NameCensus.

UK surname

Philp

An English surname derived from Philip, a medieval diminutive of the Greek name Philippos meaning "lover of horses".

In the 1881 census there were 2,044 people recorded with the Philp surname, ranking it #2,153 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,504, ranked #2,640, down from #2,153 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Markinch, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Philp is 2,558 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.5%.

1881 census count

2,044

Ranked #2,153

Modern count

2,504

2016, ranked #2,640

Peak year

2014

2,558 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Philp had 2,044 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,153 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,504 in 2016, ranked #2,640.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,306 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Philp surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Philp surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Philp 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 1,887 #1,532
1861 historical 1,650 #1,735
1881 historical 2,044 #2,153
1891 historical 2,043 #2,261
1901 historical 2,306 #2,361
1911 historical 1,628 #2,987
1997 modern 2,330 #2,673
1998 modern 2,453 #2,655
1999 modern 2,488 #2,645
2000 modern 2,535 #2,582
2001 modern 2,492 #2,570
2002 modern 2,550 #2,569
2003 modern 2,508 #2,561
2004 modern 2,513 #2,557
2005 modern 2,437 #2,600
2006 modern 2,473 #2,567
2007 modern 2,462 #2,600
2008 modern 2,461 #2,622
2009 modern 2,523 #2,624
2010 modern 2,537 #2,661
2011 modern 2,475 #2,695
2012 modern 2,488 #2,633
2013 modern 2,525 #2,640
2014 modern 2,558 #2,627
2015 modern 2,531 #2,624
2016 modern 2,504 #2,640

Geography

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Where Philps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Markinch, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes, Edinburgh and Stoke Climsland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Markinch Fife
2 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Stoke Climsland Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 057 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 039 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Philp

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Philp

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Philp surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Philp household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Philp 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

Philp is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Philp falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Philp

The surname Philp originated in England in the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the personal name Philip, which itself comes from the Greek name "Philippos" meaning "lover of horses". The earliest known records of the name date back to the late 13th century in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in southwest England.

The Philp surname is thought to have evolved from the Norman-French spelling of "Philip" as "Phelip" or "Phelipp", with the "p" sound eventually solidifying into the modern spelling. Early examples of the name can be found in tax rolls and parish records from this region, with variations like Phelipp, Philipp, and Phillipp appearing frequently.

One of the earliest known references to the Philp name is in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon from 1327, which mention a "Thomas Phelip". Another early record is the Poll Tax of 1379 in St. Columb Major, Cornwall, listing a "John Philipp".

Place names like Phillack in Cornwall and Philip's Norton in Somerset may have influenced some variations of the spelling. The Domesday Book of 1086 does not appear to contain any direct references to the Philp name.

Notable individuals with the Philp surname throughout history include:

1. John Philp (c.1585-1629), an English clergyman and writer who published sermons and religious works.

2. Robert Kemp Philp (1819-1882), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as the 13th Premier of Queensland.

3. Margaret Philp (1866-1958), a Scottish trade unionist and suffragette who campaigned for women's rights and workers' rights.

4. James Philp (1901-1975), a Scottish professional footballer who played for Rangers F.C. and the Scottish national team.

5. Robert Broom Philp (1810-1887), a British soldier and artist known for his watercolor paintings of scenes from the First Anglo-Afghan War.

While the Philp name originated in southwest England, it has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and other English-speaking countries through migration and settlement over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Philp families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Philp 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. Fife leads with 625 Philps recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.03x.

County Total Index
Fife 625 53.03x
Cornwall 490 21.74x
Middlesex 165 0.83x
Lanarkshire 121 1.88x
Devon 119 2.87x
Surrey 83 0.86x
Perthshire 59 6.60x
Midlothian 45 1.69x
Hampshire 33 0.81x
Angus 31 1.68x
Clackmannanshire 28 17.03x
Sussex 25 0.74x
Stirlingshire 23 3.13x
Lancashire 21 0.09x
Kent 20 0.29x
Glamorgan 15 0.43x
Kinross-shire 15 29.80x
Renfrewshire 14 0.91x
Yorkshire 14 0.07x
Hertfordshire 12 0.87x
Ayrshire 11 0.74x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.43x
Cheshire 7 0.16x
Durham 7 0.12x
Berkshire 6 0.40x
Somerset 6 0.19x
Cumberland 5 0.29x
Staffordshire 5 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.33x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.75x
Essex 3 0.08x
Leicestershire 3 0.14x
Channel Islands 2 0.34x
Monmouthshire 2 0.14x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Wiltshire 2 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.42x
Shetland 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 198 Philps recorded in 1881 and an index of 109.25x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 198 109.25x
Govan 61 3.83x
Markinch 44 109.97x
Dysart 35 44.10x
Mevagissey 32 213.62x
St Andrews 30 55.94x
Beath 29 77.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 29 2.70x
St Pancras London 28 1.75x
Glasgow 26 2.27x
Harlington 26 247.62x
Scoonie 26 101.88x
Stoke Climsland 25 173.73x
Logie 24 74.86x
Pelynt 23 502.18x
Stoke Damerel 23 7.93x
Camberwell 22 1.73x
Largo 22 143.70x
St Clement 22 93.50x
Kennoway 21 195.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 19 5.95x
Auchtermuchty 18 113.71x
Brixham 18 37.48x
Clackmannan 18 57.92x
St Teath 18 132.55x
Liskeard 17 45.07x
St Breward 17 343.43x
Auchterderran 16 54.00x
Cupar 16 31.21x
Islington London 16 0.83x
Lambeth 16 0.92x
Portsea 16 2.00x
Abbotshall 15 34.06x
Linkinhorne 15 95.54x
St Blazey 15 75.80x
Barony 14 0.86x
Inverkeithing 14 78.83x
St Veep 14 383.56x
Bodmin 12 32.18x
Calstock 12 27.15x
Dundee 12 1.74x
Illogan 12 20.11x
Kirkcaldy 12 20.53x
Plymouth Charles The 12 6.57x
St Endellion 12 153.65x
Tywardreath 12 82.87x
Ceres 11 77.63x
Fulham London 11 3.81x
Hackney London 11 0.99x
Helston 11 46.95x
Kettle 11 77.74x
Kinghorn 11 43.96x
Padstow 11 73.43x
St Austell 11 14.28x
St Juliot 11 718.95x
Tulliallan 11 72.66x
Alloa 10 12.54x
Alva 10 28.56x
East Greenock 10 6.86x
Falkirk 10 5.82x
Ludgvan 10 55.68x
Monifieth 10 15.35x
St Thomas Apostle 10 144.09x
Cults 9 187.50x
Dalgety 9 100.00x
Eassie Nevay 9 235.60x
Lanlivery 9 95.04x
St Breock 9 73.89x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 2.32x
Bovey Tracey 8 55.17x
Cambusnethan 8 5.59x
Davidstow 8 287.77x
Luxulyan 8 106.67x
Menheniot 8 85.47x
Poplar London 8 2.13x
Shoreditch London 8 0.93x
South Milford 8 111.11x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.00x
St Winnow 8 103.76x
Tavistock 8 16.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 74
William 62
George 36
Thomas 33
James 32
Richard 31
Charles 21
Robert 15
Arthur 12
Edward 12
Frederick 12
Henry 12
Joseph 12
Samuel 11
Alfred 9
Francis 9
Walter 8
Albert 7
Ernest 7
Frank 7
Harry 6
Simon 5
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Michael 3
Ralph 3
Alexis 2
Anthony 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Peter 2
Shadrack 2
Sidney 2
Sparks 2
Stephen 2
Wm.H. 2
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Erney 1
Essex 1
Franklin 1
Horace 1
Horatio 1
Wm.H.P. 1

FAQ

Philp surname: questions and answers

How common was the Philp surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,044 people were recorded with the Philp surname. That placed it at #2,153 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Philp surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,504 in 2016. That gives Philp a modern rank of #2,640.

What does the Philp surname mean?

An English surname derived from Philip, a medieval diminutive of the Greek name Philippos meaning "lover of horses".

What does the Philp map show?

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