NameCensus.

UK surname

Rope

A surname derived from an occupation or trade involving ropes or cordage.

In the 1881 census there were 228 people recorded with the Rope surname, ranking it #11,826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 169, ranked #21,884, down from #11,826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Earsham and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rope is 550 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.9%.

1881 census count

228

Ranked #11,826

Modern count

169

2016, ranked #21,884

Peak year

1861

550 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rope had 228 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016, ranked #21,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 550 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rope surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rope surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Rope 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 247 #8,868
1861 historical 550 #4,785
1881 historical 228 #11,826
1891 historical 517 #7,225
1901 historical 328 #10,943
1911 historical 317 #11,011
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 187 #18,857
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 172 #19,974
2001 modern 168 #19,986
2002 modern 175 #19,902
2003 modern 169 #20,092
2004 modern 157 #21,168
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 156 #21,650
2008 modern 156 #21,862
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 177 #21,170
2014 modern 173 #21,639
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 169 #21,884

Geography

Back to top

Where Ropes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Earsham, St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a and Orford, Gedgrave, Havergate Island. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 Earsham Norfolk
3 St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace London (West Districts)
4 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk
5 Orford, Gedgrave, Havergate Island Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 014 Broadland
2 Broadland 016 Broadland
3 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Broadland 017 Broadland
5 Broadland 006 Broadland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Rope

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Rope

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Rope is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rope is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rope

The surname ROPE is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "rap," which referred to a rope-maker or someone who worked with ropes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ROPE can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named John le Roper is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms such as Roper, Ropar, and Ropere, reflecting the various spellings and regional variations common in those times.

The ROPE surname is also associated with certain place names in England, such as Rope in Cheshire and Ropewalks in Liverpool, both of which were areas known for their involvement in the rope-making industry.

Notable individuals with the surname ROPE include:

1. Thomas Rope (1632-1705), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of celestial mechanics. 2. Henry Rope (1765-1837), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Rope and Twine Manufactory in Bridgewater, Somerset. 3. Elizabeth Rope (1816-1887), an English author and philanthropist, known for her work in promoting education and social reform. 4. John Rope (1912-1994), a British architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the reconstruction of London after World War II. 5. Margaret Rope (1891-1988), an English artist and illustrator renowned for her watercolor paintings and illustrations in children's books.

While the surname ROPE originated as an occupational name, it has since become a well-established family name carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Rope families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rope 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. Norfolk leads with 83 Ropes recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.27x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 83 24.27x
Suffolk 38 14.03x
Middlesex 35 1.57x
Lanarkshire 17 2.36x
Yorkshire 10 0.45x
Derbyshire 7 2.01x
Surrey 5 0.46x
Essex 4 0.91x
Kent 4 0.53x
Lancashire 4 0.15x
Lincolnshire 4 1.12x
Cambridgeshire 3 2.13x
Shropshire 3 1.56x
Sussex 3 0.80x
Glamorgan 2 0.52x
Berkshire 1 0.60x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.11x
Cornwall 1 0.40x
Royal Navy 1 3.77x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Warwickshire 1 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. Heigham in Norfolk leads with 16 Ropes recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.19x.

Place Total Index
Heigham 16 87.19x
St Pancras London 14 7.82x
Orford 10 1149.43x
Great Yarmouth 9 31.77x
Bothwell 8 41.00x
Norwich St Peter Hungate 8 2666.67x
Stowmarket 8 255.59x
Derby St Werburgh 7 34.81x
Norwich St James 7 261.19x
Norwich St Michael At 7 353.54x
Norwich St Paul 7 341.46x
Cambusnethan 6 37.55x
Norwich St Stephen 6 191.08x
Blaxhall 5 1282.05x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 11.15x
St George Hanover 5 17.22x
Westminster St John 5 18.46x
Bergh Apton 4 1111.11x
Gorleston 4 58.14x
Great Grimsby 4 17.72x
Warrington 4 12.78x
Horning 3 909.09x
Hoxne 3 389.61x
Lingwood 3 1000.00x
Ludham 3 491.80x
Norwich St Peter 3 133.93x
Old Monkland 3 10.51x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 39.58x
Abinger 2 222.22x
Bungay Holy Trinity 2 143.88x
Catfield 2 416.67x
Chelsea London 2 2.98x
Chipping Ongar 2 263.16x
Earsham 2 425.53x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 21.76x
Kensington London 2 1.62x
Milton In Gravesend 2 17.57x
Roath 2 11.37x
Scarborough 2 9.99x
St George In East 2 13.22x
Aston 1 0.65x
Barnes 1 21.83x
Bradfield 1 11.76x
Brighton 1 1.32x
Burslem 1 4.65x
Chelmsford 1 13.28x
Clewer 1 14.62x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.71x
Dovercourt 1 64.94x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 16.29x
Elythe College 1 1250.00x
Falmouth 1 11.22x
Fressingfield 1 114.94x
Hackney London 1 0.80x
Hastings All Sts 1 28.33x
Hornsey 1 3.56x
Islington London 1 0.46x
Lambeth 1 0.52x
Leiston 1 53.76x
Llanwnda 1 59.88x
Lowestoft 1 7.81x
Norwich St Giles 1 91.74x
Norwich St Helen 1 238.10x
Rotherhithe 1 3.64x
Royal Navy 1 4.42x
Rye 1 28.09x
Sculcoates 1 2.86x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 31.75x
St Marythe Great 1 217.39x
Stuston 1 714.29x
Westminster St 1 12.20x
Wilmington 1 94.34x
Wymondham 1 28.57x
York St Maurice 1 24.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 5
Charlotte 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Edith 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Clara 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth. 1
Emeline 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Joyce 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
L. 1
Laura 1
Liner 1
Louis 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Mildred 1
Rosannah 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 14
Robert 11
John 9
Charles 7
William 7
Richard 6
James 5
Aaron 4
Arthur 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Aron 1
Christopher 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Louis 1
Margetson 1
Michael 1
Owen 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1
Thos.Yale 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Rope surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rope surname in 1881?

In 1881, 228 people were recorded with the Rope surname. That placed it at #11,826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rope surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016. That gives Rope a modern rank of #21,884.

What does the Rope surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupation or trade involving ropes or cordage.

What does the Rope map show?

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