NameCensus.

UK surname

Oppenheimer

A German occupational surname referring to someone who lives or works near the open home of a lord.

In the 1881 census there were 37 people recorded with the Oppenheimer surname, ranking it #28,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #28,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, London parishes and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, Kensington and Chelsea and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oppenheimer is 114 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 197.3%.

1881 census count

37

Ranked #28,418

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1998

114 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oppenheimer had 37 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Oppenheimer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oppenheimer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oppenheimer 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 11 #32,452
1881 historical 37 #28,418
1891 historical 56 #29,638
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 103 #22,328
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 109 #29,209
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Oppenheimers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, London parishes, Paddington, Manchester 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 Gateshead, Kensington and Chelsea, East Hampshire, Oxford and Barnet. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 008 Gateshead
2 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
3 East Hampshire 007 East Hampshire
4 Oxford 003 Oxford
5 Barnet 028 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oppenheimer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oppenheimer

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Oppenheimer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Oppenheimer 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Oppenheimer is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oppenheimer 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

Oppenheimer falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Oppenheimer 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Oppenheimer

The surname Oppenheimer is of German origin, derived from the German words "Oppen" meaning "meadow" and "heim" meaning "home" or "place of origin." This name was initially used to describe someone who lived near or worked on a meadow.

The earliest recorded instances of the Oppenheimer surname can be traced back to the 14th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. In the 15th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Heidelberg Tax Rolls of 1454, where the name was spelled as "Oppenheimer."

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Oppenheimer was Hans Oppenheimer, a merchant who lived in Nuremberg, Germany, in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Johann Oppenheimer, a Protestant reformer and theologian born in Strasbourg in 1525.

In the 17th century, the Oppenheimer family played a significant role in the banking and finance industry. Samuel Oppenheimer (1630-1703) was a prominent German-Jewish banker and court factor to the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. His son, Emanuel Oppenheimer (1670-1736), continued the family's banking legacy and became one of the wealthiest individuals in Europe at the time.

The surname Oppenheimer also gained recognition in the scientific community. J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) was an American theoretical physicist and the director of the Manhattan Project, which developed the first nuclear weapons during World War II. His contributions to the field of physics and his role in the development of the atomic bomb have made him one of the most famous individuals with this surname.

Another notable Oppenheimer was Sir Ernest Oppenheimer (1880-1957), a German-born British businessman and philanthropist. He was a successful diamond and gold mining entrepreneur in South Africa and played a significant role in the development of the modern diamond industry.

While the Oppenheimer surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread worldwide, with notable individuals bearing this name in various fields, including science, business, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oppenheimer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oppenheimer 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. Middlesex leads with 23 Oppenheimers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 23 6.37x
Lancashire 9 2.10x
Kent 4 3.25x
Surrey 1 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 11 Oppenheimers recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.46x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 11 31.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 117.65x
Paddington London 6 45.21x
Beckenham 2 124.22x
Chiswick 2 101.52x
St Andrew Holborn 2 163.93x
Bexley 1 91.74x
Croydon 1 10.25x
Deptford St Paul 1 10.54x
Reddish 1 169.49x
St Bride London 1 476.19x
St George Bloomsbury 1 48.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Cecelia 1
Constance 1
Eliza 1
Estella 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Julia 1
May 1
Rosalie 1
Roslie 1
Selene 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Albert 2
Ludwig 2
William 2
Adolph 1
Alexander 1
Anthony 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
David 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Herman 1
Heyman 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Joseph 1
Jules 1
Kity 1
Lehman 1
Schuman 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Oppenheimer households.

FAQ

Oppenheimer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oppenheimer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 37 people were recorded with the Oppenheimer surname. That placed it at #28,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oppenheimer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Oppenheimer a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Oppenheimer surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to someone who lives or works near the open home of a lord.

What does the Oppenheimer map show?

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