NameCensus.

UK surname

Stapleton

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a post, pillar, or boundary marker.

In the 1881 census there were 3,003 people recorded with the Stapleton surname, ranking it #1,491 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,707, ranked #1,448, up from #1,491 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Torridge and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stapleton is 5,046 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.7%.

1881 census count

3,003

Ranked #1,491

Modern count

4,707

2016, ranked #1,448

Peak year

1999

5,046 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stapleton had 3,003 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,491 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,707 in 2016, ranked #1,448.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,290 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stapleton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stapleton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stapleton 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 1,683 #1,711
1861 historical 1,901 #1,526
1881 historical 3,003 #1,491
1891 historical 3,330 #1,434
1901 historical 3,774 #1,490
1911 historical 4,290 #1,208
1997 modern 4,934 #1,328
1998 modern 5,036 #1,356
1999 modern 5,046 #1,364
2000 modern 4,957 #1,377
2001 modern 4,865 #1,369
2002 modern 4,989 #1,364
2003 modern 4,834 #1,372
2004 modern 4,794 #1,380
2005 modern 4,640 #1,407
2006 modern 4,631 #1,410
2007 modern 4,754 #1,388
2008 modern 4,776 #1,392
2009 modern 4,854 #1,401
2010 modern 4,955 #1,405
2011 modern 4,860 #1,414
2012 modern 4,657 #1,444
2013 modern 4,790 #1,430
2014 modern 4,800 #1,438
2015 modern 4,743 #1,437
2016 modern 4,707 #1,448

Geography

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Where Stapletons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Torridge, Bradford, Torbay and Mansfield. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire) Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 042 Leeds
2 Torridge 006 Torridge
3 Bradford 001 Bradford
4 Torbay 001 Torbay
5 Mansfield 009 Mansfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stapleton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stapleton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stapleton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stapleton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Stapleton

The surname Stapleton is an English habitational name derived from the Old English words "stapol" meaning a post or pillar, and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name originated from someone who lived near a prominent post or boundary marker.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century and the Norman Conquest of England. It is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several places called Stapleton in various counties, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Leicestershire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1176, where a Richard de Stapleton is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the 12th century.

In the 13th century, a prominent member of the Stapleton family was Sir Miles de Stapleton, who served as a knight and fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence under King Edward I. He was born around 1260 and died in 1314.

The Stapletons were a notable family in Yorkshire, and their ancestral seat was at Stapleton Park, near Pontefract. One of the most famous members of this branch was Sir Bryan Stapleton, who was born in 1335 and served as a military commander during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable figure was Walter Stapleton, who was born in 1472 and served as the Bishop of Exeter and Lord Treasurer of England under King Henry VIII. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and the dissolution of monasteries.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Sir Philip Stapleton was a prominent Parliamentarian and served as a member of the Council of State. He was born in 1603 and died in 1647.

The Stapleton name has also been associated with various place names, such as Stapleton in Bristol, which was originally a separate village but is now a suburb of the city. The name has also been recorded in various spellings, such as Stapilton and Stapulton, in historical records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stapleton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stapleton 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 474 Stapletons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.62x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 474 1.62x
Bedfordshire 322 21.20x
Lancashire 221 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 221 5.59x
Yorkshire 210 0.72x
Devon 197 3.23x
Surrey 179 1.25x
Hertfordshire 120 5.94x
Northamptonshire 116 4.20x
Norfolk 102 2.26x
Kent 95 0.95x
Derbyshire 85 1.85x
Cornwall 75 2.26x
Sussex 73 1.48x
Lincolnshire 68 1.45x
Essex 45 0.78x
Cambridgeshire 37 1.99x
Hampshire 35 0.58x
Durham 33 0.38x
Gloucestershire 26 0.45x
Staffordshire 26 0.26x
Huntingdonshire 24 4.12x
Leicestershire 22 0.68x
Cheshire 21 0.32x
Rutland 21 9.75x
Northumberland 19 0.44x
Lanarkshire 18 0.19x
Oxfordshire 17 0.94x
Midlothian 14 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 12 0.68x
Suffolk 12 0.34x
Channel Islands 8 0.92x
Herefordshire 8 0.67x
Warwickshire 8 0.11x
Berkshire 7 0.32x
Cumberland 6 0.24x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.18x
Royal Navy 5 1.43x
Glamorgan 4 0.08x
Kincardineshire 4 1.12x
Renfrewshire 3 0.13x
Berwickshire 2 0.56x
Shropshire 2 0.08x
Brecknockshire 1 0.17x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Fife 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keysoe in Bedfordshire leads with 100 Stapletons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1402.52x.

Place Total Index
Keysoe 100 1402.52x
Islington London 60 2.11x
Basford 57 31.28x
Brighton 51 5.11x
Leeds 45 2.74x
Salford 40 3.91x
Battersea 38 3.52x
Bromley London 38 5.89x
Kensington London 38 2.33x
Eastwood 33 93.35x
Snenton 33 21.24x
Ampthill 31 136.74x
Brixham 31 43.82x
Liverpool 31 1.47x
Hackney London 30 1.82x
Peterborough 30 15.02x
Hitchin 29 31.78x
Dewsbury 27 9.06x
Shoreditch London 26 2.04x
Greasley 24 26.91x
Lewisham 24 4.50x
Shillington 24 107.29x
St Pancras London 24 1.02x
Poplar London 23 4.15x
Merton 22 376.07x
Ridgmont 22 293.73x
Portsea 21 1.78x
St Marylebone London 21 1.34x
Camberwell 20 1.07x
Great Torrington 20 57.77x
Caythorpe 19 635.45x
Rotherhithe 19 5.24x
Elstow 18 321.43x
Paddington London 18 1.67x
Barrowden 17 282.39x
Harringworth 17 464.48x
Hulme 17 2.34x
Mile End Old Town 17 3.67x
West Ham 17 1.33x
Westminster St 17 15.72x
Lambeth 16 0.63x
Plymouth St Andrew 16 3.40x
St Stephen 16 135.82x
Denton 15 19.45x
Hammersmith London 15 2.08x
Ilkeston 15 11.65x
Pirton 15 131.81x
Wisbech St Mary 15 70.32x
Bedford St Paul 14 13.44x
Higham Gobion 14 1157.02x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 13 9.60x
Manchester 13 0.83x
Toxteth Park 13 1.10x
Hemel Hempstead 12 13.17x
Mirfield 12 7.52x
Bow London 11 2.95x
Greenwich 11 2.36x
Mansfield 11 8.04x
Newington 11 1.02x
Nottingham St Mary 11 1.08x
Riseley 11 114.35x
Bradford 10 1.42x
Castle Acre 10 74.63x
Chelmsford 10 10.07x
Great Aycliffe 10 118.62x
Holwell 10 462.96x
Longbenton 10 5.41x
Market Deeping 10 82.17x
Ripley 10 17.61x
South Raynham 10 628.93x
Westminster St James 10 3.32x
Berkhampstead 9 19.80x
Bethnal Green London 9 0.71x
Finchley 9 8.00x
Kidlington 9 64.19x
Kings Cliffe 9 69.98x
Low Coniscliffe 9 545.45x
Plymouth Charles The 9 3.35x
St Giles In Fields 9 8.90x
Stratton 9 49.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 204
Elizabeth 97
Sarah 93
Eliza 66
Emma 59
Ann 57
Jane 48
Annie 41
Emily 39
Ellen 37
Alice 31
Hannah 27
Louisa 24
Martha 24
Caroline 23
Susan 23
Fanny 22
Lucy 20
Ada 19
Kate 18
Margaret 18
Charlotte 17
Maria 17
Frances 16
Harriet 16
Catherine 14
Clara 14
Rose 13
Anne 12
Florence 12
Rebecca 12
Edith 11
Harriett 11
Agnes 10
Elizth. 8
Isabella 8
Lizzie 8
Ruth 8
Sophia 8
Amelia 7
Lydia 7
Matilda 7
Rosina 7
Beatrice 6
Bridget 6
Gertrude 6
Jemima 6
Susannah 6
Eleanor 5
Lilly 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 188
William 179
George 116
Thomas 96
James 92
Henry 62
Charles 57
Joseph 53
Alfred 35
Arthur 35
Samuel 32
Edward 30
Robert 30
Albert 23
Frederick 23
Richard 22
Walter 22
Harry 19
Ernest 16
Frank 16
David 13
Wm. 13
Philip 12
Benjamin 10
Herbert 9
Chas. 7
Thos. 7
Edwin 6
Francis 6
Fred 6
Peter 6
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Geo. 5
Matthew 5
Stephen 5
Abraham 4
Daniel 4
Elijah 4
Isaac 4
Jesse 4
Martin 4
Michael 4
Miles 4
Patrick 4
Christopher 3
Gilbert 3
Mark 3
Reuben 3
West 3

FAQ

Stapleton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stapleton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,003 people were recorded with the Stapleton surname. That placed it at #1,491 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stapleton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,707 in 2016. That gives Stapleton a modern rank of #1,448.

What does the Stapleton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a post, pillar, or boundary marker.

What does the Stapleton map show?

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