NameCensus.

UK surname

Morpeth

In the 1881 census there were 224 people recorded with the Morpeth surname, ranking it #11,970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 207, ranked #19,118, down from #11,970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Corbridge and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside, Newcastle upon Tyne and Conwy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morpeth is 274 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.6%.

1881 census count

224

Ranked #11,970

Modern count

207

2016, ranked #19,118

Peak year

1901

274 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morpeth had 224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016, ranked #19,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Morpeth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morpeth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morpeth 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 132 #14,174
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 224 #11,970
1891 historical 228 #13,582
1901 historical 274 #12,370
1911 historical 265 #12,422
1997 modern 219 #16,666
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 240 #16,226
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 229 #16,467
2002 modern 225 #16,994
2003 modern 218 #17,131
2004 modern 213 #17,492
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 215 #17,809
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 216 #18,321
2012 modern 209 #18,659
2013 modern 210 #18,932
2014 modern 209 #19,128
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 207 #19,118

Geography

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Where Morpeths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Corbridge, London parishes, Long Benton and Shotley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Tyneside, Newcastle upon Tyne, Conwy, Huntingdonshire and Powys. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Corbridge Northumberland
3 London parishes London 3
4 Long Benton Northumberland
5 Shotley Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Tyneside 002 North Tyneside
2 Newcastle upon Tyne 012 Newcastle upon Tyne
3 Conwy 010 Conwy
4 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire
5 Powys 004 Powys

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morpeth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morpeth

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

Morpeth 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

Morpeth falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Morpeth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morpeth 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. Northumberland leads with 122 Morpeths recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.53x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 122 37.53x
Durham 42 6.46x
Surrey 29 2.72x
Middlesex 15 0.69x
Lancashire 8 0.31x
Yorkshire 3 0.14x
Cumberland 1 0.53x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Lincolnshire 1 0.29x
Ross-shire 1 1.67x
Warwickshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Corbridge in Northumberland leads with 28 Morpeths recorded in 1881 and an index of 2352.94x.

Place Total Index
Corbridge 28 2352.94x
Shotley High Quarter 14 6363.64x
Newington 13 16.11x
Westgate 13 64.58x
Tanfield 11 142.30x
Elswick 10 38.54x
Longbenton 10 72.62x
Murton 9 2727.27x
Cowpen 8 106.81x
Ulgham 8 1481.48x
Camberwell 7 5.02x
Chester Le Street 7 140.28x
Hornsey 7 25.33x
Hulme 7 12.93x
Islington London 7 3.31x
Brandon Byshottles 6 73.71x
Kyo 6 196.08x
Chirton 5 67.93x
Heworth 5 39.03x
Hexham 5 99.40x
Bedlington 4 36.83x
Lambeth 4 2.10x
East Thickley 3 227.27x
Seaham 3 126.58x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 6.82x
Jesmond 2 43.76x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 10.30x
Sheffield 2 2.90x
Ardwick 1 4.28x
Bamburgh 1 384.62x
Epsom 1 19.27x
Foleshill 1 17.24x
Grimstn Krby Wharf N 1 526.32x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.55x
Logie Wester 1 92.59x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 5.93x
Paddington London 1 1.24x
Pinchbeck 1 44.64x
Portsea 1 1.14x
Rickergate 1 25.13x
Seaton Delaval 1 35.09x
Southwark Christchurch 1 9.77x
Warden 1 151.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 13
Jane 10
Margaret 10
Ann 6
Isabella 5
Charlotte 4
Dorothy 4
Emily 4
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Barbara 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Daisy 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Florence 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Margery 1
Margth. 1
Mary.J. 1
Maud 1
Mina 1
Minnie 1
Nelly 1
Rachel 1
Rosalind 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Morpeth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morpeth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 224 people were recorded with the Morpeth surname. That placed it at #11,970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morpeth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016. That gives Morpeth a modern rank of #19,118.

What does the Morpeth map show?

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