NameCensus.

UK surname

Hopson

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Hob, a medieval diminutive of Robert, meaning "bright fame."

In the 1881 census there were 786 people recorded with the Hopson surname, ranking it #4,726 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,442, ranked #4,256, up from #4,726 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Newbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Neath Port Talbot and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hopson is 1,456 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.5%.

1881 census count

786

Ranked #4,726

Modern count

1,442

2016, ranked #4,256

Peak year

2010

1,456 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hopson had 786 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,726 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,442 in 2016, ranked #4,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,231 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Hopson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hopson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hopson 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 428 #5,717
1861 historical 553 #4,760
1881 historical 786 #4,726
1891 historical 873 #4,708
1901 historical 1,072 #4,505
1911 historical 1,231 #3,835
1997 modern 1,369 #4,211
1998 modern 1,416 #4,235
1999 modern 1,421 #4,251
2000 modern 1,406 #4,273
2001 modern 1,361 #4,298
2002 modern 1,416 #4,255
2003 modern 1,382 #4,267
2004 modern 1,393 #4,242
2005 modern 1,375 #4,255
2006 modern 1,375 #4,259
2007 modern 1,384 #4,265
2008 modern 1,378 #4,310
2009 modern 1,416 #4,295
2010 modern 1,456 #4,282
2011 modern 1,455 #4,241
2012 modern 1,414 #4,272
2013 modern 1,451 #4,248
2014 modern 1,443 #4,297
2015 modern 1,440 #4,269
2016 modern 1,442 #4,256

Geography

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Where Hopsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Newbury, London parishes and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Neath Port Talbot, Wakefield and Ceredigion. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Newbury Berkshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 010 Wrexham
2 Neath Port Talbot 013 Neath Port Talbot
3 Wakefield 016 Wakefield
4 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion
5 Wakefield 027 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hopson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hopson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hopson, 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 Hopson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hopson 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hopson is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hopson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hopson

The surname Hopson is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hop" and "sunu," meaning "son of the hop grower" or "son of the hop seller." This occupational surname first emerged in the late 12th century in regions of England where hop cultivation was common, such as Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hopson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1195, where a certain William Hopson is mentioned as a taxpayer. The surname also appears in the Assize Rolls of Kent from 1265, referencing a Thomas Hopson residing in the county.

During the medieval period, the name was sometimes spelled variations such as Hopesone, Hopsun, and Hopsoun, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions at the time. It is believed that the Hopson family may have been among the early settlers in the village of Hopesay in Shropshire, which likely derived its name from the Old English words "hop" and "sæte," meaning "hop settlers."

Notable individuals with the surname Hopson throughout history include:

1. John Hopson (c. 1510-1580), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich. 2. Ralph Hopson (c. 1570-1632), an English composer and lutenist known for his contributions to the English madrigal tradition. 3. William Hopson (1787-1853), an American educator and minister who established the Hopson Academy in Milledgeville, Georgia, one of the first schools for girls in the state. 4. Mary Hopson (1849-1927), an American educator and activist who founded the Hopson's Labor College in Knoxville, Tennessee, which aimed to provide educational opportunities for working-class individuals. 5. George Hopson (1876-1949), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Savoy Theatre and the Gaiety Theatre.

While the origins of the Hopson surname can be traced back to medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hopson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hopson 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 124 Hopsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 124 1.61x
Staffordshire 88 3.39x
Yorkshire 79 1.04x
Lancashire 70 0.77x
Gloucestershire 60 3.98x
Berkshire 57 9.88x
Kent 36 1.37x
Essex 24 1.58x
Durham 21 0.92x
Surrey 20 0.53x
Dorset 19 3.77x
Herefordshire 17 5.39x
Suffolk 17 1.82x
Norfolk 16 1.35x
Ayrshire 14 2.43x
Caernarfonshire 13 4.18x
Derbyshire 12 1.00x
Devon 12 0.75x
Worcestershire 12 1.20x
Denbighshire 10 3.44x
Warwickshire 10 0.52x
Wiltshire 10 1.47x
Cheshire 9 0.53x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.44x
Northumberland 7 0.61x
Perthshire 6 1.74x
Hampshire 5 0.32x
Anglesey 4 2.94x
Angus 2 0.28x
Glamorgan 2 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.59x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 1.09x
Somerset 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 74 Hopsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 76.79x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 74 76.79x
Newbury 24 129.87x
Cheltenham 17 14.62x
Islington London 17 2.28x
West Ham 15 4.48x
Bideford 12 70.01x
Morley 12 30.30x
Bromley London 11 6.50x
Dudley 11 9.01x
Starforth 11 808.82x
Stroud 11 37.49x
Churchdown 10 333.33x
Hereford St Martin 10 261.78x
Kirkoswald 10 212.77x
Middlesbrough 10 10.08x
Shoreditch London 10 3.00x
Altofts 9 107.02x
Litcham 9 424.53x
Maidstone 9 11.52x
Paddington London 9 3.18x
St Michael Cornhill 9 1500.00x
Wantage 9 97.83x
Wyke Regis 9 124.31x
Bethnal Green London 8 2.40x
Chiswick 8 19.05x
Hougham 8 51.28x
Kensington London 8 1.87x
Llanllechid 8 36.61x
Reading St Mary 8 17.31x
Usworth 8 65.90x
Abbotsbury 7 271.32x
Bow London 7 7.15x
Clitheroe 7 26.07x
Holy Trinity 7 3.82x
Ipswich St Peter 7 55.56x
Manchester 7 1.71x
Oldham 7 2.38x
Ormskirk 7 40.11x
Staveley 7 32.77x
Worsbrough 7 31.36x
Alnwick 6 30.52x
Auchterarder 6 62.31x
Ecclesfield 6 10.74x
Kirkdale 6 3.91x
Reading St Giles 6 10.60x
South Hamlet 6 64.31x
Stansty 6 187.50x
Stockport 6 6.87x
Aston 5 0.94x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 7.28x
Cranbrook 5 45.00x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 5 23.55x
Liverpool 5 0.90x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 11.20x
Newington 5 1.76x
Pendleton In Salford 5 4.60x
Rowley Regis 5 6.91x
St George Martyr London 5 32.11x
Toxteth Park 5 1.62x
Alton Priors 4 769.23x
Bangor 4 13.34x
Barking 4 9.01x
Brightside Bierlow 4 2.68x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 2.76x
Dailly 4 68.14x
Darlaston 4 11.15x
Dartford 4 14.91x
Deptford St Nicholas 4 19.22x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 4 14.50x
Hackney London 4 0.93x
Hammersmith London 4 2.11x
Holyhead 4 15.75x
Lambeth 4 0.60x
Methley 4 37.31x
Stonehouse 4 46.67x
Beccles 3 19.91x
Bedworth 3 21.20x
Birtley 3 32.15x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 9.44x
Southampton St Mary 3 3.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 33
Joseph 26
Henry 25
Thomas 24
Charles 23
George 18
James 18
Alfred 12
Frederick 10
Richard 9
Robert 7
Abraham 6
Arthur 6
Benjamin 6
Edward 6
Edwin 6
Herbert 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Ralph 3
Geo. 2
Hezekiah 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Anthony 1
C.A. 1
Christoper 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Fredderick 1
Frederic 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Henery 1
Jno.Thomas 1
Jonathan 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Michal 1
Montague 1
Nathaniel 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Hopson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hopson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 786 people were recorded with the Hopson surname. That placed it at #4,726 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hopson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,442 in 2016. That gives Hopson a modern rank of #4,256.

What does the Hopson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Hob, a medieval diminutive of Robert, meaning "bright fame."

What does the Hopson map show?

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