NameCensus.

UK surname

Lepine

A surname of French origin referring to someone who lived near a thorn bush or briar patch.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Lepine surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Paddington, London parishes and St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Rotherham and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lepine is 169 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.0%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2002

169 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lepine had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lepine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lepine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lepine 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 146 #18,664
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 139 #18,745
1997 modern 157 #20,513
1998 modern 167 #20,258
1999 modern 166 #20,458
2000 modern 162 #20,735
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 169 #20,307
2003 modern 160 #20,789
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 154 #22,536
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 149 #23,372
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 155 #23,333
2015 modern 152 #23,507
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Lepines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Paddington, London parishes, St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital, Maidstone, Linton, Loddington and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Rotherham, Southend-on-Sea, Sunderland and Nottingham. 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 Paddington London (West Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital Kent
4 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 017 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Rotherham 001 Rotherham
3 Southend-on-Sea 015 Southend-on-Sea
4 Sunderland 017 Sunderland
5 Nottingham 027 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lepine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lepine

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Lepine is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Lepine 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

Lepine falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lepine 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 Lepine, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lepine

The surname LEPINE has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the French word "épine," meaning "thorn" or "thorny bush," and was likely originally a topographic name given to someone who lived near a thorny area or a place where thorny bushes grew abundantly.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records and documents from the 12th and 13th centuries in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Picardy. It is believed that the name may have been associated with certain place names containing the word "épine," such as Épinay, Épineville, or Épinay-sur-Seine.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Guillaume Lepine, a French nobleman who lived in the late 12th century and was mentioned in a charter from the Abbey of Saint-Quentin in Picardy.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings, including Lespine, Lespyne, and Lepyne, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

In the 14th century, the name LEPINE gained prominence through the exploits of Jean Lepine, a French knight who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1390 and participated in the famous battles of Orléans and Patay.

Another notable figure with the surname LEPINE was Pierre Lepine, a French poet and dramatist who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Rouen in 1546 and was known for his contributions to the French Renaissance literature.

In the 17th century, Louis Lepine, a French clockmaker born in 1662, gained recognition for his innovative designs and contributions to the art of watchmaking. He is credited with developing the first slim pocket watch, known as the "Lepine watch."

During the French Revolution, Jacques Lepine, born in 1760, was a prominent revolutionary who served as the chief of police in Paris. He played a crucial role in maintaining order during the turbulent times of the revolution.

As the name LEPINE spread across France and beyond, it was adopted by families in various regions, and individuals with this surname contributed to various fields, including arts, sciences, and politics, leaving their mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of their respective eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lepine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lepine 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 40 Lepines recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 40 4.51x
Kent 24 7.93x
Surrey 14 3.24x
Suffolk 6 5.55x
Berkshire 2 3.00x
Oxfordshire 2 3.65x
Durham 1 0.38x
Gloucestershire 1 0.57x
Hertfordshire 1 1.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 8 Lepines recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.11x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 8 14.11x
Islington London 8 9.30x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 8 634.92x
Maidstone 7 77.61x
Canterbury St Mary 6 295.57x
Hadleigh 5 476.19x
Halling 5 1250.00x
Bow London 4 35.40x
Newington 4 12.20x
Plumstead 4 39.64x
St Marylebone London 4 8.44x
Hammersmith London 3 13.72x
Heston 3 101.69x
Abingdon St Helen 2 102.56x
Deptford St Paul 2 8.56x
Holywell 2 769.23x
Poplar London 2 11.94x
St Martin In Fields 2 37.66x
St Stephen Coleman Street 2 645.16x
Bermondsey 1 3.79x
Clifton 1 11.36x
Darlington 1 9.81x
Hackney London 1 2.01x
Kensington London 1 2.03x
Paddington London 1 3.06x
Southwold 1 156.25x
Stanstead Abbots 1 270.27x
Whitechapel London 1 11.43x
Windlesham 1 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Emily 3
Caroline 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Louisa 2
Louise 2
Margaret 2
Marie 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Angelina 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.B. 1
Emma 1
Ernestine 1
Ethel 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Jeanne 1
Jessie 1
Katharine 1
Leonora 1
Lizzie 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Saruer 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Charles 5
William 5
George 4
Stephen 4
Richard 3
Henry 2
Jules 2
Alfret 1
Cecil 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Emile 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Gustave 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Phillippe 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lepine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lepine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Lepine surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lepine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Lepine a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Lepine surname mean?

A surname of French origin referring to someone who lived near a thorn bush or briar patch.

What does the Lepine map show?

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