NameCensus.

UK surname

Rapsey

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Rapsey surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Truro St Mary and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Cornwall and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rapsey is 181 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.0%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1911

181 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rapsey had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Rapsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rapsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rapsey 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 181 #15,911
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 117 #24,974
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Rapseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Truro St Mary, St Philip and Jacob, Llangafelach and Kenwyn, Tregavethan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Cornwall, Swansea, Bridgend and South Gloucestershire. 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 Truro St Mary Cornwall
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
5 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
2 Cornwall 043 Cornwall
3 Swansea 003 Swansea
4 Bridgend 002 Bridgend
5 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rapsey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rapsey

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Rapsey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rapsey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rapsey 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

Rapsey 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

Rapsey falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rapsey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Rapsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rapsey 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. Cornwall leads with 22 Rapseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.32x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 22 17.32x
Devon 21 8.99x
Middlesex 15 1.34x
Somerset 15 8.31x
Glamorgan 14 7.17x
Gloucestershire 14 6.36x
Dorset 4 5.43x
Buckinghamshire 3 4.42x
Surrey 3 0.55x
Channel Islands 2 6.02x
Yorkshire 2 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 14 Rapseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.60x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 67.60x
Clase 11 151.52x
Honiton 11 852.71x
Truro St Mary 11 1028.04x
Pawlett 9 4500.00x
Hackney London 7 11.13x
Kenwyn 6 180.72x
Exeter St Stephen 4 3333.33x
Wootton Fitzpaine 4 4444.44x
Aylesbury 3 99.67x
Hammersmith London 3 10.86x
Twerton 3 161.29x
Falmouth 2 44.44x
Penderry 2 571.43x
Shute 2 909.09x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 8.86x
St Helier 2 18.48x
St Marylebone London 2 3.34x
Ashburton 1 89.29x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 9.65x
Axminster 1 91.74x
Beverley St Nicholas 1 109.89x
Bridgewater 1 20.41x
Croydon 1 3.30x
Huish Episcopi 1 384.62x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 21.14x
Mawnan 1 500.00x
Offwell 1 769.23x
Paddington London 1 2.42x
Perranarworthal 1 238.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 5.56x
St Andrew Holborn 1 26.32x
St George Hanover 1 6.83x
St John Near Swansea 1 41.32x
Tywardreath 1 121.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 4
Jane 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Harriett 2
Susan 2
Alarina 1
Amelia 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Debrouh 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Menery 1
Olimphia 1
Sophia 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
Charles 6
Thomas 4
Henry 3
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Alfd. 1
Alfred 1
Alick 1
Earnest 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Geo 1
Herbert 1
Horatio 1
James 1
Jessy 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Paul 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Rapsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rapsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Rapsey surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rapsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Rapsey a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Rapsey map show?

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