NameCensus.

UK surname

Hopton

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from a village called Hopton.

In the 1881 census there were 833 people recorded with the Hopton surname, ranking it #4,520 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,013, ranked #5,748, down from #4,520 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Tewkesbury and Cheltenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hopton is 1,207 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.6%.

1881 census count

833

Ranked #4,520

Modern count

1,013

2016, ranked #5,748

Peak year

1911

1,207 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hopton had 833 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,520 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,013 in 2016, ranked #5,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,207 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hopton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hopton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hopton 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 529 #4,745
1861 historical 609 #4,362
1881 historical 833 #4,520
1891 historical 912 #4,525
1901 historical 1,116 #4,336
1911 historical 1,207 #3,904
1997 modern 1,082 #5,146
1998 modern 1,138 #5,105
1999 modern 1,149 #5,116
2000 modern 1,125 #5,175
2001 modern 1,101 #5,171
2002 modern 1,133 #5,154
2003 modern 1,096 #5,197
2004 modern 1,075 #5,292
2005 modern 1,073 #5,247
2006 modern 1,081 #5,208
2007 modern 1,064 #5,326
2008 modern 1,054 #5,411
2009 modern 1,063 #5,487
2010 modern 1,066 #5,578
2011 modern 1,043 #5,620
2012 modern 1,043 #5,527
2013 modern 1,048 #5,613
2014 modern 1,070 #5,542
2015 modern 1,041 #5,617
2016 modern 1,013 #5,748

Geography

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Where Hoptons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes and Stapleton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Bristol and Purbeck. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Stapleton Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 021 Powys
2 Tewkesbury 007 Tewkesbury
3 Cheltenham 007 Cheltenham
4 Bristol 027 Bristol, City of
5 Purbeck 004 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hopton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hopton

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hopton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hopton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Hopton 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

Hopton 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

Hopton 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 Hopton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hopton

The surname Hopton originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from one of the numerous places called Hopton, which were found in various counties across England, including Shropshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, and Derbyshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "hop" and "tun," which together mean "a valley or enclosed place in the hills."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hopton surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Alwinus de Hoptuna, suggesting that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Hopton surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Shropshire and Staffordshire, where several villages and manors bore the name Hopton. One notable individual from this period was Sir Walter Hopton (c. 1470-1555), who served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire and was appointed High Sheriff of the county in 1532.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hopton family gained prominence in Somerset, where they established themselves as landowners and influential figures. Sir Ralph Hopton (1598-1652) was a prominent Royalist commander during the English Civil War and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Stratton in 1643. His son, also named Ralph Hopton (1641-1708), inherited the family estate and served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset.

Another notable figure was Richard Hopton (c. 1554-1594), an English soldier and explorer who participated in the Anglo-Spanish War and was involved in the early colonization efforts of Virginia. He served as a captain under Sir Richard Grenville and later became the deputy governor of the Roanoke Colony in 1585.

In the 18th century, the Hopton surname was also found in Yorkshire, where John Hopton (1727-1805) was a prominent lawyer and landowner. He served as a Justice of the Peace and held various other local offices in the county.

Several variations and alternative spellings of the Hopton surname have been recorded throughout history, including Hopton, Hoptun, Hopton-Jones, and Hopton-Wood, often reflecting the various locations or properties associated with different branches of the family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hopton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hopton 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. Yorkshire leads with 237 Hoptons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.96x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 237 2.96x
Gloucestershire 115 7.25x
Lancashire 74 0.77x
Middlesex 69 0.85x
Herefordshire 45 13.57x
Surrey 38 0.96x
Warwickshire 32 1.57x
Radnorshire 23 35.25x
Monmouthshire 18 3.08x
Kent 16 0.58x
Staffordshire 15 0.55x
Worcestershire 14 1.33x
Derbyshire 12 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.10x
Somerset 10 0.77x
Angus 9 1.20x
Brecknockshire 9 5.57x
Hampshire 8 0.48x
Cardiganshire 7 3.55x
Shropshire 7 1.00x
Glamorgan 6 0.43x
Morayshire 6 4.78x
Sussex 6 0.44x
Midlothian 5 0.46x
Devon 4 0.24x
Northumberland 4 0.33x
Berkshire 3 0.49x
Cornwall 3 0.33x
Essex 3 0.19x
Leicestershire 3 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.41x
Cumberland 2 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.92x
Lanarkshire 2 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 2 1.08x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Durham 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Norfolk 1 0.08x
Ross-shire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 45 Hoptons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.94x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 45 9.94x
Rothwell 36 222.36x
Castleford 27 92.53x
Aston 22 3.92x
Stapleton 19 63.14x
St Pancras London 17 2.61x
Featherstone 13 144.44x
Bromley 12 28.54x
Islington London 12 1.53x
Ormesby 12 55.71x
Aymestrey 11 614.53x
Little Hulton 11 69.23x
West Derby 11 3.92x
Birmingham 10 1.47x
Brockworth 10 813.01x
Hunslet 10 8.00x
Newport 10 35.86x
Alvaston 9 249.31x
Forfar 9 22.18x
Knill 9 3461.54x
St Luke London 9 6.94x
Barnsley 8 9.68x
Bedminster 8 6.54x
Gloucester St John Baptist 8 78.13x
Holbeck 8 15.07x
Lambeth 8 1.13x
Lower Ystradgynlais 8 80.16x
Oldham 8 2.58x
York Mint Yard St 8 1142.86x
Aberystwith 7 41.23x
Boddington 7 614.04x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 7 48.44x
Canon Frome 7 2187.50x
Croydon 7 3.20x
Disserth Trecoed 7 492.96x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 14.53x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 7 118.24x
Gloucester St Catherine 7 156.60x
Greasley 7 28.47x
Kington 7 85.26x
Monk Bretton 7 86.31x
Much Wenlock 7 108.70x
Newton 7 9.46x
Southampton St Mary 7 6.72x
St Anne Soho London 7 15.16x
Wandsworth 7 8.99x
Wotton St Mary 7 85.05x
Bilston 6 11.34x
Cheltenham 6 4.90x
Goole 6 44.68x
Gorton 6 6.65x
Idle 6 16.15x
Llanover 6 30.05x
Salford 6 2.13x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 6 16.12x
Upton St Leonards 6 148.88x
Windle 6 11.11x
Ashchurch 5 270.27x
Brighton 5 1.82x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 17.23x
Mathon 5 161.29x
Normanton 5 20.76x
Nottingham St Mary 5 1.77x
Old Radnor Evenjobb 5 568.18x
Rawdon 5 52.97x
Swansea Town 5 4.33x
Tirley 5 375.94x
Wortley In Bramley 5 7.88x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 7.56x
Burton Upon Trent 4 6.26x
Cefnllys 4 212.77x
Clapham 4 3.96x
Clifton 4 4.99x
Dyke 4 116.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 0.92x
Hammersmith London 4 2.01x
Stoke Damerel 4 3.40x
Streatham 4 6.67x
Wolverley 4 43.15x
Hereford St Owen 3 27.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 59
Sarah 34
Elizabeth 31
Eliza 16
Ellen 15
Emily 14
Alice 13
Ann 13
Annie 13
Jane 11
Margaret 9
Fanny 8
Hannah 8
Emma 7
Martha 7
Clara 6
Edith 5
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Louisa 5
Lucy 5
Rebecca 5
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Anne 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
A. 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Ester 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Harriette 2
Jemima 2
Joanna 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Selina 2
Settella 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
E.C. 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 45
William 41
George 28
James 25
Henry 23
Thomas 23
Joseph 21
Charles 16
Walter 11
Edwin 10
Alfred 8
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Robert 6
Thos. 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Richard 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Abney 2
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Iliff. 2
Moses 2
Timothy 2
Anthony 1
Caleb 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Christopher 1
Edmund 1
Ellen 1
Ephraim 1
Frederic 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jesse 1
Jno.W.T. 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Hopton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hopton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 833 people were recorded with the Hopton surname. That placed it at #4,520 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hopton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,013 in 2016. That gives Hopton a modern rank of #5,748.

What does the Hopton surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from a village called Hopton.

What does the Hopton map show?

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