UK surname
A Scottish occupational name for a maker or seller of drinking cups or vessels.
In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Stops surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 58, ranked #34,457, down from #19,877 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Greens Norton, Willesden and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stops is 111 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.4%.
1881 census count
99
Ranked #19,877
Modern count
58
2016, ranked #34,457
Peak year
1901
111 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Stops surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Stops surname density by area, 1911 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 | 82 | #19,317 |
| 1861 | historical | 85 | #22,922 |
| 1881 | historical | 99 | #19,877 |
| 1891 | historical | 106 | #23,105 |
| 1901 | historical | 111 | #21,492 |
| 1911 | historical | 105 | #22,064 |
| 1997 | modern | 81 | #29,436 |
| 1998 | modern | 90 | #28,920 |
| 1999 | modern | 85 | #29,578 |
| 2000 | modern | 83 | #29,809 |
| 2001 | modern | 80 | #29,945 |
| 2002 | modern | 76 | #30,830 |
| 2003 | modern | 70 | #31,486 |
| 2004 | modern | 68 | #31,880 |
| 2005 | modern | 67 | #32,196 |
| 2006 | modern | 71 | #32,147 |
| 2007 | modern | 66 | #32,948 |
| 2008 | modern | 67 | #33,135 |
| 2009 | modern | 69 | #33,257 |
| 2010 | modern | 68 | #33,632 |
| 2011 | modern | 70 | #33,465 |
| 2012 | modern | 63 | #34,095 |
| 2013 | modern | 66 | #34,003 |
| 2014 | modern | 61 | #34,343 |
| 2015 | modern | 61 | #34,284 |
| 2016 | modern | 58 | #34,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Greens Norton, Willesden, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and St John Hackney. 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 | Greens Norton | Northamptonshire |
| 2 | Willesden | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Ealing, Chiswick | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 5 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Stops 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 Stops, 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 Stops surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Stops 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, Stops 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 Stops is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Stops, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "STOPS" is believed to have originated in England, likely in the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name that possibly contained the Old English word "stop" or "stopp," meaning a stump or tree trunk.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known references is found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a collection of records from the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307), where a William de Stop is mentioned as a resident of Oxfordshire.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Stop," "Stopp," and "Stopps," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mentions a John Stops from Hertfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a Richard Stop in Yorkshire.
The Domesday Book, a famous survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not explicitly mention the surname "STOPS," but it does contain references to places with similar names, such as Stopham in Sussex and Stoppeley in Bedfordshire, which may have been the origins of the surname.
Notable individuals with the surname "STOPS" throughout history include:
1. Walter Stops (c. 1420-1498), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1472 until his death.
2. Thomas Stops (c. 1555-1624), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Herefordshire in the 16th century.
3. Elizabeth Stops (c. 1640-1712), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Warwickshire, known for her religious writings and advocacy for women's rights.
4. William Stops (1701-1778), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.
5. John Stops (1765-1842), an English artist and engraver renowned for his landscape paintings and etchings of rural scenes.
While the surname "STOPS" is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history and can be traced back to various regions of the country, reflecting the diverse origins of many English surnames.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stops 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. Middlesex leads with 61 Stops' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.32x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 61 | 6.32x |
| Northamptonshire | 16 | 17.62x |
| Leicestershire | 8 | 7.47x |
| Derbyshire | 4 | 2.65x |
| Buckinghamshire | 3 | 5.14x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.64x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 3.35x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.52x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.30x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willesden in Middlesex leads with 11 Stops' recorded in 1881 and an index of 120.88x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Willesden | 11 | 120.88x |
| Bethnal Green London | 8 | 19.07x |
| Greens Norton | 8 | 2758.62x |
| Slawston | 8 | 13333.33x |
| Acton | 6 | 106.01x |
| Ealing | 6 | 69.52x |
| Shoreditch London | 5 | 11.95x |
| Towcester | 5 | 531.91x |
| Whitechapel London | 5 | 52.52x |
| Ockbrook | 4 | 625.00x |
| St Marylebone London | 4 | 7.76x |
| Tiffield | 3 | 3750.00x |
| Tottenham | 3 | 19.51x |
| Westminster St | 3 | 84.27x |
| Amersham | 2 | 240.96x |
| Hackney London | 2 | 3.69x |
| St Luke London | 2 | 12.91x |
| Aston Rowant | 1 | 476.19x |
| Banstead | 1 | 78.74x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 1.62x |
| Deptford St Paul | 1 | 3.94x |
| Emmington | 1 | 5000.00x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 4.21x |
| Hempstead | 1 | 476.19x |
| Hornsey | 1 | 8.19x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.07x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.19x |
| Monks Risborough | 1 | 357.14x |
| Norwood | 1 | 45.25x |
| St Martin In Fields | 1 | 17.30x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Stops 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 Stops surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Stops households.
FAQ
In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Stops surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 58 in 2016. That gives Stops a modern rank of #34,457.
A Scottish occupational name for a maker or seller of drinking cups or vessels.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Stops 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.