NameCensus.

UK surname

Staple

An occupational surname referring to a worker involved with staples or fasteners.

In the 1881 census there were 413 people recorded with the Staple surname, ranking it #7,794 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 371, ranked #12,561, down from #7,794 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stoke Abbas, London parishes and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Staple is 468 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.2%.

1881 census count

413

Ranked #7,794

Modern count

371

2016, ranked #12,561

Peak year

1861

468 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Staple had 413 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,794 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016, ranked #12,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 468 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Staple surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Staple surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Staple 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 386 #6,216
1861 historical 468 #5,549
1881 historical 413 #7,794
1891 historical 424 #8,446
1901 historical 353 #10,364
1911 historical 413 #9,082
1997 modern 366 #11,781
1998 modern 358 #12,349
1999 modern 354 #12,497
2000 modern 343 #12,746
2001 modern 335 #12,759
2002 modern 348 #12,674
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 346 #12,544
2005 modern 344 #12,521
2006 modern 339 #12,754
2007 modern 363 #12,255
2008 modern 376 #12,039
2009 modern 383 #12,125
2010 modern 389 #12,251
2011 modern 389 #12,106
2012 modern 367 #12,499
2013 modern 372 #12,570
2014 modern 380 #12,449
2015 modern 373 #12,519
2016 modern 371 #12,561

Geography

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Where Staples are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stoke Abbas, London parishes, Battersea, Martock and Kea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cornwall. 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 Stoke Abbas Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Battersea London (South Districts)
4 Martock Somerset
5 Kea Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 006 Taunton Deane
2 Taunton Deane 005 Taunton Deane
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 022 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
5 Taunton Deane 004 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Staple

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Staple

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Staple 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

Staple 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

Staple falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Staple

The surname STAPLE is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "stapol," meaning a post, pillar, or support. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near a prominent post or marker.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the surname STAPLE or variations of it, such as Stapele, Stapele, and Stapele. These entries indicate that the name was already well-established in various parts of the country by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname STAPLE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1197, where a certain William de Stapele is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have originated in the vicinity of Staple, a village in Northamptonshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname STAPLE was also associated with the town of Staple, located in the county of Kent. This place name is derived from the Old English word "stapol," indicating a possible connection between the surname and this particular location.

Notable individuals with the surname STAPLE throughout history include:

1. Sir Richard Staple (c. 1460 - 1528), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1494. 2. John Staple (c. 1535 - 1611), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of New College, Oxford, from 1590 to 1611. 3. Thomas Staple (c. 1675 - 1733), an English mathematician and surveyor who wrote several treatises on practical mathematics and surveying. 4. William Staple (1742 - 1827), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1790 to 1796. 5. John Staple (1805 - 1877), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

The surname STAPLE has also given rise to various place names, such as Staple Hill in Gloucestershire and Staple Cross in Hertfordshire, further emphasizing the historical significance and widespread distribution of this name across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Staple families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Staple 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. Somerset leads with 81 Staples recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.43x.

County Total Index
Somerset 81 12.43x
Dorset 73 27.48x
Middlesex 58 1.43x
Cornwall 49 10.69x
Surrey 30 1.52x
Lancashire 20 0.42x
Devon 16 1.90x
Glamorgan 15 2.13x
Yorkshire 12 0.30x
Buckinghamshire 10 4.09x
Warwickshire 10 0.98x
Gloucestershire 8 1.01x
Kent 8 0.58x
Derbyshire 5 0.79x
Hertfordshire 5 1.79x
Durham 3 0.25x
Lincolnshire 3 0.46x
Channel Islands 2 1.67x
Essex 1 0.13x
Hampshire 1 0.12x
Norfolk 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Abbott in Dorset leads with 30 Staples recorded in 1881 and an index of 3947.37x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Abbott 30 3947.37x
Stoke Under Hambdon 17 794.39x
Stoke St Gregory 16 808.08x
Kea 14 409.36x
Martock 14 330.19x
Melcombe Regis 12 108.99x
Battersea 11 7.38x
Kenwyn 11 91.82x
Pilsdon 11 8461.54x
Chesham 10 110.86x
Hackney London 9 3.97x
Shoreditch London 9 5.13x
Birmingham 8 2.35x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 10.70x
Holy Trinity 7 7.25x
Lewisham 7 9.50x
St Clement 7 146.44x
Taunton St Mary 7 58.53x
Wareham Holy Trinity 7 603.45x
Wimborne Minster 7 162.79x
Bedford 6 59.70x
Camberwell 6 2.32x
Cannington 6 309.28x
Clase 6 22.89x
Poplar London 6 7.85x
Toxteth Park 6 3.69x
Brixham 5 51.23x
Chard 5 63.37x
Richmond 5 18.09x
St Enoder 5 320.51x
St Marylebone London 5 2.31x
Stoke Newington London 5 15.86x
Crewkerne 4 57.80x
Helston 4 84.03x
Paddington London 4 2.69x
Truro St Mary 4 103.90x
Watford 4 18.49x
Chadderton 3 12.78x
Chelsea London 3 2.46x
Dulverton 3 157.07x
Hetton Le Hole 3 19.66x
Islington London 3 0.76x
Keighley 3 7.02x
Llangeinor 3 72.29x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 37.88x
Long Eaton 3 35.84x
Lutton 3 280.37x
Netherbury 3 136.36x
North Meols 3 6.38x
St Pancras London 3 0.92x
Stogumber 3 174.42x
Yatton 3 118.11x
Aston 2 0.71x
Bermondsey 2 1.66x
Buckerell 2 571.43x
Buxton 2 37.31x
Littleham 2 32.47x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 3.08x
Redruth 2 15.43x
St Anne Soho London 2 8.65x
St George Bloomsbury 2 8.61x
St Peter Port 2 9.01x
Burghwallis 1 322.58x
Goole 1 14.88x
Great Oakley 1 333.33x
Great Yarmouth 1 1.94x
Hornsey 1 1.95x
Hulme 1 1.00x
Ilfracombe 1 11.53x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.11x
Lambeth 1 0.28x
Madron Penzance 1 6.00x
Manchester 1 0.46x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.71x
Offwell 1 217.39x
Romford 1 7.92x
St Ive 1 34.01x
Walcot 1 2.88x
Wandsworth 1 2.57x
Wimbledon 1 4.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 15
Ellen 11
Ann 9
Edith 9
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Susan 8
Jane 7
Annie 6
Emily 5
Hannah 5
Alice 4
Amelia 4
Bessie 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Harriett 4
Martha 4
Catherine 3
Grace 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Marion 2
Angelina 1
Augusta 1
Beuliah 1
Blanche 1
Effie 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Helena 1
Hilda 1
Jessie 1
Jessy 1
Lilly 1
Luclia 1
M. 1
M.A. 1
Margt. 1
Suson 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 21
James 15
George 14
Henry 10
Thomas 10
Charles 8
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Alfred 4
Samuel 4
Simon 4
Eli 3
Emanuel 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Christopher 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Abraham 1
Arch 1
Charley 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eliajaa 1
Elias 1
Ellis 1
Everett 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Hy. 1
J. 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Maurice 1
Phillip 1
Robert 1
Seymour 1
Tom 1
Tony 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Staple surname: questions and answers

How common was the Staple surname in 1881?

In 1881, 413 people were recorded with the Staple surname. That placed it at #7,794 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Staple surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016. That gives Staple a modern rank of #12,561.

What does the Staple surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a worker involved with staples or fasteners.

What does the Staple map show?

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