NameCensus.

UK surname

Napper

An occupational surname referring to someone who combs, cards, or operates on wool, from the Middle English "nappere."

In the 1881 census there were 909 people recorded with the Napper surname, ranking it #4,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,021, ranked #5,709, down from #4,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rudgwick, London parishes and Compton Dundon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Flintshire and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Napper is 1,195 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.3%.

1881 census count

909

Ranked #4,211

Modern count

1,021

2016, ranked #5,709

Peak year

1999

1,195 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Napper had 909 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,021 in 2016, ranked #5,709.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Napper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Napper surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Napper 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 636 #4,081
1861 historical 548 #4,805
1881 historical 909 #4,211
1891 historical 910 #4,537
1901 historical 1,080 #4,475
1911 historical 1,170 #3,992
1997 modern 1,145 #4,901
1998 modern 1,166 #5,003
1999 modern 1,195 #4,950
2000 modern 1,160 #5,048
2001 modern 1,129 #5,064
2002 modern 1,119 #5,215
2003 modern 1,072 #5,285
2004 modern 1,056 #5,366
2005 modern 1,016 #5,478
2006 modern 1,018 #5,473
2007 modern 1,018 #5,530
2008 modern 1,030 #5,518
2009 modern 1,060 #5,504
2010 modern 1,073 #5,550
2011 modern 1,074 #5,482
2012 modern 1,014 #5,677
2013 modern 1,041 #5,652
2014 modern 1,057 #5,602
2015 modern 1,043 #5,608
2016 modern 1,021 #5,709

Geography

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Where Nappers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rudgwick, London parishes, Compton Dundon and Birdham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Flintshire, Rotherham, Vale of White Horse and West 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 Rudgwick Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Compton Dundon Somerset
5 Birdham Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 015 South Oxfordshire
2 Flintshire 006 Flintshire
3 Rotherham 011 Rotherham
4 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
5 West Dorset 011 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Napper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Napper

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Napper is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Napper is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Napper

The surname Napper is derived from an English occupational name for someone who was a maker or seller of rough woolen cloths called 'naps'. It originated in the 14th century from the Middle English word 'nap', which referred to the raised fibres on the surface of a fabric.

The name Napper is believed to have originated in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire in southwest England, where the wool trade was particularly prominent during the medieval period. It is likely that the earliest bearers of this surname were involved in the production or sale of these rough woolen cloths, which were commonly used for clothing and other textiles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Napper can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1327, where a William le Napper is listed. This suggests that the name had already become established as a hereditary surname by the early 14th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries for places with names derived from the Old English word 'næpp', which may have been related to the occupational term 'napper'. These include Nappingden in Northamptonshire and Nappingwelle in Lincolnshire, indicating that the occupation or trade had roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period.

Notable individuals with the surname Napper throughout history include:

1. Sir Robert Napper (c. 1545-1618), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset. 2. George Napper (c. 1550-1610), an English playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era. 3. Nathaniel Napper (1633-1704), an English nonconformist minister and writer who was ejected from his church during the Great Ejection of 1662. 4. Samuel Napper (c. 1680-1744), an English architect and builder who designed several churches and manor houses in the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire. 5. William Napper (1789-1859), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent shipbuilder in the Royal Navy dockyards.

The surname Napper continues to be found throughout England, particularly in the southwestern counties, as well as in parts of the United States and other English-speaking countries where descendants of the original Napper families have migrated over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Napper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Napper 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. Sussex leads with 189 Nappers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.45x.

County Total Index
Sussex 189 12.45x
Somerset 174 12.01x
Middlesex 112 1.24x
Surrey 110 2.51x
Devon 73 3.90x
Berkshire 42 6.21x
Lancashire 27 0.25x
Kent 26 0.85x
Glamorgan 24 1.53x
Staffordshire 23 0.76x
Warwickshire 19 0.84x
Herefordshire 16 4.33x
Yorkshire 16 0.18x
Hampshire 13 0.70x
Channel Islands 12 4.50x
Cheshire 9 0.45x
Durham 6 0.22x
Hertfordshire 5 0.81x
Worcestershire 5 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.33x
Oxfordshire 4 0.72x
Gloucestershire 3 0.17x
Wiltshire 3 0.38x
Dorset 2 0.34x
Royal Navy 2 1.86x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Shropshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East West Hagbourn in Berkshire leads with 39 Nappers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1710.53x.

Place Total Index
East West Hagbourn 39 1710.53x
Brighton 27 8.82x
Islington London 22 2.52x
Compton Dundon 21 1186.44x
Rudgwick 21 606.94x
Seavington St Mary 19 2021.28x
South Petherton 19 254.01x
Bethnal Green London 17 4.35x
Exeter St Thomas The 15 78.49x
Roath 15 21.06x
Sidlesham 14 479.45x
Kensington London 13 2.60x
Birdham 12 839.16x
Cobham 12 166.67x
Pulborough 12 215.44x
Barwick 11 753.42x
Birmingham 11 1.45x
Bishopsteignton 11 309.86x
Cuckfield 11 71.75x
Hackney London 11 2.18x
Pyrford 11 1037.74x
Walsall Foreign 11 7.01x
Camberwell 10 1.74x
South Bersted 10 77.46x
St George In East 10 16.33x
Thames Ditton 10 109.77x
Wisborough Green 10 196.08x
Cheetham 9 11.29x
Croydon 9 3.70x
East Wittering 9 1267.61x
Reigate Borough 9 88.93x
Ruishton 9 616.44x
Weston Super Mare 9 24.59x
Bow London 8 6.98x
Charlinch 8 1311.48x
Dorking 8 27.16x
St Peter Port 8 16.21x
Betchworth 7 129.39x
Bridgewater 7 17.79x
Chew Magna 7 137.80x
Edgbaston 7 9.94x
Farringdon 7 752.69x
Ide 7 343.14x
Kirdford 7 132.83x
Ledbury 7 55.21x
Mayfield 7 77.95x
Mile End Old Town 7 4.93x
North Cadbury 7 252.71x
Plymouth Charles The 7 8.48x
Spaxton 7 248.23x
Strood 7 39.95x
Sutton 7 22.05x
Taunton St Mary 7 26.32x
Withington 7 290.46x
Congleton 6 17.47x
Cranleigh 6 93.46x
Petworth 6 66.15x
Ryarsh 6 352.94x
Stansfield 6 18.28x
Ashton 5 833.33x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.11x
Exeter St David 5 31.23x
Harpurhey 5 33.72x
Holdenhurst 5 10.33x
Liverpool 5 0.77x
Oving 5 97.47x
Stoke 5 24.15x
Thorne Falcon 5 877.19x
Walsall Borough 5 21.20x
West Hatch 5 387.60x
West Wittering 5 246.31x
Westminster St James 5 5.40x
Buckland 4 314.96x
Exeter Allhallows On The 4 130.29x
Llantrisant 4 10.12x
Lopen 4 366.97x
Radford 4 6.49x
Wellow 4 93.90x
Whitechapel London 4 4.51x
Worcester St Helen 4 106.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 63
John 41
Charles 38
George 32
Thomas 27
James 21
Frederick 16
Henry 15
Albert 12
Joseph 12
Edwin 10
Edward 8
Robert 8
Walter 8
Ernest 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Benjamin 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Tom 6
Sidney 5
Herbert 4
Samuel 4
David 3
Percy 3
Richard 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Clement 2
Dendy 2
Edgar 2
Eli 2
Fredrick 2
Hugh 2
Simon 2
Wm. 2
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edwd.John 1
Evered 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Harris 1
Jabey 1
Jenkin 1
Job 1
Joe 1

FAQ

Napper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Napper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 909 people were recorded with the Napper surname. That placed it at #4,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Napper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,021 in 2016. That gives Napper a modern rank of #5,709.

What does the Napper surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who combs, cards, or operates on wool, from the Middle English "nappere."

What does the Napper map show?

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