NameCensus.

UK surname

Roope

A surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "rop" meaning rope or cord.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Roope surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, London parishes and Wisbech St Peter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, South Cambridgeshire and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roope is 204 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.7%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

1911

204 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roope had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 204 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Roope surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roope surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roope 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 204 #14,784
1997 modern 133 #22,705
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 138 #22,647
2002 modern 144 #22,501
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Roopes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, London parishes, Wisbech St Peter, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, South Cambridgeshire, Wealden, St Albans and Broadland. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wisbech St Peter Cambridgeshire
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 006 Norwich
2 South Cambridgeshire 016 South Cambridgeshire
3 Wealden 007 Wealden
4 St Albans 006 St Albans
5 Broadland 013 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roope

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roope

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Roope, 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 Roope surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Roope 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Roope is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roope is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roope 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 Roope 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 Roope, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roope

The surname Roope is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant spelling of the name Roper, which was an occupational surname given to those who worked as rope makers or sellers of rope.

The earliest known record of the surname Roope can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, dating back to 1327. In these rolls, a person named John le Roper is mentioned, indicating the presence of the name in its earlier form.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Roope was particularly prominent in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is possible that the name originated from the Old English word "rap," meaning rope, or from the Middle English word "roper," referring to a rope maker or seller.

One notable figure bearing the surname Roope was Sir John Roope, a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London during the early 17th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1609-1610 and was knighted by King James I in 1611.

Another individual of historical significance was William Roope, born in 1588 in Gloucestershire. He was a prominent Puritan preacher and author, known for his controversial sermons and writings against the Church of England during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the surname Roope was recorded in the parish registers of several villages in Gloucestershire, such as Painswick, Stroud, and Cirencester. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region during this period.

One notable bearer of the surname was Thomas Roope, born in 1756 in Gloucestershire. He was a renowned architect and surveyor, responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the county.

Another individual of note was Sarah Roope, born in 1782 in Gloucestershire. She was a prominent Quaker and activist, known for her efforts in promoting women's rights and advocating for the abolition of slavery.

While the origins of the surname Roope can be traced back to medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration. However, its earliest roots and prevalence remain firmly rooted in the counties of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roope families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roope 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. Middlesex leads with 31 Roopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 31 2.15x
Cambridgeshire 28 30.62x
Norfolk 15 6.76x
Suffolk 15 8.53x
Surrey 15 2.13x
Kent 12 2.44x
Devon 9 3.00x
Essex 8 2.81x
Durham 5 1.16x
Sussex 3 1.23x
Derbyshire 2 0.89x
Angus 1 0.75x
Hertfordshire 1 1.01x
Royal Navy 1 5.81x
Warwickshire 1 0.27x
Worcestershire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowestoft in Suffolk leads with 14 Roopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.47x.

Place Total Index
Lowestoft 14 168.47x
Wisbech St Peter 9 196.51x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 8 1428.57x
West Wratting 8 2758.62x
Deptford St Paul 6 15.79x
Great Yarmouth 6 32.64x
Hackney London 6 7.41x
Rotherhithe 6 33.65x
Tormoham 6 47.21x
Horseheath 5 1851.85x
Leyton Low 5 86.36x
Mile End Old Town 5 21.95x
St Marylebone London 5 6.49x
Stranton 5 34.58x
Chelsea London 4 9.20x
Balsham 3 600.00x
Brighton 3 6.11x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 119.05x
Reigate Borough 3 185.19x
St Pancras London 3 2.58x
Streatham 3 28.01x
Alfreton 2 29.11x
Ashford 2 41.67x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.19x
Boreham 2 408.16x
Camberwell 2 2.17x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 38.91x
Deal 2 47.62x
Hampstead London 2 8.90x
Brinkley 1 666.67x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 21.28x
Carshalton 1 37.17x
Cheshunt 1 28.74x
Dundee 1 2.00x
Great Malvern 1 25.45x
Hammersmith London 1 2.81x
Kensington London 1 1.25x
Narborough 1 476.19x
Royal Navy 1 6.80x
Rugby 1 20.33x
Saffron Walden 1 33.22x
Sawston 1 113.64x
St Andrewthe Less 1 9.57x
St George Hanover 1 5.31x
St Gilesin Fields 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 11
Mary 7
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Agnetta 2
Alice 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Ann 1
Clara 1
Eliz.M. 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Issie 1
Jessie 1
Lilian 1
Louise 1
Luisa 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Milersant 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
Charles 7
John 7
James 6
George 5
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Absolom 1
Chas. 1
Gerard 1
Harry 1
Jesse 1
Lewis 1
Lovell 1
Maria 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Roope surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roope surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Roope surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roope surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Roope a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Roope surname mean?

A surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "rop" meaning rope or cord.

What does the Roope map show?

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