NameCensus.

UK surname

Pepler

A surname derived from the Old English word "pæpel," meaning pebble or pebble maker.

In the 1881 census there were 296 people recorded with the Pepler surname, ranking it #9,823 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 317, ranked #14,198, down from #9,823 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edington, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Trowbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Vale of White Horse and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pepler is 380 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.1%.

1881 census count

296

Ranked #9,823

Modern count

317

2016, ranked #14,198

Peak year

1911

380 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pepler had 296 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,823 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 317 in 2016, ranked #14,198.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 380 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pepler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pepler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pepler 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 181 #12,997
1881 historical 296 #9,823
1891 historical 321 #10,520
1901 historical 343 #10,583
1911 historical 380 #9,655
1997 modern 320 #12,966
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 346 #12,726
2000 modern 322 #13,307
2001 modern 317 #13,228
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 322 #13,192
2004 modern 321 #13,284
2005 modern 306 #13,657
2006 modern 321 #13,258
2007 modern 314 #13,618
2008 modern 305 #13,979
2009 modern 305 #14,257
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 308 #14,356
2012 modern 324 #13,751
2013 modern 323 #14,003
2014 modern 320 #14,181
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 317 #14,198

Geography

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Where Peplers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edington, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge, London parishes and Swindon, Lyddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Vale of White Horse and Swale. 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 Edington Wiltshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Trowbridge Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 039 Wiltshire
2 Vale of White Horse 007 Vale of White Horse
3 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
4 Swale 014 Swale
5 Vale of White Horse 011 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pepler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pepler

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Pepler is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Pepler 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

Pepler falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pepler

The surname Pepler is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "peppel," meaning "pebble." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked as a pebble merchant or who lived near a pebble quarry.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century in various areas of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is listed as "Robertus Peppel."

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Peppler," "Peppeler," and "Peppelere," reflecting the evolution of spelling over time. The Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1327 mention a "Willelmus Peppelere," while the Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 list a "Johannes Peppler."

The Pepler surname is also found in several historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire from 1201, which refer to a "Hugo Peppel." Additionally, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire in 1428, where a "John Pepler" is mentioned.

Notable individuals with the surname Pepler include:

1. Martin Pepler (c. 1550 - 1619), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Hawkesbury in Gloucestershire. 2. Robert Pepler (1784 - 1857), an English landscape painter and engraver from Oxfordshire. 3. George Pepler (1811 - 1889), a British architect and surveyor who designed several buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 4. Hilary Pepler (1898 - 1951), a British poet, author, and translator who co-founded the Halcyon Press. 5. Douglas Pepler (1886 - 1951), a British artist and writer known for his paintings and illustrations of rural life in England.

Throughout its history, the Pepler surname has been associated with various locations and place names, such as Pepperhill in Worcestershire, Pepperstock in Hertfordshire, and Peppard in Oxfordshire, which may have influenced the development of the name or provided a connection to specific areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pepler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pepler 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. Wiltshire leads with 105 Peplers recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.12x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 105 41.12x
Middlesex 36 1.25x
Surrey 36 2.56x
Gloucestershire 29 5.12x
Somerset 18 3.87x
Berkshire 16 7.38x
Yorkshire 11 0.38x
Hertfordshire 10 5.02x
Essex 7 1.23x
Hampshire 7 1.18x
Sussex 6 1.23x
Kent 5 0.51x
Monmouthshire 5 2.40x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.09x
Cheshire 2 0.31x
Glamorgan 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 14 Peplers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.59x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 14 7.59x
Lambeth 13 5.16x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 22.51x
Corsham 11 294.91x
Edington 11 1195.65x
North Bradley 11 591.40x
Steeple Ashton 10 1449.28x
Heddington 9 2571.43x
Uffington 9 1607.14x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 42.37x
Bushey 8 168.78x
Great Hinton 8 4705.88x
Sharlston 8 425.53x
Trowbridge 8 70.86x
Bradford On Avon 7 85.68x
Chirton 7 2058.82x
Earley 7 193.91x
Newington 7 6.56x
Shepton Mallet 7 134.36x
St Pancras London 7 3.01x
Islington London 6 2.14x
St George Hanover 6 15.92x
West Ham 6 4.77x
West Overton 6 895.52x
Deptford St Paul 5 6.58x
Earl Stoke 5 1851.85x
Hammersmith London 5 7.03x
Kensington London 5 3.11x
Minchinhampton 5 110.86x
Eastbourne 4 17.86x
Abergavenny 3 38.36x
Basingstoke 3 44.05x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 24.65x
Nether Wallop 3 384.62x
Aberystruth 2 10.87x
Berkhampstead 2 44.74x
Broadwater 2 17.91x
Broxton 2 392.16x
Farleigh Hungerford 2 1111.11x
Great Stanmore 2 153.85x
Haddenham 2 116.28x
Hendon 2 19.25x
Keevil 2 540.54x
Norton St Philip 2 392.16x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.44x
Swindon 2 10.10x
Walcot 2 8.08x
Westbury 2 33.56x
Bristol St Paul In 1 6.63x
Bruton 1 54.64x
Calne 1 19.01x
Cleckheaton 1 9.49x
Collingbourne Kingston 1 144.93x
Dowdeswell 1 204.08x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 9.65x
Great Cheverell 1 250.00x
Halifax 1 2.38x
Harwich St Nicholas 1 22.73x
Llanwonno 1 5.54x
Malmesbury St Paul 1 45.45x
Melksham 1 22.57x
North Waltham 1 243.90x
Paddington London 1 0.94x
Sheffield 1 1.10x
St Marylebone London 1 0.65x
Taunton St Mary 1 11.72x
Westminster St 1 9.40x
Winkfield With Rowley 1 285.71x
Wotton Under Edge 1 29.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Eliza 10
Alice 8
Sarah 7
Annie 6
Edith 6
Emily 6
Amelia 5
Elizabeth 5
Jane 5
Ada 3
Anna 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Julia 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Amy 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Haorne 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Leah 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Martha 1
May 1
Menia 1
Miriam 1
Moriah 1
Rosa 1
Sueshann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
George 13
Joseph 11
Henry 10
James 9
John 8
Alfred 4
Frank 4
Richard 4
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Philip 3
Samuel 3
Sidney 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Walter 2
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Clement 1
Edwd.Ransford 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Enos 1
Ernest 1
Geo.Augustus 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Jno.John 1
Job 1
Josh.Hen. 1
Joshua 1
Mathew 1
Noah 1
Pedro 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Simon 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Willie 1
Worthy 1

FAQ

Pepler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pepler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 296 people were recorded with the Pepler surname. That placed it at #9,823 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pepler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 317 in 2016. That gives Pepler a modern rank of #14,198.

What does the Pepler surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "pæpel," meaning pebble or pebble maker.

What does the Pepler map show?

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