NameCensus.

UK surname

Lepper

A shortened form of the German occupational name for a tilemaker or brickmaker.

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Lepper surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 160, ranked #22,694, down from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Paulerspury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Vale of White Horse and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lepper is 298 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.4%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

160

2016, ranked #22,694

Peak year

1901

298 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lepper had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016, ranked #22,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 298 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lepper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lepper surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lepper 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 197 #10,535
1861 historical 212 #11,466
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 254 #12,598
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 272 #12,205
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 216 #17,257
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 210 #17,670
2001 modern 202 #17,834
2002 modern 194 #18,651
2003 modern 184 #19,075
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 172 #20,073
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 160 #21,978
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 160 #22,282
2012 modern 162 #22,078
2013 modern 163 #22,342
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 160 #22,694

Geography

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Where Leppers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Paulerspury, Hawkinge, Folkestone and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Vale of White Horse, Walsall and Sevenoaks. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Paulerspury Northamptonshire
4 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 001 Ashford
2 Vale of White Horse 002 Vale of White Horse
3 Walsall 022 Walsall
4 Sevenoaks 012 Sevenoaks
5 Ashford 010 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lepper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lepper

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

Lepper is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lepper falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lepper

The surname Lepper is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "læppa," which means a basket or a box used for carrying small items. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who made or carried baskets or boxes as an occupation.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Lepper dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Godric Lepere was listed as a tenant in the county of Lincolnshire. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in England.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Lepere, Leper, and Lepare. These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in the spelling and recording of surnames during that time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Lepper was Thomas Lepper, an English clockmaker who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his contributions to the development of the pendulum clock and is considered one of the pioneers of precision timekeeping.

Another individual worth mentioning is John Lepper, a 17th-century English actor and playwright who performed with the King's Men, one of the most prominent acting companies in London during the Elizabethan era.

In the 18th century, the name Lepper was associated with the village of Lepper in Derbyshire, England, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname who lived in or owned land in that area.

During the 19th century, a notable person with the surname Lepper was Richard Lepper, a British artist and engraver who specialized in portraiture and book illustrations. He was born in 1810 and is known for his work on various publications, including novels by Charles Dickens.

Another individual worth mentioning is John Lepper, a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the early 19th century. He participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the exploration and mapping of these areas.

While the surname Lepper is not as common today as it was in the past, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lepper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lepper 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. Kent leads with 88 Leppers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.45x.

County Total Index
Kent 88 11.45x
Middlesex 22 0.98x
Surrey 20 1.82x
Oxfordshire 16 11.50x
Sussex 15 3.95x
Northamptonshire 14 6.61x
Berkshire 11 6.50x
Staffordshire 9 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 7 5.14x
Warwickshire 6 1.06x
Aberdeenshire 5 2.40x
Hampshire 5 1.08x
Lanarkshire 5 0.69x
Midlothian 3 0.99x
West Lothian 2 5.89x
Channel Islands 1 1.50x
Durham 1 0.15x
Kincardineshire 1 3.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Folkestone in Kent leads with 28 Leppers recorded in 1881 and an index of 187.79x.

Place Total Index
Folkestone 28 187.79x
Finmere 14 6363.64x
Cookham 10 189.75x
Maidstone 10 43.67x
Wolverhampton 9 15.39x
Hastings All Sts 8 223.46x
Wye 8 672.27x
Caterham 7 144.33x
Lambeth 7 3.56x
St Lawrence 7 132.33x
Birmingham 6 3.17x
Plumstead 6 23.41x
Aylesbury 5 82.78x
Hackney London 5 3.96x
Maryhill 5 35.04x
Snodland 5 229.36x
Willesborough 5 241.55x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 10.25x
Brading 4 65.15x
Brighton 4 5.22x
Fulham London 4 12.24x
Islington London 4 1.83x
Blisworth 3 365.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.47x
Greenwich 3 8.36x
Ivychurch 3 1500.00x
Moulton 3 254.24x
Pitsford 3 697.67x
Rochester St Margaret 3 36.99x
Subdeanary 3 294.12x
Burham 2 188.68x
Coulsdon 2 100.00x
Croydon 2 3.28x
Hawkhurst 2 83.68x
Linlithgow 2 45.98x
Linton 2 298.51x
Lydd 2 121.21x
Mile End New Town London 2 44.94x
Newington 2 2.40x
St Pancras London 2 1.10x
Weedon Beck 2 131.58x
Chilton 1 416.67x
Cottisford 1 526.32x
Crick 1 138.89x
Farnborough 1 20.62x
Glenbervie 1 133.33x
Heston 1 13.37x
Hornsey 1 3.51x
Hythe St Leonard 1 36.76x
Kensington London 1 0.80x
Milton In Gravesend 1 8.67x
Neithrop 1 21.37x
Newbury 1 18.45x
Paddington London 1 1.21x
Paulerspury 1 113.64x
Seaham 1 40.98x
Shoreditch London 1 1.02x
St Helier 1 4.60x
Thornborough 1 222.22x
Turriff 1 29.67x
Wellingborough 1 9.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
George 12
John 11
Richard 11
Henry 8
Charles 4
Herbert 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Arthur 2
Maurice 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Algernon 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Godfrey 1
Harry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Sylvanus 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lepper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lepper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Lepper surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lepper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016. That gives Lepper a modern rank of #22,694.

What does the Lepper surname mean?

A shortened form of the German occupational name for a tilemaker or brickmaker.

What does the Lepper map show?

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