NameCensus.

UK surname

Napier

A locational surname referring to someone from Napier, Scotland, likely derived from the Old English "naep" meaning turnip.

In the 1881 census there were 2,413 people recorded with the Napier surname, ranking it #1,844 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,328, ranked #2,044, down from #1,844 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braidfauld, Doon Valley South and Lunan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Napier is 3,473 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.9%.

1881 census count

2,413

Ranked #1,844

Modern count

3,328

2016, ranked #2,044

Peak year

2010

3,473 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Napier had 2,413 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,844 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,328 in 2016, ranked #2,044.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,811 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Napier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Napier surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Napier 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 1,430 #2,009
1861 historical 1,783 #1,625
1881 historical 2,413 #1,844
1891 historical 2,556 #1,860
1901 historical 2,811 #1,983
1911 historical 1,296 #3,678
1997 modern 3,234 #1,990
1998 modern 3,366 #1,987
1999 modern 3,373 #2,005
2000 modern 3,338 #2,019
2001 modern 3,268 #2,017
2002 modern 3,297 #2,042
2003 modern 3,236 #2,033
2004 modern 3,287 #2,008
2005 modern 3,299 #1,976
2006 modern 3,295 #1,990
2007 modern 3,337 #1,977
2008 modern 3,366 #1,979
2009 modern 3,412 #2,005
2010 modern 3,473 #2,007
2011 modern 3,397 #2,029
2012 modern 3,305 #2,039
2013 modern 3,315 #2,066
2014 modern 3,345 #2,062
2015 modern 3,330 #2,049
2016 modern 3,328 #2,044

Geography

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Where Napiers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braidfauld, Doon Valley South, Lunan, Arbroath Kirkton and Peebles North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braidfauld Glasgow City
2 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
3 Lunan Angus
4 Arbroath Kirkton Angus
5 Peebles North Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Napier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Napier

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Napier surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Napier household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Napier 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

Napier 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

Napier 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 Napier 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 Napier, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Napier

The surname Napier originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "naeppierre" or "naepere," meaning a cup-bearer or butler. The name first appeared in records from the 12th century in the regions of Fife and Perthshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls rendered to Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Johannes le Napier," indicating its use as a surname during this period.

The Napier family rose to prominence in the 13th century, with their ancestral lands located in the parish of Kilmadock, near the town of Dunblane in Perthshire. Sir Alexander Napier (c. 1280-1347) was a notable figure who served as the Constable of Edinburgh Castle during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The name is also associated with the historic Merchiston Tower in Edinburgh, which was owned by the Napier family in the 15th century. John Napier (1550-1617), a renowned Scottish mathematician and inventor, was born at Merchiston Tower and is celebrated for his contributions to the development of logarithms and other mathematical advancements.

Another prominent figure with the Napier surname was Sir Charles James Napier (1782-1853), a British military officer who played a significant role in the Conquest of Sindh in British India. His campaigns and victories earned him the nickname "Conqueror of Sindh."

In the literary world, Mark Napier (1798-1879) was a Scottish lawyer and author who wrote extensively on the history and biographies of Scottish figures, including the life of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms.

The name Napier has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Napier House in Edinburgh, a historic building that once housed the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Additionally, the town of Napier in New Zealand was named after Sir Charles Napier, the British military officer.

Throughout history, the Napier surname has been spelled in various ways, including Naper, Naiper, and Nayper, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences. However, the current spelling of "Napier" became the standard form in the 16th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Napier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Napier 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. Lanarkshire leads with 449 Napiers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.91x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 449 5.91x
Midlothian 268 8.52x
Angus 210 9.65x
Aberdeenshire 173 7.96x
Middlesex 141 0.60x
Lancashire 112 0.40x
Fife 100 7.19x
Kincardineshire 82 28.68x
Durham 81 1.16x
Stirlingshire 65 7.51x
Kent 54 0.67x
Renfrewshire 49 2.69x
Northumberland 44 1.26x
Dunbartonshire 43 6.81x
Surrey 43 0.38x
Ayrshire 41 2.33x
Hampshire 38 0.79x
Perthshire 37 3.51x
Yorkshire 36 0.15x
East Lothian 27 8.68x
Dorset 26 1.69x
Cheshire 24 0.46x
Cumberland 21 1.04x
Banffshire 20 4.11x
Sussex 19 0.48x
Buteshire 17 11.95x
Somerset 14 0.37x
Berkshire 13 0.74x
Devon 13 0.27x
Oxfordshire 11 0.76x
Suffolk 9 0.31x
Wiltshire 9 0.43x
Worcestershire 9 0.29x
Caithness 8 2.49x
Clackmannanshire 8 4.13x
Essex 8 0.17x
Argyllshire 7 1.07x
Norfolk 7 0.19x
Bedfordshire 6 0.49x
Glamorgan 6 0.15x
Royal Navy 6 2.14x
Cornwall 5 0.19x
Flintshire 5 0.79x
West Lothian 5 1.41x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.20x
Gloucestershire 3 0.07x
Peeblesshire 3 2.72x
Selkirkshire 3 1.41x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.39x
Herefordshire 2 0.21x
Hertfordshire 2 0.12x
Monmouthshire 2 0.12x
Shropshire 2 0.10x
Wigtownshire 2 0.64x
Berwickshire 1 0.35x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Kinross-shire 1 1.68x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.19x
Morayshire 1 0.27x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Roxburghshire 1 0.24x
Shetland 1 0.42x
Staffordshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 142 Napiers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.39x.

Place Total Index
Barony 142 7.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 123 9.72x
Govan 86 4.58x
Glasgow 85 6.30x
Dysart 61 65.17x
Aberdeen Old Machar 56 12.33x
St Vigeans 53 45.14x
Montrose 36 27.31x
Blantyre 30 37.95x
Hamilton 28 13.22x
Currie 27 140.19x
Brechin 25 29.25x
South Leith 24 6.78x
Cambusnethan 23 13.64x
Dundee 22 2.71x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 21 5.16x
Islington London 21 0.92x
Westoe 21 5.30x
New Deer 20 50.80x
Fetteresso 19 42.40x
St Pancras London 19 1.01x
Hulme 18 3.09x
Penicuik 18 42.12x
St George Hanover 18 5.87x
Camberwell 17 1.13x
Stirling 16 14.65x
Bedlington 15 12.86x
Kensington London 15 1.15x
Peterhead 15 13.04x
Rothesay 15 21.77x
Arbroath 14 19.42x
Bothwell 14 6.80x
Old Kilpatrick 14 18.78x
Woolwich 14 4.73x
Cathcart 13 13.20x
Dalmellington 13 25.16x
Holy Trinity 13 2.32x
Liff Benvie 13 3.94x
Liverpool 13 0.77x
Newbattle 13 48.36x
Bishopwearmouth 12 2.00x
Kippen 12 103.00x
St Ninians 12 13.98x
Bervie 11 64.94x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 11 14.78x
Marykirk 11 93.30x
Meldrum 11 60.04x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 11 23.95x
St Marylebone London 11 0.88x
Boyndie 10 62.00x
Fyvie 10 28.18x
Hutton Henry 10 67.98x
Longbenton 10 6.76x
Minterne Magna 10 381.68x
Row 10 12.25x
West Greenock 10 3.06x
Drymen 9 77.52x
Dudley 9 2.41x
Lambeth 9 0.44x
Paisley Low Church 9 15.63x
Aberlemno 8 99.50x
Avondale 8 18.02x
Bonhill 8 7.90x
East Pennard 8 163.27x
Edzell 8 120.30x
Glenbervie 8 102.17x
Haddington 8 17.43x
Inveresk 8 9.39x
Kinneff Catterline 8 99.38x
Monkwearmouth 8 11.97x
New Monkland 8 3.56x
Old Cumnock 8 20.44x
Southampton St Mary 8 2.64x
Tunstall 8 23.00x
Wick 8 7.70x
Withington 8 8.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 1.58x
Dumbarton 7 7.97x
Holkham 7 161.66x
Shotts 7 7.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 48
William 47
James 41
George 30
Henry 17
Robert 17
Thomas 13
Charles 12
Frederick 10
Arthur 9
Alexander 8
Edward 8
Walter 8
Andrew 7
Francis 7
Alfred 5
Herbert 5
Samuel 5
David 4
Gerard 4
Ernest 3
Joseph 3
Thos. 3
Alezander 2
Archibald 2
Austin 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Claude 2
Geo. 2
Jacob 2
Macvey 2
Matthew 2
Wm. 2
Bertram 1
C.C. 1
Dourlace 1
Duncan 1
Edwin 1
Egbert 1
Emmerson 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
H. 1
Hall 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Jas.A. 1
Jno. 1
Wm.George 1

FAQ

Napier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Napier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,413 people were recorded with the Napier surname. That placed it at #1,844 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Napier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,328 in 2016. That gives Napier a modern rank of #2,044.

What does the Napier surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Napier, Scotland, likely derived from the Old English "naep" meaning turnip.

What does the Napier map show?

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