NameCensus.

UK surname

Stanhope

A locational surname referring to someone from Stanhope, a parish in Weardale, County Durham.

In the 1881 census there were 717 people recorded with the Stanhope surname, ranking it #5,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 913, ranked #6,240, down from #5,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Kirkham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsmouth, Leeds and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stanhope is 959 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.3%.

1881 census count

717

Ranked #5,079

Modern count

913

2016, ranked #6,240

Peak year

2010

959 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stanhope had 717 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 913 in 2016, ranked #6,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 887 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Stanhope surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stanhope surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stanhope 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 418 #5,816
1861 historical 481 #5,426
1881 historical 717 #5,079
1891 historical 784 #5,119
1901 historical 843 #5,400
1911 historical 887 #5,020
1997 modern 884 #6,042
1998 modern 897 #6,174
1999 modern 897 #6,215
2000 modern 918 #6,092
2001 modern 892 #6,119
2002 modern 955 #5,899
2003 modern 936 #5,903
2004 modern 914 #6,014
2005 modern 910 #5,973
2006 modern 910 #5,987
2007 modern 906 #6,057
2008 modern 907 #6,099
2009 modern 928 #6,103
2010 modern 959 #6,080
2011 modern 924 #6,199
2012 modern 934 #6,072
2013 modern 944 #6,111
2014 modern 942 #6,165
2015 modern 931 #6,173
2016 modern 913 #6,240

Geography

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Where Stanhopes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Kirkham, London parishes and Lytham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsmouth, Leeds, Rotherham, Huntingdonshire and Braintree. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Kirkham Lancashire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lytham Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsmouth 013 Portsmouth
2 Leeds 010 Leeds
3 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
4 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire
5 Braintree 004 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stanhope

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stanhope

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Stanhope surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Stanhope household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Stanhope is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stanhope 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

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

Meaning and origin of Stanhope

The surname Stanhope originated from the northern counties of England, including Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English words "stān" meaning stone and "hop" meaning a small valley, referring to a stone-enclosed valley or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Stanhope can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stanhope" in the County of Durham. The name likely referred to the village of Stanhope in Weardale, Durham, which was an important ecclesiastical center during the Middle Ages.

The Stanhope family held significant landholdings in the Weardale area and played a prominent role in the region's history. One notable member was Sir Michael de Stanhope, who was a knight and landowner in Durham in the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Stanhope family settled in Nottinghamshire, where they established themselves as influential landowners. Sir Michael Stanhope (c. 1508-1552) was a prominent figure during the reign of Henry VIII and served as a diplomat and military commander.

Another noteworthy individual with the Stanhope surname was Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), a renowned statesman, diplomat, and author, best known for his influential letters on manners and etiquette.

During the 18th century, the Stanhope family gained further prominence, with Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope (1753-1816), a prominent scientist and inventor, who contributed to the development of the printing press and other technologies.

Other notable individuals with the Stanhope surname include Philip Henry Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope (1805-1875), a historian and author, and James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope (1673-1721), a British soldier and statesman who served as the Secretary of State for the Southern Department.

The Stanhope surname has a rich history, with its roots firmly planted in the northern counties of England, where it was associated with landed gentry and prominent figures in various fields, including politics, military, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stanhope families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stanhope 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. Yorkshire leads with 150 Stanhopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.16x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 150 2.16x
Lancashire 132 1.59x
Lincolnshire 62 5.54x
Derbyshire 53 4.83x
Middlesex 49 0.70x
Nottinghamshire 38 4.03x
Cheshire 37 2.39x
Leicestershire 32 4.12x
Suffolk 26 3.05x
Surrey 26 0.76x
Hampshire 17 1.18x
Gloucestershire 10 0.73x
Herefordshire 10 3.48x
Wigtownshire 10 10.75x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.80x
Kent 7 0.29x
Essex 6 0.43x
Staffordshire 6 0.25x
Angus 5 0.77x
Durham 5 0.24x
Rutland 5 9.72x
Sussex 5 0.42x
Northamptonshire 4 0.61x
Shropshire 4 0.66x
Warwickshire 4 0.23x
Norfolk 3 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.47x
Royal Navy 2 2.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkham in Lancashire leads with 26 Stanhopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 236.58x.

Place Total Index
Kirkham 26 236.58x
Long Melford 24 302.65x
Hulme 20 11.53x
Lytham 17 133.96x
Churwell 16 338.27x
Leicester St Margaret 16 8.45x
Mansfield 16 48.97x
Morley 14 38.80x
Preston 14 6.30x
Scarborough 14 22.20x
Belper 13 61.15x
Guiseley 13 146.23x
Barkstone 12 1000.00x
Layton With Warbreck 12 39.34x
St Pancras London 12 2.13x
Calverley Cum Farsley 11 55.81x
Bermondsey 10 4.80x
Butley 10 757.58x
Derby St Alkmund 10 30.43x
Knottingley 10 81.97x
Beeston 9 128.21x
Elvaston 9 666.67x
Newbold Dunston 9 86.37x
Portsea 9 3.20x
Quadring 9 416.67x
Congleton 8 29.95x
Gate Fulford 8 49.35x
Holbeck 8 17.40x
Lambeth 8 1.31x
St George Hanover 8 8.75x
Great Grimsby 7 9.85x
Kensington London 7 1.80x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.87x
Woolsthorpe 7 489.51x
Ampleforth St Peter 6 1071.43x
Bayards Leap 6 512.82x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 9.09x
Bristol St George 6 9.44x
Mochrum 6 108.11x
Newton 6 9.37x
Pendleton In Salford 6 6.06x
Waterbeach 6 165.75x
Camberwell 5 1.12x
Duffield 5 57.87x
Dundee 5 2.06x
Honington 5 1162.79x
Huddersfield 5 4.95x
Idle 5 15.54x
Nottingham St Peter 5 47.48x
Pinchbeck 5 69.64x
Whissendine 5 285.71x
Yeadon 5 31.91x
Ab Kettleby 4 727.27x
Adlington 4 193.24x
Bromley London 4 2.60x
Byford 4 784.31x
Chelsea London 4 1.90x
Godley 4 119.76x
Leicester St Mary 4 6.38x
Pott Shrigley 4 434.78x
West Derby 4 1.65x
Aston 3 0.62x
Birkenhead 3 2.43x
East Ham 3 11.69x
Holme Lacy 3 394.74x
Holwell 3 468.75x
Leyland 3 20.75x
North Leverton 3 416.67x
Oldham 3 1.12x
Openshaw 3 7.71x
Peterborough 3 6.29x
Radcliffe 3 7.49x
Sheriff Hales 3 123.97x
South Leverton 3 309.28x
Spofforth Cum Stockeld 3 272.73x
Staveley 3 15.41x
Stroud 3 11.22x
Sutton In Ashfield 3 14.64x
Wortley In Bramley 3 5.46x
York St Denis In 3 98.68x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 36
James 23
Thomas 19
George 18
Henry 18
Joseph 18
Charles 13
Richard 9
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Edward 6
David 5
Frederick 5
Herbert 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Francis 4
Fred 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Nicholas 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Lionel 2
Nathaniel 2
Tom 2
Wilfred 2
Alfd 1
Aubrey 1
Bertrand 1
Butler 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Edwyn 1
Fitzroy 1
J. 1
Jabez 1
Jas. 1
Jonathan 1
Lawrence 1
Lincoln 1
Wm.Benjamin 1

FAQ

Stanhope surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stanhope surname in 1881?

In 1881, 717 people were recorded with the Stanhope surname. That placed it at #5,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stanhope surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 913 in 2016. That gives Stanhope a modern rank of #6,240.

What does the Stanhope surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Stanhope, a parish in Weardale, County Durham.

What does the Stanhope map show?

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