NameCensus.

UK surname

Reaper

A surname derived from the occupation of harvesting crops or a symbolic reference to death.

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Reaper surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, up from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Grange, Edinburgh and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Dyce and Rosemount.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reaper is 152 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.3%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

2016

152 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reaper had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 114 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Reaper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reaper surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reaper 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 57 #26,718
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 77 #25,627
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Reapers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Grange, Edinburgh, Wigan, Aberdeen and Old Machar and Dalton-le-Dale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Dyce, Rosemount and Northfield. 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 Grange Banff
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
5 Dalton-le-Dale Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 036 County Durham
2 County Durham 032 County Durham
3 Dyce Aberdeen City
4 Rosemount Aberdeen City
5 Northfield Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reaper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reaper

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Reaper surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Reaper household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Reaper is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Reaper is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reaper falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Reaper

The surname REAPER originates from England, with its earliest known recording dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ripere," which referred to a person who harvested crops, particularly grains such as wheat and barley. This occupation-based surname likely emerged as a way to identify individuals by their trade or profession.

In medieval England, the reaping of crops was a crucial task during the harvest season, and those skilled in this labor were highly valued members of the agrarian community. The REAPER surname may have initially been bestowed upon individuals who excelled at this task or whose primary occupation was reaping crops for landowners or manors.

One of the earliest known records of the REAPER surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, where a certain Robertus le Repere is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "Repere," highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that period.

As time passed, the REAPER surname continued to appear in various historical records across different regions of England. In the 14th century, a record from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire mentions a John le Reper. Similarly, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327 make reference to a Thomas le Reper.

Several notable individuals have borne the REAPER surname throughout history. One such figure was William Reaper, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Another noteworthy bearer was Sir John Reaper (1600-1678), an English politician and member of Parliament during the English Civil War era.

In the realm of literature, the surname REAPER has also found representation. John Reaper (1608-1658), an English clergyman and author, is known for his work "The Complaint of the Husbandman," which provides valuable insights into the lives of farmers and agricultural practices of the time.

Moving into the 18th century, the REAPER surname continued to be found across various records and documents. For instance, the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, record the baptism of a child named Elizabeth Reaper in 1723.

It is important to note that while the surname REAPER is undoubtedly of English origin, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and exploration, with bearers of the name now found in various countries and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reaper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reaper 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 22 Reapers recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.35x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 22 36.35x
Banffshire 19 140.12x
Durham 7 3.60x
Middlesex 7 1.07x
Midlothian 7 8.00x
Lancashire 5 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 8 Reapers recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.67x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 70.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 19.88x
Harton 7 909.09x
Keith 7 482.76x
Marnoch 7 958.90x
Fulham London 6 63.29x
Monquhitter 5 793.65x
Grange 4 1000.00x
Wigan 4 36.90x
Cairney 2 571.43x
Culsalmond 2 1052.63x
Chapel Of Garioch 1 232.56x
Gamrie 1 66.23x
Hulme 1 6.18x
Lonmay 1 181.82x
Newhills 1 80.65x
Skene 1 250.00x
St Pancras London 1 1.90x
Tyrie 1 131.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Adele 1
Ann 1
Arabella 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Thomas 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 Reaper households.

FAQ

Reaper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reaper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Reaper surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reaper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Reaper a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Reaper surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of harvesting crops or a symbolic reference to death.

What does the Reaper map show?

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