NameCensus.

UK surname

Rapps

A topographic surname derived from the Old German word 'rape' meaning flat, muddy area.

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Rapps surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 76, ranked #33,304, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Llangattock and Clifton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, Worthing and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rapps is 105 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 5.0%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

76

2016, ranked #33,304

Peak year

1911

105 bearers

Map years

1

1911 to 1911

Key insights

  • Rapps had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016, ranked #33,304.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rapps surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rapps surname density by area, 1911 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Rapps 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 52 #23,915
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 76 #25,734
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 90 #28,920
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 81 #32,558
2012 modern 75 #33,263
2013 modern 77 #33,275
2014 modern 78 #33,270
2015 modern 77 #33,272
2016 modern 76 #33,304

Geography

Back to top

Where Rapps' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, Worthing, Caerphilly and Nottingham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Llangattock Brecon
3 Clifton Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Hemington Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset
2 Worthing 003 Worthing
3 Caerphilly 011 Caerphilly
4 Nottingham 030 Nottingham
5 Bath and North East Somerset 021 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Rapps

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Rapps

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

Rapps 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

Rapps 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 Rapps is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rapps, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rapps

The surname Rapps is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Rappe," which means a black horse or a dark-colored horse. The name likely originated in regions where horses played a significant role in daily life and were important for transportation and agricultural work.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rapps can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Nürnberg, Bavaria, Germany, dating back to the late 16th century. These records mention individuals with the surname Rapps, including Johann Rapps, who was born in 1587.

The name Rapps is also closely associated with the town of Rappoltstein, located in the Alsace region of France, which was historically part of the Holy Roman Empire. The town's name is derived from the German words "Rappe" and "Stein," meaning "black horse" and "stone," respectively. It is possible that the surname Rapps may have originated from or been influenced by this place name.

In the 17th century, the surname Rapps appears in various records across Germany and neighboring regions. One notable figure was Hans Rapps, a merchant and trader who lived in the city of Frankfurt am Main in the early 1600s.

The 18th century saw the spread of the name Rapps to other parts of Europe and beyond. In 1723, Johann Michael Rapps, a German immigrant, settled in Pennsylvania, United States, and is considered one of the earliest bearers of the name in the American colonies.

During the 19th century, several individuals with the surname Rapps made significant contributions in various fields. Wilhelm Rapps (1809-1884) was a German philosopher and writer who explored the relationship between science and religion. Karl Rapps (1837-1917) was a German-American artist and lithographer known for his landscape paintings.

Another noteworthy figure was Elisabeth Rapps (1869-1942), a German educator and women's rights activist who advocated for equal educational opportunities for girls and women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The surname Rapps, with its origins rooted in German language and culture, has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Rapps families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rapps 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. Somerset leads with 31 Rapps' recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.68x.

County Total Index
Somerset 31 24.68x
Glamorgan 13 9.57x
Surrey 11 2.89x
Gloucestershire 7 4.57x
Brecknockshire 6 38.46x
Hampshire 5 3.13x
Warwickshire 4 2.03x
Essex 1 0.65x
Kent 1 0.38x
Monmouthshire 1 1.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farmborough in Somerset leads with 12 Rapps' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5217.39x.

Place Total Index
Farmborough 12 5217.39x
Kingston On Thames 11 120.48x
High Littleton 8 3809.52x
Clifton 7 90.44x
Llangattock 6 472.44x
Llantrisant 6 175.44x
Pilton 5 1666.67x
Southhampton St Mary Extra 5 2941.18x
Bedminster 4 33.90x
Birmingham 4 6.10x
Ystradyfodwg 4 33.56x
Aberdare 3 32.15x
Bath St James 1 76.34x
Chatham 1 13.66x
Trevethin 1 18.76x
Wanstead 1 37.04x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ellen 4
Elizabeth 3
Amelia 2
Iset 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Blanche 1
Edith 1
Elen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Gwenllian 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Laural 1
Louisa 1
Magret 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Nelly 1
Priscilla 1
Rosanna 1
Sarah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
John 5
Thomas 4
Albert 3
George 3
James 3
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Alfred 1
Arther 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
Frank 1
Gwilym 1
J. 1
Jno.James 1
Job 1
Leonard 1
Luther 1
Wallington 1
Walter 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 Rapps households.

FAQ

Rapps surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rapps surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Rapps surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rapps surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016. That gives Rapps a modern rank of #33,304.

What does the Rapps surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from the Old German word 'rape' meaning flat, muddy area.

What does the Rapps map show?

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