NameCensus.

UK surname

Popple

An English surname possibly derived from a pet name for someone of small stature.

In the 1881 census there were 520 people recorded with the Popple surname, ranking it #6,564 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 723, ranked #7,514, down from #6,564 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Crowland. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Peterborough, South Kesteven and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Popple is 770 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.0%.

1881 census count

520

Ranked #6,564

Modern count

723

2016, ranked #7,514

Peak year

2010

770 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Popple had 520 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,564 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 723 in 2016, ranked #7,514.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 675 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Popple surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Popple surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Popple 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 371 #6,410
1861 historical 355 #7,198
1881 historical 520 #6,564
1891 historical 516 #7,234
1901 historical 628 #6,820
1911 historical 675 #6,256
1997 modern 720 #7,082
1998 modern 748 #7,115
1999 modern 761 #7,065
2000 modern 741 #7,171
2001 modern 740 #7,055
2002 modern 732 #7,240
2003 modern 713 #7,268
2004 modern 717 #7,251
2005 modern 699 #7,356
2006 modern 718 #7,220
2007 modern 732 #7,199
2008 modern 738 #7,192
2009 modern 757 #7,198
2010 modern 770 #7,244
2011 modern 741 #7,381
2012 modern 724 #7,427
2013 modern 741 #7,417
2014 modern 741 #7,454
2015 modern 727 #7,510
2016 modern 723 #7,514

Geography

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Where Popples are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Crowland, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Deeping St James, Deeping St Nicholas, Deeping Fen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Peterborough, South Kesteven and North Lincolnshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
3 Crowland Northamptonshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Deeping St James, Deeping St Nicholas, Deeping Fen Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Peterborough 006 Peterborough
2 South Kesteven 015 South Kesteven
3 Peterborough 012 Peterborough
4 North Lincolnshire 005 North Lincolnshire
5 Peterborough 003 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Popple

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Popple

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

Popple is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Popple falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Popple

The surname Popple is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "popel," which referred to a small, rectangular garden or field. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or worked in such a plot of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Popple can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Willelmus Popple in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name was already established in certain parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Popill" and "Poppell" appeared in various historical records, indicating the gradual evolution of the spelling over time. The surname Popple was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire, where it is believed to have originated.

Notable individuals with the surname Popple include John Popple (1663-1743), an English cartographer and map publisher who worked for the British government. His maps of North America were widely used and influential during the colonial era. Another notable figure was Sir Home Riggs Popham Popple (1828-1908), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Bahamas from 1887 to 1892.

In the 16th century, the name Popple was associated with the village of Popple Low in Yorkshire, which was likely named after the small fields or gardens in the area. This connection further reinforces the theory that the surname originated as a descriptive name related to land ownership or occupation.

Other historical figures bearing the Popple surname include William Popple (1701-1764), an English politician and landowner who served as the Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn, and Henry Popple (1675-1743), a colonial administrator who served as the Secretary of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations in the early 18th century.

While the surname Popple is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and has been associated with various notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Popple families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Popple 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. Lincolnshire leads with 115 Popples recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.21x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 115 14.21x
Yorkshire 97 1.93x
Northamptonshire 71 14.91x
Middlesex 37 0.73x
Leicestershire 33 5.88x
Nottinghamshire 32 4.69x
Cambridgeshire 26 8.11x
Lancashire 17 0.28x
Surrey 17 0.69x
Kent 15 0.87x
Durham 8 0.53x
Derbyshire 7 0.88x
Berkshire 6 1.58x
Montgomeryshire 6 5.17x
Hampshire 5 0.48x
Warwickshire 5 0.39x
Hertfordshire 4 1.15x
Huntingdonshire 4 3.98x
Worcestershire 4 0.61x
Lanarkshire 3 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.24x
Staffordshire 2 0.12x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Rutland 1 2.69x
Somerset 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scarborough in Yorkshire leads with 25 Popples recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.84x.

Place Total Index
Scarborough 25 54.84x
Peterborough 23 66.71x
Crowland 15 295.28x
Thorney 14 393.26x
Deeping St James 13 454.55x
Illston On The Hill 13 2407.41x
Southorpe 13 4333.33x
Caistor 12 372.67x
Pilsgate 10 4545.45x
Stamford St George 10 274.73x
Aislaby In Whitby 9 1551.72x
Chesterton 9 91.00x
Ecclesfield 9 24.47x
Beverley St Nicholas 8 194.65x
Castor 8 394.09x
Finchley 8 41.22x
Heap 8 25.11x
Nottingham St Mary 8 4.53x
Treswell 8 2500.00x
Kensington London 7 2.49x
Leicester Black Friars 7 191.78x
Leicester St Margaret 7 5.11x
Boston 6 24.43x
Great Grimsby 6 11.68x
Islington London 6 1.22x
Paston 6 297.03x
Pool 6 68.57x
Ramsgate 6 21.28x
Sheffield 6 3.76x
Spotland 6 8.98x
Acton 5 16.85x
Bainton 5 1724.14x
Battersea 5 2.68x
East Woodhay 5 188.68x
Hackthorn 5 1041.67x
North Kelsey 5 342.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 4.91x
Stamford Baron St Martin 5 196.08x
Stockton On Tees 5 6.89x
Tuxford 5 297.62x
Winterton 5 179.86x
Berkhampstead 4 50.96x
Birmingham 4 0.94x
Clee With Weelsby 4 22.57x
Derby St Werburgh 4 8.74x
Greasley 4 25.97x
Hammersmith London 4 3.21x
Hibaldstow 4 287.77x
Horncastle 4 47.90x
Kings Norton 4 6.75x
Leeds 4 1.41x
Monk Bretton 4 78.74x
Owston 4 173.91x
Rawmarsh 4 22.57x
Streatham 4 10.65x
Brightside Bierlow 3 3.05x
Castle Donnington 3 64.52x
Darlington 3 5.16x
Erith 3 17.63x
Friskney 3 116.73x
Govan 3 0.74x
Margate St John Baptist 3 9.48x
Stamford St Mary 3 182.93x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 12.87x
Washingley 3 1764.71x
Whittlesey St Mary St 3 26.79x
Woolstone 3 857.14x
Worksop 3 14.82x
Bagworth 2 190.48x
Chelsea London 2 1.31x
Doncaster 2 5.46x
Gainsborough 2 10.48x
Heage 2 47.73x
Hougham 2 19.47x
Manningham 2 3.24x
Newington 2 1.07x
Pembroke St Mary 2 9.65x
Sandal Magna 2 26.95x
South Kelsey 2 186.92x
Stamford St Michael 2 86.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
John 35
Thomas 17
George 16
Henry 12
Joseph 12
Charles 10
James 10
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Herbert 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Abraham 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Matthias 2
Willie 2
Adden 1
Benj. 1
Benjamin 1
Calvert 1
Chas.Albert 1
Edwin 1
Gorbaew 1
J. 1
Jarvis 1
Jonathan 1
Laurence 1
Lewin 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Mathias 1
Newton 1
Thos. 1
Wm.Lloyd 1

FAQ

Popple surname: questions and answers

How common was the Popple surname in 1881?

In 1881, 520 people were recorded with the Popple surname. That placed it at #6,564 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Popple surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 723 in 2016. That gives Popple a modern rank of #7,514.

What does the Popple surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from a pet name for someone of small stature.

What does the Popple map show?

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