NameCensus.

UK surname

Lippett

An English habitational name from a place in Somerset meaning "little gate".

In the 1881 census there were 184 people recorded with the Lippett surname, ranking it #13,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 397, ranked #11,941, up from #13,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Great Malvern, Madresfield and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, Tewkesbury and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lippett is 397 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 115.8%.

1881 census count

184

Ranked #13,551

Modern count

397

2016, ranked #11,941

Peak year

2016

397 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lippett had 184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 397 in 2016, ranked #11,941.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 330 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Lippett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lippett surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Lippett 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 184 #13,551
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 304 #11,543
1911 historical 330 #10,669
1997 modern 370 #11,666
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 379 #11,922
2000 modern 378 #11,882
2001 modern 375 #11,774
2002 modern 376 #11,989
2003 modern 380 #11,689
2004 modern 380 #11,717
2005 modern 386 #11,493
2006 modern 378 #11,714
2007 modern 373 #12,005
2008 modern 370 #12,182
2009 modern 370 #12,416
2010 modern 385 #12,353
2011 modern 390 #12,089
2012 modern 392 #11,898
2013 modern 383 #12,314
2014 modern 394 #12,144
2015 modern 390 #12,139
2016 modern 397 #11,941

Geography

Back to top

Where Lippetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Great Malvern, Madresfield, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, Tewkesbury, Wychavon, Croydon and Cheltenham. 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 Great Malvern, Madresfield Worcestershire
3 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 009 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Tewkesbury 002 Tewkesbury
3 Wychavon 013 Wychavon
4 Croydon 030 Croydon
5 Cheltenham 007 Cheltenham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Lippett

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Lippett

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lippett 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

Lippett 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

Lippett falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lippett

The surname Lippett has its origins in medieval England, likely emerging in the late 12th or early 13th century. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English term "lypp" or "lyppa," meaning lips, which could have been a nickname for someone with prominent lips. Additionally, it may derive from the Old English term "lippet," which referred to a leaper or dancer, thus potentially describing an individual's profession or characteristic.

The surname Lippett is historically associated with the regions of Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. It appears in various early records, including manorial rolls and tax lists, indicating that the name was established in these areas by the late Middle Ages. One of the earliest references to the surname in official records is from the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221, where a Robert de Lippet is mentioned.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Lippett. One such figure is Nicholas Lippet, born circa 1360, who served as a merchant and alderman in Gloucester. Another early bearer of the name was John Lippet, recorded as a landowner in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1524. These records suggest Lippetts were involved in mercantile and agrarian pursuits.

In the 17th century, a significant figure with the surname was Thomas Lippett, born in 1624, who emigrated to the American Colonies and became one of the early settlers in Rhode Island. His presence is documented in colonial records, highlighting the expansion of the surname beyond England.

The surname continued to be represented by influential individuals in the 19th century. George Lippett, born in 1808 in Warwickshire, made notable contributions as an industrialist during the Industrial Revolution. Another prominent Lippett was Henry Lippett, born in 1818, who served as the Governor of Rhode Island from 1875 to 1877, reflecting the family's continued prominence in both England and the United States.

These historical references underscore the surname's evolution from its medieval origins in England to its establishment in the New World. The journey of the name Lippett from its initial appearance in manorial rolls to modern historical importance marks a fascinating exploration of linguistic, geographical, and social transformations over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Lippett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lippett 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. Worcestershire leads with 48 Lippetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.48x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 48 20.48x
Gloucestershire 27 7.67x
Devon 13 3.48x
Warwickshire 13 2.87x
Wiltshire 11 6.93x
Durham 10 1.87x
Herefordshire 10 13.59x
Yorkshire 9 0.51x
Middlesex 7 0.39x
Somerset 7 2.42x
Monmouthshire 6 4.62x
Staffordshire 6 0.99x
Kent 3 0.49x
Shropshire 3 1.93x
Glamorgan 2 0.64x
Lancashire 2 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.83x
Berkshire 1 0.74x
Cheshire 1 0.25x
Essex 1 0.28x
Hertfordshire 1 0.81x
Oxfordshire 1 0.90x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 22 Lippetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.00x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 22 81.00x
Worcester Blockhouse 16 1240.31x
Bradford On Avon 9 177.17x
Birmingham 7 4.64x
Nunney 7 1111.11x
Bromsgrove 6 76.05x
Chilton 6 359.28x
Great Little Hampton 6 1538.46x
Rushall 6 168.07x
St George In East London 6 35.55x
Aston 5 4.01x
Evesham St Lawrence 5 400.00x
Holbeck 5 42.44x
Lapal 5 2272.73x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 202.43x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 17.29x
Hereford St John 4 476.19x
Brightside Bierlow 3 8.60x
Exeter St Mary Major 3 133.33x
Exeter St Sidwell 3 35.05x
Humber 3 1875.00x
Oldbury 3 26.02x
Stokesay 3 652.17x
Withycombe Rawleigh 3 153.85x
Cardiff St Mary 2 11.62x
Hinton On The Green 2 1818.18x
Minster In Sheppey 2 19.70x
Oldham 2 2.91x
Radford 2 16.27x
Worcester St Helen 2 266.67x
Aston Subedge 1 1428.57x
Bawtry 1 178.57x
Beckford 1 344.83x
Bromley 1 10.72x
Bromyard 1 103.09x
Churchill 1 666.67x
Edgbaston 1 7.13x
Evesham All Sts 1 91.74x
Exeter St John 1 370.37x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 26.25x
Fownhope 1 156.25x
Hackney London 1 0.99x
Kidderminster Borough 1 7.29x
Kilmington 1 322.58x
Liscard 1 14.01x
Lydney 1 54.95x
Mathon 1 144.93x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 1 76.34x
Purton 1 70.92x
Reading St Giles 1 7.56x
Risca 1 40.82x
Stoke Prior 1 294.12x
Tormoham 1 6.33x
Tring 1 30.30x
Trowbridge 1 14.25x
Upton On Severn 1 64.94x
West Ham 1 1.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Annie 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Henrietta 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Angelina 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Hanah 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
J. 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Lucy 1
Marey 1
Prescilla 1
Rachael 1
S. 1
Sealy 1
Susannah 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
George 15
Alfred 7
Charles 7
James 7
Thomas 7
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Ernest 3
John 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Duglas 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Fredck. 1
Fredrick 1
Hannah 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Richard 1
Walter 1
Wilson 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lippett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lippett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 184 people were recorded with the Lippett surname. That placed it at #13,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lippett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 397 in 2016. That gives Lippett a modern rank of #11,941.

What does the Lippett surname mean?

An English habitational name from a place in Somerset meaning "little gate".

What does the Lippett map show?

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