NameCensus.

UK surname

Sumpter

An occupational surname for one who drove pack animals or worked as a driver of horses or mules.

In the 1881 census there were 473 people recorded with the Sumpter surname, ranking it #7,057 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 733, ranked #7,430, down from #7,057 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Kettering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, Isle of Wight and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sumpter is 804 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.0%.

1881 census count

473

Ranked #7,057

Modern count

733

2016, ranked #7,430

Peak year

1999

804 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sumpter had 473 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,057 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 733 in 2016, ranked #7,430.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 750 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sumpter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sumpter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sumpter 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 379 #6,300
1861 historical 232 #10,535
1881 historical 473 #7,057
1891 historical 497 #7,465
1901 historical 677 #6,444
1911 historical 750 #5,740
1997 modern 773 #6,721
1998 modern 794 #6,788
1999 modern 804 #6,759
2000 modern 786 #6,873
2001 modern 764 #6,890
2002 modern 768 #6,990
2003 modern 738 #7,097
2004 modern 725 #7,191
2005 modern 725 #7,131
2006 modern 701 #7,342
2007 modern 689 #7,515
2008 modern 701 #7,479
2009 modern 725 #7,428
2010 modern 740 #7,448
2011 modern 727 #7,482
2012 modern 732 #7,365
2013 modern 751 #7,338
2014 modern 760 #7,295
2015 modern 748 #7,315
2016 modern 733 #7,430

Geography

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Where Sumpters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Kettering. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, Isle of Wight, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Erewash and Corby. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Kettering Northamptonshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 003 Kettering
2 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 003 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Erewash 011 Erewash
5 Corby 001 Corby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sumpter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sumpter

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Sumpter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sumpter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Sumpter is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sumpter is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sumpter falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sumpter

The surname Sumpter originated in England, likely deriving from the Old English word "sumptere," which referred to a person who transported goods on pack animals, such as a mule or a horse. The name is thought to have originated in the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sumpter can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Sumptere" or "Sumpter," indicating its use as an occupational surname for those engaged in the transportation of goods.

During the Middle Ages, the Sumpter surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire, where trade routes and the transportation of goods were significant activities. The name may also be associated with certain place names, such as Sumpter's Green in Hertfordshire or Sumpter's Hill in Buckinghamshire.

Historically notable individuals with the surname Sumpter include William Sumpter (c. 1460-1536), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, and Sir Thomas Sumpter (1535-1605), a prominent English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was John Sumpter (1617-1689), a Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the Great Migration to New England in the 17th century. He served as a minister in several towns in Massachusetts and published several religious works.

In the 18th century, James Sumpter (1726-1799) was a British soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later became a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia. He was also involved in the early development of the city of Richmond.

During the 19th century, William Sumpter (1832-1913) was a prominent architect in London, known for his work on several churches and public buildings, including the Royal Albert Hall.

Throughout its history, the surname Sumpter has maintained its association with trade, transportation, and commerce, reflecting the occupational origins of the name and the important role played by those engaged in the movement of goods and materials.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sumpter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sumpter 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. Northamptonshire leads with 126 Sumpters recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.03x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 126 29.03x
Middlesex 83 1.80x
Lincolnshire 38 5.15x
Surrey 38 1.69x
Norfolk 26 3.66x
Buckinghamshire 18 6.45x
Leicestershire 18 3.52x
Cheshire 15 1.47x
Berkshire 11 3.18x
Lancashire 11 0.20x
Hampshire 10 1.06x
Rutland 9 26.56x
Yorkshire 9 0.20x
Essex 8 0.88x
Warwickshire 7 0.60x
Durham 6 0.44x
Somerset 6 0.81x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.71x
Devon 5 0.52x
Staffordshire 4 0.26x
Suffolk 4 0.71x
Cornwall 3 0.57x
Derbyshire 3 0.42x
Kent 3 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 3 2.05x
Denbighshire 1 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.16x
Sussex 1 0.13x
Worcestershire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kettering in Northamptonshire leads with 58 Sumpters recorded in 1881 and an index of 330.48x.

Place Total Index
Kettering 58 330.48x
Rothwell 31 711.01x
Shoreditch London 16 8.00x
Battersea 15 8.84x
Binbrooke 15 815.22x
Bromley London 12 11.82x
Stoke Albany 12 2352.94x
Fakenham 11 315.19x
Hackney London 11 4.25x
Linslade 11 402.93x
Egham 10 72.46x
Chester St Oswald 7 37.96x
Cley Next Sea 7 614.04x
North Kyme 7 636.36x
St Luke London 7 9.46x
Barrow In Furness 6 8.06x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.99x
Greenford 6 705.88x
Northampton All Sts 6 40.73x
Pamber 6 545.45x
Paulton 6 176.47x
Wandsworth 6 13.51x
Wanstead 6 37.62x
Barrowden 5 526.32x
Chester St John Baptist 5 27.31x
Reading St Giles 5 14.71x
South Mimms 5 78.99x
St Botolph Cambridge 5 666.67x
St Pancras London 5 1.35x
Wingate 5 53.14x
Broughton 4 287.77x
Bury 4 6.40x
Easton 4 597.01x
Eton 4 63.29x
Lutterworth 4 128.21x
Market Harborough 4 173.16x
Plymouth Charles The 4 9.45x
Wilbarston In Market 4 500.00x
Aston 3 0.94x
Birmingham 3 0.77x
Cottingham 3 200.00x
Ealing 3 7.28x
Hemsworth 3 114.07x
Hoole 3 77.92x
Melton Mowbray 3 32.61x
New Windsor 3 25.77x
Oakham Lordshold 3 84.51x
Poplar London 3 3.45x
Rosemarket 3 555.56x
St Marylebone London 3 1.22x
Billinghay 2 88.11x
Blankney 2 192.31x
Colkirk 2 294.12x
East Malling 2 53.19x
Finchley 2 11.31x
Great Bowden 2 43.01x
Heigham 2 5.25x
Holy Trinity 2 1.82x
Hook 2 19.88x
Keele 2 120.48x
Leicester St Mary 2 4.84x
Northampton St Sepulchre 2 9.06x
Norwich St Benedict 2 63.29x
Pentrich 2 49.14x
Rockingham 2 555.56x
St George Hanover 2 3.32x
St Maurice Winchester 2 50.89x
Stanford Dingley 2 909.09x
Stratton 2 70.67x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 15.29x
West Ham 2 0.99x
Windlesham 2 47.28x
Alfreton 1 4.56x
Bigby 1 175.44x
Burton Latimer 1 38.17x
Knighton 1 34.60x
Lambeth 1 0.25x
Norwich St Stephen 1 15.36x
Saltash 1 24.69x
Swineshead 1 41.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 14
Eliza 11
Alice 10
Ellen 9
Ann 8
Emily 8
Jane 8
Annie 7
Emma 6
Frances 5
Hannah 5
Susan 5
Ada 4
Florence 4
Amelia 3
Esther 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Ruth 3
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Ella 2
Ethel 2
Harriet 2
Hope 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Angelina 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Elsie 1
Elzabeth 1
Emely 1
Ida 1
Jemima 1
Jessica 1
Julia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
Thomas 21
William 19
George 16
Henry 16
James 13
Frederick 12
Joseph 10
Samuel 8
Arthur 5
Charles 5
Harry 5
Robert 5
Wm. 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Henery 2
Soloman 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Bernard 1
Caleb 1
Cecil 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Eustace 1
Francis 1
Gherald 1
Harris 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Libbins 1
Louis 1
Matthew 1
Percival 1
Richard 1
Simeon 1
Solomon 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Sumpter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sumpter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 473 people were recorded with the Sumpter surname. That placed it at #7,057 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sumpter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 733 in 2016. That gives Sumpter a modern rank of #7,430.

What does the Sumpter surname mean?

An occupational surname for one who drove pack animals or worked as a driver of horses or mules.

What does the Sumpter map show?

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