UK surname
A surname derived from the occupation of rope-making or rope-selling.
In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Ropes surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5, ranked #38,264, down from #33,288 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lewisham, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ropes is 101 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.0%.
1881 census count
4
Ranked #33,288
Modern count
5
2016, ranked #38,264
Peak year
1861
101 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ropes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ropes surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 3 | #32,890 |
| 1861 | historical | 101 | #20,955 |
| 1881 | historical | 4 | #33,288 |
| 1891 | historical | 56 | #29,638 |
| 1901 | historical | 35 | #30,194 |
| 1911 | historical | 21 | #31,179 |
| 1997 | modern | 4 | #38,094 |
| 1998 | modern | 5 | #37,861 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 5 | #37,830 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 4 | #38,130 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 4 | #38,287 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 5 | #38,264 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lewisham, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Thurgarton and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewisham | London (South Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 4 | Thurgarton | Norfolk |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ropes surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ropes, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ropes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ropes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ropes is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ropes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ropes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname ROPES originated in England during the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word 'rap', meaning rope or cord. The earliest recorded instances of this name can be traced back to the late 12th century in various counties across England.
One of the earliest known bearers of the ROPES surname was John Ropes, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1197. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the medieval period.
The ROPES surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where many individuals with this name were engaged in the trade of rope-making or worked as sailors and fishermen, for whom ropes were essential tools of their trade.
In the 13th century, a notable reference to the ROPES surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, which recorded a certain William Ropes residing in the village of Stanton St. John in 1273.
During the 16th century, the ROPES family established a prominent presence in the town of Ipswich, Suffolk. John Ropes (1523-1591) was a wealthy merchant and benefactor who served as the bailiff of Ipswich from 1562 to 1563.
Another notable figure bearing the ROPES surname was Nathaniel Ropes (1726-1774), a successful merchant and shipowner from Salem, Massachusetts. He played a significant role in the maritime trade between New England and the West Indies.
In the literary world, Hannah Ropes (1756-1843) was an American author and poet who wrote under the pseudonym "A Lady of Massachusetts." Her work, "Verses on Mr. Jeremiah Allen's Dying Advice to His Children," was published in 1801.
During the 19th century, Benjamin Ropes (1808-1891) was a prominent American lawyer and judge who served as a justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1865 to 1882.
The ROPES surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Ropes Heath in Shropshire and Ropes Lane in Buckinghamshire, further reinforcing its historical ties to the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ropes surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 3 Ropes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.11x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stapleford Abbots in Essex leads with 3 Ropes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 30000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stapleford Abbots | 3 | 30000.00x |
| Eastbourne | 1 | 333.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ropes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ropes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Arthur | 1 |
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 Ropes households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Undergraduate Kings College Cambridge | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Ropes surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 5 in 2016. That gives Ropes a modern rank of #38,264.
A surname derived from the occupation of rope-making or rope-selling.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ropes bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.