
York St Mary 5 55.74x
Dulverton 4 388.35x
Rose Ash 4 1052.63x
Bermondsey 3 4.61x
Ealing 3 15.36x
Hipperholme Cum 3 31.55x
Horton In Bradford 3 8.87x
Islington London 3 1.42x
Paddington London 3 3.73x
Weston Super Mare 3 33.78x
Bampton 2 143.88x
Darlington 2 7.97x
East Stonehouse 2 22.32x
Exeter St Pancras 2 833.33x
Exeter St Petrock 2 1428.57x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 43.10x
Leeds 2 1.64x
Molland 2 540.54x
Rhuddlan 2 38.68x
Smallthorne 2 72.99x
St George Martyr London 2 45.15x
Barony 1 0.56x
Cleethorpes 1 48.54x
Exeter St Paul 1 111.11x
Grays Thurrock 1 24.94x
Pilton 1 66.67x
Salford 1 1.31x
Sandford 1 90.09x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.60x
Thelbridge 1 625.00x
Topsham 1 46.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 9
Ann 6
Annie 6
Florence 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Harriet 3
Henrietta 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Amy 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Lavinia 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Thirza 2
Bertha 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elsie 1
Eva 1
Fiona 1
Flora 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Hanstak 1
Helen 1
Heriott 1
Isabella 1
Jennie 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Leonora 1
Louise 1
Lousia 1
M. 1
Maggie 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 12
Henry 6
Charles 5
Thomas 5
Edward 4
Frederick 4
George 4
Robert 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
James 2
Jonas 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Alaric 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Edmond 1
Evelyn 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Josep 1
Lionel 1
Phillip 1
Stephen 1
Vernon 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Hepper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hepper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 224 people were recorded with the Hepper surname. That placed it at #11,970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hepper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016. That gives Hepper a modern rank of #15,240.

What does the Hepper surname mean?

A variant spelling of the occupational surname "Hepper" referring to a basket maker.

What does the Hepper map show?

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