NameCensus.

UK surname

Popay

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Popay surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ingham, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Craven and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Popay is 131 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.2%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1911

131 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Popay had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 131 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Popay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Popay surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Popay 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 71 #27,934
1901 historical 99 #22,999
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Popays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ingham, London parishes, Gateshead, Winterton and Waxham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Craven and Great Yarmouth. 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 Ingham Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Winterton Norfolk
5 Waxham Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 014 North Norfolk
2 Craven 003 Craven
3 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
4 Great Yarmouth 008 Great Yarmouth
5 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Popay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Popay

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Popay is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Popay is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Popay falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Popay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Popay 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. Norfolk leads with 61 Popays recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.58x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 61 64.58x
Yorkshire 2 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 29 Popays recorded in 1881 and an index of 370.84x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 29 370.84x
Winterton 15 8823.53x
Palling 12 12000.00x
Spixworth 4 40000.00x
Long Preston 2 1333.33x
Hemsby 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Eliza 3
Agnes 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Giffen 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
Charles 5
William 4
Henry 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 1
Benjman 1
Benjn.J. 1
Dennis 1
George 1
John 1
W. 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 Popay households.

FAQ

Popay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Popay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Popay surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Popay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Popay a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Popay map show?

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