NameCensus.

UK surname

Morphet

A surname possibly derived from a variant spelling of the occupational name "morphew" for a furrier or skinner.

In the 1881 census there were 207 people recorded with the Morphet surname, ranking it #12,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 295, ranked #14,915, down from #12,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedbergh, Bentham and Giggleswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Harrogate and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morphet is 334 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.5%.

1881 census count

207

Ranked #12,555

Modern count

295

2016, ranked #14,915

Peak year

1911

334 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morphet had 207 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016, ranked #14,915.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 334 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Morphet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morphet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morphet 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 175 #13,409
1881 historical 207 #12,555
1891 historical 257 #12,476
1901 historical 304 #11,543
1911 historical 334 #10,608
1997 modern 289 #13,859
1998 modern 309 #13,612
1999 modern 308 #13,722
2000 modern 311 #13,588
2001 modern 314 #13,318
2002 modern 318 #13,475
2003 modern 325 #13,104
2004 modern 319 #13,342
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 289 #14,234
2007 modern 297 #14,135
2008 modern 297 #14,230
2009 modern 306 #14,218
2010 modern 294 #14,940
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 289 #14,875
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 302 #14,772
2015 modern 303 #14,646
2016 modern 295 #14,915

Geography

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Where Morphets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedbergh, Bentham, Giggleswick, Bradford and Horton-in-Ribblesdale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, Harrogate, South Lakeland and Lancaster. 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 Sedbergh Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bentham Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Giggleswick Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Horton-in-Ribblesdale Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 001 Craven
2 Harrogate 018 Harrogate
3 South Lakeland 011 South Lakeland
4 Lancaster 005 Lancaster
5 Craven 007 Craven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morphet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morphet

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Morphet 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

Morphet is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Morphet falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Morphet

The surname MORPHET originated in England in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'mor' meaning 'moor' or 'marsh' and 'fet' meaning 'foot', suggesting it referred to someone who lived near a marshy area.

The earliest known record of the MORPHET name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it was spelled 'Murfet'. Other early spellings include 'Morfet', 'Murfett', and 'Morfitt'. These variations likely resulted from the name being passed down orally before widespread literacy.

In the 14th century, records show a John Murfet in Nottinghamshire in 1327. A century later, the MORPHET name appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 as 'Ricardus Morfet'. This suggests the name had spread to different regions of England by that time.

The MORPHET surname may also have connections to the place name 'Murthwaite' in Cumbria, which contains similar Old English roots. However, there is no definitive evidence linking the surname directly to this location.

Notable individuals with the MORPHET surname throughout history include:

1. John Morphet (c.1580-1630), an English Puritan clergyman and author. 2. Robert Morphet (1683-1760), a British naval officer who participated in the War of the Spanish Succession. 3. Elizabeth Morphet (1768-1833), an English poet and author from Lancashire. 4. Sir Frederick Morphet (1834-1919), a British civil engineer who worked on railway projects in India. 5. Gladys Morphet (1899-1988), an Australian artist and sculptor known for her modernist works.

While the MORPHET name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries, leaving a lasting impact in fields such as literature, engineering, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Morphet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morphet 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. Yorkshire leads with 109 Morphets recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.45x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 109 5.45x
Lancashire 56 2.34x
Westmorland 25 56.33x
Surrey 6 0.61x
Middlesex 4 0.20x
Cumberland 3 1.73x
Cheshire 2 0.45x
Glamorgan 2 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horton In Ribblesdale in Yorkshire leads with 26 Morphets recorded in 1881 and an index of 7027.03x.

Place Total Index
Horton In Ribblesdale 26 7027.03x
Dent 13 1547.62x
Ingleton 12 1061.95x
Giggleswick 11 1617.65x
West Derby 9 12.84x
Orton 7 526.32x
Barbon 6 3157.89x
Barrow In Furness 6 18.41x
Bentham 6 394.74x
Hindley 6 58.71x
Leyburn 6 895.52x
Newington 6 8.04x
Bainbridge 5 1063.83x
Clifton Cum Salwick 5 1724.14x
Hulme 5 10.00x
Aldcliffe 4 6666.67x
Grayrigg 4 2500.00x
Kirkby Lonsdale 4 333.33x
Mile End Old Town 4 12.55x
Pendleton In Salford 4 14.01x
Preston 4 6.24x
Sedbergh 4 540.54x
Wharton 4 10000.00x
Wigglesworth 4 2666.67x
Bingley 3 23.55x
Caldewgate 3 31.48x
Clitheroe 3 42.55x
Leeds 3 2.66x
Oldham 3 3.88x
Potter Newton 3 84.99x
Skipton 3 47.62x
Cardiff St Mary 2 10.33x
Over Darwen 2 10.45x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 2 219.78x
Scosthrop 2 4000.00x
Sedburgh 2 240.96x
Aldingham 1 125.00x
Austwick 1 303.03x
Dunham Massey 1 72.99x
Gargrave 1 112.36x
Gressingham 1 909.09x
Halton East 1 526.32x
Leck 1 526.32x
Lower Bebington 1 37.74x
Manningham 1 4.06x
Salterforth 1 370.37x
Settle 1 65.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Alice 9
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Annie 6
Ann 5
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Betsy 2
Emma 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Allice 1
Anne 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jesse 1
Letty 1
Lillian 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Nancy 1
Rose 1
Saraah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
Thomas 18
James 12
William 10
Richard 7
Edward 6
Jonathan 5
Robert 5
Henry 4
Joseph 4
George 3
Thos. 2
Batholomew 1
Charles 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Horatio 1
Hy. 1
Jack 1
Joshua 1
Matthew 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Morphet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morphet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 207 people were recorded with the Morphet surname. That placed it at #12,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morphet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016. That gives Morphet a modern rank of #14,915.

What does the Morphet surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a variant spelling of the occupational name "morphew" for a furrier or skinner.

What does the Morphet map show?

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