NameCensus.

UK surname

Maple

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a maple tree or in a maple forest.

In the 1881 census there were 463 people recorded with the Maple surname, ranking it #7,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 630, ranked #8,380, down from #7,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Poole St James and Harbledown, Mint and St Nicholas Hospital. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, Wiltshire and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maple is 740 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

463

Ranked #7,170

Modern count

630

2016, ranked #8,380

Peak year

1911

740 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maple had 463 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 630 in 2016, ranked #8,380.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 740 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Maple surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maple surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Maple 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 226 #9,487
1861 historical 256 #9,667
1881 historical 463 #7,170
1891 historical 517 #7,225
1901 historical 613 #6,958
1911 historical 740 #5,795
1997 modern 695 #7,291
1998 modern 717 #7,337
1999 modern 716 #7,396
2000 modern 689 #7,581
2001 modern 664 #7,668
2002 modern 690 #7,597
2003 modern 691 #7,457
2004 modern 673 #7,643
2005 modern 646 #7,807
2006 modern 649 #7,807
2007 modern 647 #7,895
2008 modern 648 #7,930
2009 modern 650 #8,073
2010 modern 664 #8,104
2011 modern 653 #8,128
2012 modern 617 #8,413
2013 modern 631 #8,407
2014 modern 635 #8,411
2015 modern 615 #8,556
2016 modern 630 #8,380

Geography

Back to top

Where Maples are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Poole St James, Harbledown, Mint and St Nicholas Hospital 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 Poole, Wiltshire and North Dorset. 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 1
2 Poole St James Dorset
3 Harbledown, Mint and St Nicholas Hospital Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 008 Poole
2 Wiltshire 051 Wiltshire
3 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
4 Poole 015 Poole
5 Wiltshire 048 Wiltshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Maple

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Maple

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Maple is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Maple is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Maple 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 Maple is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Maple

The surname Maple originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "mapol" or "mapul," meaning a maple tree. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a significant maple tree or in an area where maple trees were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maple can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where it appears as "Mapel." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Mapel" and "Mapele," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that period. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Richard Mapele from Oxfordshire, indicating the name's presence in that county.

During the 14th century, the surname Maple began to appear more frequently in historical records. The Poll Tax Returns of 1379 list a John Mapull from Yorkshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1381 record a Thomas Mapel from Cambridgeshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Maple throughout history include John Maple (c. 1500-1578), an English Protestant clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes. Another prominent figure was Sir John Maple (1610-1677), an English landowner and Member of Parliament from Derbyshire.

In the 17th century, the name Maple was found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals such as Christopher Maple (1622-1688), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament from London, and Thomas Maple (1630-1685), a Church of England cleric and author from Buckinghamshire.

During the 18th century, the name Maple continued to be associated with notable individuals, including John Maple (1731-1798), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and John Maple (1760-1840), an English painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings.

Throughout the 19th century, the surname Maple was carried by individuals such as James Maple (1795-1869), an English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Yorkshire, and John Maple (1846-1903), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Maple & Co. furniture company.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Maple families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maple 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 135 Maples recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.76x.

County Total Index
Kent 135 8.76x
Middlesex 82 1.82x
Sussex 62 8.14x
Surrey 55 2.50x
Wiltshire 25 6.26x
Buckinghamshire 18 6.59x
Essex 15 1.68x
Hertfordshire 13 4.18x
Dorset 12 4.05x
Staffordshire 7 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.99x
Berkshire 5 1.47x
Hampshire 5 0.54x
Lancashire 5 0.09x
Shropshire 5 1.28x
Devon 2 0.21x
Durham 2 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.35x
Glamorgan 1 0.13x
Norfolk 1 0.14x
Northamptonshire 1 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.70x
Rutland 1 3.02x
Suffolk 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.09x
Yorkshire 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 43 Maples recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.82x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 43 9.82x
New Shoreham 23 504.39x
Harbledown 20 1801.80x
Littlebourne 20 1709.40x
Rotherhithe 19 34.05x
Camberwell 12 4.16x
Wiston 12 2500.00x
Buckland 9 671.64x
Kensington London 9 3.58x
Old Sarum 9 30000.00x
Woodnesborough 9 638.30x
Battersea 8 4.81x
Brighton 8 5.21x
Manningtree 8 551.72x
Wigginton 8 727.27x
Chesham 7 69.58x
Ospringe 7 368.42x
Poole St James 7 62.84x
St Luke London 7 9.66x
Alkham 6 674.16x
Beckenham 6 29.79x
Canterbury St Mary 6 58.03x
Farnsfield 6 372.67x
Nunton With Bodenham 6 1304.35x
Preston 6 45.11x
Ashington 5 1282.05x
Bermondsey 5 3.72x
Eastry 5 233.64x
Gillingham 5 15.74x
Great Chart 5 434.78x
Salisbury St Thomas 5 158.23x
St George Hanover 5 8.48x
Tring 5 60.17x
West Ham 5 2.54x
Adisham 4 563.38x
Canterbury St Augustine 4 714.29x
Canterbury St Dunstan 4 150.38x
Canterbury St Gregory 4 197.04x
Clapham 4 7.08x
Dover St James 4 59.26x
Longfleet 4 116.62x
Oswestry Town 4 32.03x
St Marylebone London 4 1.66x
West Derby 4 2.55x
Fulham London 3 4.58x
Goodnestone In Eastry 3 483.87x
Hampstead London 3 4.27x
Salisbury St Edmund 3 46.80x
Shermanbury 3 535.71x
Walsall Foreign 3 3.81x
Ash Next Sandwich 2 58.65x
Blean 2 188.68x
Fordwich 2 571.43x
Great Burstead 2 61.54x
Hammersmith London 2 1.80x
Harborne 2 4.09x
Horsham 2 13.52x
Lambeth 2 0.51x
Reading St Mary 2 7.37x
St Andrew Holborn 2 13.06x
St Maurice Winchester 2 51.95x
Stone 2 10.26x
Stranton 2 4.42x
Sturry 2 109.89x
Wandsworth 2 4.60x
Wargrave 2 68.73x
Willesborough 2 48.31x
Croydon 1 0.82x
Fordington 1 15.67x
Halling 1 49.51x
Holdenhurst 1 4.12x
Hornsey 1 1.75x
Keymer 1 18.59x
Lynford 1 588.24x
Manchester 1 0.41x
Pembroke St Mary 1 5.41x
Penge 1 3.47x
St Pancras London 1 0.28x
St Pauls Cray 1 84.75x
Womenswould 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 24
Charles 19
John 19
George 18
Henry 14
James 14
Edward 13
Thomas 13
Albert 10
Walter 9
Arthur 7
Stephen 7
Alfred 6
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Ernest 3
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Jacob 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
A. 1
Angela 1
Angelo 1
C. 1
Dan 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edw. 1
Edwin 1
F.E. 1
Frank 1
G. 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jas.Henry 1
Joseph 1
Maurice 1
Melchi 1
Moses 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Rowland 1
Samuel 1
Steven 1
Sydney 1
Willm. 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Maple surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maple surname in 1881?

In 1881, 463 people were recorded with the Maple surname. That placed it at #7,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maple surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 630 in 2016. That gives Maple a modern rank of #8,380.

What does the Maple surname mean?

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a maple tree or in a maple forest.

What does the Maple map show?

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