NameCensus.

UK surname

Mapes

Derived from a Middle English term for someone who made or sold maps, or lived near a maple tree.

In the 1881 census there were 140 people recorded with the Mapes surname, ranking it #16,151 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 275, ranked #15,720, up from #16,151 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Buckenham, New, Sutton and Stoneferry and Banham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, Maldon and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mapes is 312 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.4%.

1881 census count

140

Ranked #16,151

Modern count

275

2016, ranked #15,720

Peak year

1998

312 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mapes had 140 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,151 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016, ranked #15,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 246 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mapes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mapes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mapes 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 140 #16,151
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 246 #13,054
1997 modern 293 #13,736
1998 modern 312 #13,532
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 305 #13,769
2001 modern 301 #13,700
2002 modern 301 #13,962
2003 modern 289 #14,158
2004 modern 297 #13,971
2005 modern 307 #13,625
2006 modern 295 #14,053
2007 modern 293 #14,272
2008 modern 298 #14,206
2009 modern 296 #14,557
2010 modern 301 #14,697
2011 modern 289 #14,974
2012 modern 290 #14,838
2013 modern 292 #15,027
2014 modern 286 #15,378
2015 modern 277 #15,622
2016 modern 275 #15,720

Geography

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Where Mapes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Buckenham, New, Sutton and Stoneferry, Banham, Roothing, Berners and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest, Maldon, Rotherham and Isle of Wight. 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 Buckenham, New Norfolk
2 Sutton and Stoneferry Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Banham Norfolk
4 Roothing, Berners Essex
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 019 New Forest
2 Maldon 008 Maldon
3 New Forest 023 New Forest
4 Rotherham 009 Rotherham
5 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mapes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mapes

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mapes is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mapes is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mapes 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 Mapes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mapes

The surname MAPES has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Old English words "map" and "mappe," meaning a map or charts. The name was likely first adopted by individuals who worked as cartographers or map-makers, a highly skilled and respected profession during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MAPES can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mappes." This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing the surname MAPES was Walter Map (c. 1140 - c. 1210), a medieval writer and courtier of King Henry II. He is best known for his satirical work "De Nugis Curialium" (Courtiers' Trifles), a collection of anecdotes and observations about court life.

The MAPES surname also has connections to various place names in England, such as Mappowder in Dorset and Mappleton in Yorkshire. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or provided a source for its adoption by families residing in those areas.

Another notable bearer of the MAPES surname was Thomas Mapes (c. 1279 - c. 1336), an English prelate who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1328 until his death. He was known for his involvement in political affairs during the reign of Edward III.

In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the surname, "Mappes," was recorded in the parish registers of Dorset, England. This variation highlights the fluidity of surname spellings during that period.

A more recent historical figure with the MAPES surname was Walter Mapes (1552 - 1610), an English poet and playwright who contributed to the development of early modern English literature. His works include the play "The Arraignment of a Jew" and a collection of poems titled "A Green Forest."

As the MAPES surname spread throughout England and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Mappes, Mapps, and Mapp. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of individual record-keepers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mapes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mapes 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. Essex leads with 42 Mapes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.58x.

County Total Index
Essex 42 15.58x
Norfolk 40 19.05x
Yorkshire 18 1.33x
Middlesex 14 1.03x
Kent 13 2.79x
Derbyshire 6 2.81x
Cheshire 4 1.33x
Herefordshire 1 1.79x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 10 Mapes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.89x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 10 16.89x
Creeksea 9 12857.14x
Beauchamp Roothing 8 7272.73x
Burnham 8 800.00x
Great Yarmouth 8 46.00x
New Buckenham 8 3076.92x
Rochester St Margaret 8 162.93x
Kenninghall 7 1206.90x
Melton Parva 7 4117.65x
Brimington 6 370.37x
Sutton 6 389.61x
Witham 6 431.65x
Drypool 5 241.55x
Woolwich 5 29.05x
Scottow 4 1904.76x
Shellow Bowells 4 8000.00x
Barrow 3 882.35x
Chelmsford 3 64.94x
Hingham 3 410.96x
Islington London 3 2.27x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 47.69x
Banham 2 370.37x
Wath On Dearne 2 74.07x
Blatchinworth 1 27.10x
Boreham 1 212.77x
Croydon 1 2.71x
Downham Market 1 69.44x
Felstead 1 108.70x
Ganarew 1 1250.00x
Paddington London 1 1.99x
Romford 1 23.47x
Sculcoates 1 4.66x
Thorne 1 59.52x
Weston In Runcorn 1 128.21x
Writtle 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Emma 6
Mary 6
Alice 4
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Sophia 2
Anna 1
Annie 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Fredk. 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Judith 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 11
William 10
John 8
James 6
Thomas 6
Frederick 5
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Edward 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Clement 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Everard 1
Francis 1
Fredric 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hindle 1
Isaac 1
Leonard 1
Marshall 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mapes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mapes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 140 people were recorded with the Mapes surname. That placed it at #16,151 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mapes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016. That gives Mapes a modern rank of #15,720.

What does the Mapes surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English term for someone who made or sold maps, or lived near a maple tree.

What does the Mapes map show?

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