NameCensus.

UK surname

Phillipps

An English surname derived from the given name Philip.

In the 1881 census there were 574 people recorded with the Phillipps surname, ranking it #6,073 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 161, ranked #22,606, down from #6,073 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rushcliffe, Kensington and Chelsea and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Phillipps is 575 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.0%.

1881 census count

574

Ranked #6,073

Modern count

161

2016, ranked #22,606

Peak year

1891

575 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Phillipps had 574 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,073 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016, ranked #22,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 575 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Phillipps surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Phillipps surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Phillipps 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 378 #6,315
1861 historical 466 #5,573
1881 historical 574 #6,073
1891 historical 575 #6,620
1901 historical 559 #7,443
1911 historical 547 #7,323
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 174 #19,729
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 164 #20,584
2001 modern 157 #20,884
2002 modern 159 #21,086
2003 modern 160 #20,789
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 164 #20,552
2006 modern 155 #21,477
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 150 #22,937
2010 modern 164 #22,109
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 161 #22,606

Geography

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Where Phillipps' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Rushcliffe, Kensington and Chelsea, Shepway and Lochaber West. 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 Bodmin Cornwall
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Roach Cornwall
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rushcliffe 015 Rushcliffe
2 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Shepway 003 Shepway
5 Lochaber West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Phillipps

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Phillipps

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Phillipps 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

Phillipps 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

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

Meaning and origin of Phillipps

The surname PHILLIPPS has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the name Philippos, meaning "lover of horses." It originated in England, where it first emerged in the 11th century during the Norman Conquest.

The earliest recorded instance of the PHILLIPPS surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "Phillip" in the county of Gloucestershire. Over time, various spellings such as "Philippes," "Philipses," and "Phillipps" emerged.

One notable early bearer of the PHILLIPPS surname was Sir Ambrose Phillipps (1589-1640), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the early 17th century.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Phillipps (1652-1696), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872) was a renowned book collector and manuscript scholar. He amassed one of the largest private libraries in the world, containing over 60,000 manuscripts and books.

Moving into the 19th century, the PHILLIPPS surname gained prominence with the birth of William Phillipps (1811-1893), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

Lastly, the 20th century saw the rise of Sir Cyril Phillipps (1891-1963), a British diplomat and historian who served as the British Ambassador to Belgium and the Netherlands during World War II.

The PHILLIPPS surname has a rich history that spans centuries, with its origins rooted in ancient Greek and its earliest recorded instances found in medieval England. From landowners and politicians to academics, artists, and diplomats, the name has been carried by notable individuals throughout the ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Phillipps families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Phillipps 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 98 Phillipps' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 98 1.76x
Cornwall 53 8.41x
Gloucestershire 53 4.85x
Norfolk 47 5.49x
Yorkshire 30 0.54x
Hampshire 28 2.45x
Devon 25 2.16x
Herefordshire 19 8.32x
Kent 19 1.00x
Suffolk 17 2.51x
Lancashire 16 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 15 8.47x
Surrey 15 0.55x
Sussex 14 1.49x
Warwickshire 13 0.93x
Cardiganshire 12 8.83x
Staffordshire 10 0.53x
Dorset 8 2.19x
Hertfordshire 7 1.82x
Leicestershire 7 1.13x
Midlothian 7 0.94x
Berkshire 6 1.44x
Cheshire 6 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.80x
Renfrewshire 6 1.39x
Essex 5 0.45x
Shropshire 5 1.04x
Wiltshire 5 1.02x
Worcestershire 5 0.69x
Somerset 3 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.57x
Royal Navy 2 3.01x
Anglesey 1 1.01x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.43x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
West Lothian 1 1.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bodmin in Cornwall leads with 16 Phillipps' recorded in 1881 and an index of 153.40x.

Place Total Index
Bodmin 16 153.40x
Buckland 16 2962.96x
Foy 15 2419.35x
Hackney London 13 4.16x
Llangwyryfon 12 1200.00x
St Issells 12 320.86x
Islington London 11 2.04x
Kensington London 11 3.55x
Barnsley 10 17.57x
Luxulyan 10 476.19x
Padstow 10 238.66x
Beckenham 9 36.23x
Brading 9 59.33x
Bromley London 9 7.34x
Cawston 9 428.57x
Formby 9 120.32x
Guiting Power 9 762.71x
Ryde 9 36.70x
Plympton St Mary 8 119.40x
Smallthorne 8 114.61x
St George Bloomsbury 8 25.03x
Berkeley Ham Stone 7 1400.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 2.33x
Egloskerry 7 843.37x
Ilfracombe 7 58.63x
Osmington 7 958.90x
Thringstone 7 296.61x
Arlingham 6 500.00x
Carisbrooke 6 37.85x
Clerkenwell London 6 4.56x
Clewer 6 35.03x
Eastwood 6 22.57x
Heigham 6 13.05x
Hucknall Torkard 6 31.51x
Newington 6 2.92x
Paddington London 6 2.93x
St Marylebone London 6 2.02x
Watford 6 20.15x
Barham 5 555.56x
Bunwell 5 304.88x
Lee 5 18.12x
Brighton 4 2.11x
Broadwater 4 18.57x
Camberwell 4 1.12x
Clifton 4 7.24x
Cottingham 4 33.61x
Exeter St Leonard 4 126.18x
Foleshill 4 27.06x
Hadleigh 4 60.79x
Hampstead London 4 4.61x
Harrow 4 47.00x
Morebath 4 470.59x
Skidby 4 579.71x
St Bartholomew Less 4 139.37x
West Dean 4 22.55x
Aldeby 3 243.90x
Barney 3 508.47x
Birmingham 3 0.64x
Blyford 3 882.35x
Carleton Rode 3 202.70x
Cheltenham 3 3.56x
Framlingham 3 62.24x
Great Little Hampton 3 247.93x
Hammersmith London 3 2.19x
Hove 3 7.28x
Hyde 3 8.27x
Leintwardine 3 128.76x
Manningham 3 4.41x
North Bradley 3 83.33x
Shipley 3 10.47x
Solihull 3 29.70x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.68x
St Columb Major 3 57.36x
Stratton St Mary 3 252.10x
Westwick 3 857.14x
Ashwellthorpe 2 281.69x
Aston 2 0.52x
Hastings St Mary 2 8.56x
Lakenham 2 16.43x
Newchurch 2 3.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 18
Jane 17
Sarah 17
Ann 10
Alice 9
Ellen 8
Louisa 8
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Ada 6
Emily 6
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Martha 5
Anne 4
Annie 4
Catherine 4
Frances 4
Gertrude 4
Caroline 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Jessie 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Betsy 2
Catharine 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Jemima 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Louise 2
Lucy 2
Mable 2
Margaret 2
Marian 2
Rhoda 2
Susannah 2
C.E. 1
Carolina 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Elizth. 1
Hanna 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 37
John 33
George 15
Thomas 13
Edward 12
Charles 10
Henry 10
James 9
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Frederick 7
Samuel 7
Walter 6
Ernest 4
Richard 4
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Owen 3
Robert 3
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Elisha 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Jas. 2
Lewis 2
Wm. 2
B. 1
Charley 1
Charls 1
Edgar 1
Elijah 1
Fanny 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Jarvis 1
Job 1
Jonas 1
Jonathan 1
Josias 1
Leon 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Maroma 1

FAQ

Phillipps surname: questions and answers

How common was the Phillipps surname in 1881?

In 1881, 574 people were recorded with the Phillipps surname. That placed it at #6,073 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Phillipps surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016. That gives Phillipps a modern rank of #22,606.

What does the Phillipps surname mean?

An English surname derived from the given name Philip.

What does the Phillipps map show?

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