NameCensus.

UK surname

Jessop

From the personal name Joseph, which is derived from Hebrew meaning "he will add" or "God will increase".

In the 1881 census there were 3,551 people recorded with the Jessop surname, ranking it #1,274 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,550, ranked #1,907, down from #1,274 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kirkheaton and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jessop is 4,497 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

3,551

Ranked #1,274

Modern count

3,550

2016, ranked #1,907

Peak year

1911

4,497 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jessop had 3,551 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,274 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,550 in 2016, ranked #1,907.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,497 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jessop surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jessop surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jessop 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 2,162 #1,353
1861 historical 2,207 #1,334
1881 historical 3,551 #1,274
1891 historical 3,702 #1,289
1901 historical 4,319 #1,310
1911 historical 4,497 #1,145
1997 modern 3,680 #1,761
1998 modern 3,764 #1,790
1999 modern 3,719 #1,826
2000 modern 3,688 #1,828
2001 modern 3,600 #1,832
2002 modern 3,653 #1,854
2003 modern 3,540 #1,868
2004 modern 3,513 #1,885
2005 modern 3,433 #1,897
2006 modern 3,427 #1,900
2007 modern 3,400 #1,934
2008 modern 3,430 #1,932
2009 modern 3,521 #1,935
2010 modern 3,585 #1,943
2011 modern 3,557 #1,934
2012 modern 3,526 #1,912
2013 modern 3,587 #1,907
2014 modern 3,611 #1,902
2015 modern 3,543 #1,928
2016 modern 3,550 #1,907

Geography

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Where Jessops are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kirkheaton, Sheffield and Huddersfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees and Newark and Sherwood. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
3 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood
4 Kingston upon Hull 002 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jessop

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jessop

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Jessop 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

Jessop 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

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

Meaning and origin of Jessop

The surname Jessop is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is derived from the Old English word "giscepa," meaning "a standard-bearer" or "an officer who carries a banner."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Jessop can be found in the renowned Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This historical document lists individuals with the name Jessop as landowners in various parts of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Jessope, Jessoppe, and Jessup. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during those times. Additionally, the name was often associated with certain place names, such as Jessop's Well in Yorkshire and Jessop's Hill in Lincolnshire.

One notable figure bearing the Jessop surname was Sir Thomas Jessop (c. 1550-1624), a wealthy merchant and politician from Yorkshire who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1609. Another prominent individual was William Jessop (1745-1814), a celebrated English civil engineer renowned for his contributions to canal construction and engineering projects during the Industrial Revolution.

In the literary realm, Edward Jessop (1735-1805) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works and served as the Rector of Maltby in Yorkshire for over 40 years. Meanwhile, in the field of science, Sir Charles Jessop (1837-1916) was a British civil engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and other industrial machinery.

Another notable figure was Francis Jessop (1887-1967), a British writer and journalist who published numerous works on history, travel, and folklore. He was widely recognized for his contributions to the preservation of English cultural heritage.

While these are just a few examples, the Jessop surname has a rich history spanning centuries, with its origins deeply rooted in the medieval English countryside and its bearers leaving indelible marks across various fields throughout the ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jessop families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jessop 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 1,771 Jessops recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.15x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,771 5.15x
Middlesex 324 0.93x
Lincolnshire 212 3.82x
Lancashire 173 0.42x
Surrey 129 0.76x
Derbyshire 100 1.84x
Essex 96 1.40x
Kent 76 0.64x
Warwickshire 68 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 67 1.43x
Hampshire 46 0.65x
Durham 44 0.43x
Leicestershire 44 1.14x
Devon 43 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 42 1.91x
Norfolk 39 0.73x
Gloucestershire 35 0.51x
Northamptonshire 35 1.07x
Staffordshire 31 0.26x
Cheshire 28 0.37x
Suffolk 22 0.52x
Cumberland 21 0.70x
Dorset 17 0.75x
Northumberland 15 0.29x
Hertfordshire 14 0.59x
Oxfordshire 13 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 12 0.57x
Sussex 12 0.21x
Berkshire 6 0.23x
Monmouthshire 3 0.12x
Somerset 3 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.06x
Angus 1 0.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.06x
Flintshire 1 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.24x
Westmorland 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lepton in Yorkshire leads with 134 Jessops recorded in 1881 and an index of 373.26x.

Place Total Index
Lepton 134 373.26x
Huddersfield 111 22.17x
Mirfield 94 49.82x
Kirkheaton 93 166.88x
Dalton In Huddersfield 61 79.24x
Sheffield 60 5.48x
Almondbury 52 31.29x
Birmingham 47 1.61x
Boston 45 26.75x
Hackney London 41 2.11x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 40 32.59x
Shoreditch London 40 2.66x
Thornhill 38 37.90x
Brightside Bierlow 37 5.49x
Leeds 36 1.86x
Soothill 36 29.00x
Dewsbury 33 9.36x
Lambeth 33 1.09x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 31 24.84x
Oldham 30 2.26x
Batley 29 8.88x
Holy Trinity 29 3.51x
Nether Hallam 28 6.02x
St Pancras London 28 1.00x
Bethnal Green London 27 1.79x
Cheltenham 27 5.15x
Belper 26 24.70x
Hipperholme Cum 26 17.22x
West Ham 26 1.72x
Kirkburton 25 61.71x
Wakefield 24 9.10x
Ecclesall Bierlow 23 3.29x
Rastrick 23 24.10x
Skirbeck 23 74.00x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 22 6.87x
Mile End Old Town London 22 2.98x
Sandal Magna 22 43.29x
Bingley 21 9.60x
Islington London 21 0.62x
Lockwood 21 16.99x
Pudsey 21 11.43x
Gosberton 19 77.14x
Kettering 19 14.40x
Portsea 19 1.36x
St Marylebone London 19 1.03x
Sculcoates 17 3.12x
Wolverhampton 17 1.89x
Woodford 17 21.94x
Bermondsey 16 1.55x
Bowling 16 4.70x
Cartworth 16 56.30x
Tankersley 16 62.45x
Worksop 16 11.54x
Battersea 15 1.18x
Chingford 15 90.85x
Pembury 15 89.45x
Horton In Bradford 14 2.61x
Hunslet 14 2.61x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.49x
Middlesbrough 14 3.13x
Middleton In Oldham 14 11.35x
Wisbech St Peter 14 12.71x
Holbeck 13 5.71x
Widnes 13 4.38x
Brampton Bierlow 12 27.27x
East Malling 12 42.43x
Newark Upon Trent 12 7.14x
Nottingham St Mary 12 0.99x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 1.72x
St Botolph Lincoln 12 30.11x
Stoke Damerel 12 2.38x
Bradford 11 1.32x
Hemsworth 11 55.72x
Kensington London 11 0.57x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 11 12.69x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 1.98x
Rotherham 11 5.68x
Sutton Stoneferry 11 11.19x
Waltham Holy Cross 11 17.19x
Wombwell 10 9.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 243
Sarah 136
Elizabeth 123
Emma 78
Ann 77
Annie 67
Eliza 59
Hannah 59
Jane 54
Martha 48
Ellen 42
Emily 38
Alice 37
Ada 30
Maria 28
Harriet 27
Clara 26
Florence 25
Caroline 24
Margaret 24
Charlotte 22
Edith 21
Frances 21
Kate 20
Louisa 19
Lucy 18
Fanny 16
Susannah 16
Minnie 15
Rose 14
Susan 14
Ruth 12
Laura 11
Lydia 11
Rebecca 10
Esther 9
Harriett 9
Isabella 9
Amelia 8
Amy 8
Anne 8
Catherine 8
Elizth. 8
Gertrude 8
Agnes 7
Bertha 7
Ethel 7
Lavinia 7
Sophia 7
Helen 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 197
John 193
George 121
Thomas 93
Charles 81
James 78
Joseph 76
Henry 60
Samuel 48
Arthur 43
Walter 38
Richard 31
Alfred 29
Robert 24
Albert 23
Edward 23
Harry 23
Fred 21
Joe 21
David 16
Frank 16
Herbert 16
Edwin 15
Frederick 14
Wm. 14
Benjamin 13
Ernest 13
Tom 11
Willie 10
Sam 9
Thos. 9
Allen 8
Ben 8
Percy 7
Andrew 6
Adam 5
Christopher 5
Jonathan 5
Martin 5
Abraham 4
Francis 4
Geo. 4
Stephen 4
Abel 3
Augustus 3
Hubert 3
Jas. 3
Jno. 3
Reuben 3
Robt. 3

FAQ

Jessop surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jessop surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,551 people were recorded with the Jessop surname. That placed it at #1,274 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jessop surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,550 in 2016. That gives Jessop a modern rank of #1,907.

What does the Jessop surname mean?

From the personal name Joseph, which is derived from Hebrew meaning "he will add" or "God will increase".

What does the Jessop map show?

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