NameCensus.

UK surname

Tippin

An old Scottish surname derived from the words "typpyn" and "tippene," meaning "to knock" or "to strike."

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Tippin surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 83, ranked #32,815, down from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Much Cowarne, Stoke Lacy and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, Birmingham and Worcester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tippin is 253 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 49.7%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

83

2016, ranked #32,815

Peak year

1851

253 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Tippin had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 83 in 2016, ranked #32,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 253 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Tippin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tippin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Tippin 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 253 #8,709
1861 historical 186 #12,751
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 200 #15,120
1911 historical 184 #15,742
1997 modern 93 #27,932
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 87 #30,666
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 88 #31,801
2012 modern 84 #32,502
2013 modern 84 #32,745
2014 modern 87 #32,585
2015 modern 80 #33,052
2016 modern 83 #32,815

Geography

Back to top

Where Tippins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Much Cowarne, Stoke Lacy, St John Hackney, Childwall and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyre Forest, Birmingham, Worcester and Brentwood. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Much Cowarne, Stoke Lacy Herefordshire
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Childwall Lancashire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre Forest 012 Wyre Forest
2 Birmingham 064 Birmingham
3 Worcester 001 Worcester
4 Worcester 002 Worcester
5 Brentwood 005 Brentwood

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Tippin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Tippin

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tippin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tippin is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tippin falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tippin

The surname Tippin is believed to have originated in England, likely during the late medieval period or early modern era. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that incorporates the Old English word "toppian," meaning "to top" or "to summit." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived at or near a prominent hilltop or elevated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tippin surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a William Typpyn. Another early reference is in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk from 1524, where a John Typyn is documented. These early spellings, such as Typpyn and Typyn, demonstrate the evolution of the name over time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Tippin surname appeared in various records across England, particularly in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Notable individuals bearing this name include Thomas Tippin, a yeoman from Gloucestershire who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1571, and John Tippin, a landowner in Wiltshire whose name appears in the Wiltshire Musters of 1608.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tippin surname in the United States can be traced back to Edward Tippin, who was born in England around 1620 and later emigrated to Virginia. He is mentioned in the Cavaliers and Pioneers records of Virginia from the late 17th century.

Another notable figure was Samuel Tippin, a British naval officer who served during the 18th century. He was born in 1734 and served as a captain in the Royal Navy, participating in various naval battles and campaigns during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, a prominent individual bearing the Tippin surname was Charles Tippin, an English actor and playwright born in 1823. He gained recognition for his theatrical works and performances on the London stage during the Victorian era.

Throughout history, the Tippin surname has also been associated with several notable place names, such as Tippin's Hill in Gloucestershire, England, and Tippin's Green in Wiltshire, both of which likely derived their names from early Tippin settlers or landowners in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Tippin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tippin 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. Lancashire leads with 33 Tippins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 33 1.73x
Middlesex 31 1.93x
Worcestershire 19 9.04x
Kent 13 2.37x
Herefordshire 12 18.18x
Gloucestershire 9 2.85x
Northumberland 7 2.92x
Essex 6 1.89x
Midlothian 6 2.78x
Monmouthshire 4 3.44x
Staffordshire 3 0.55x
Surrey 3 0.38x
Sussex 3 1.11x
Yorkshire 3 0.19x
Derbyshire 2 0.79x
Dorset 2 1.89x
Leicestershire 2 1.12x
Warwickshire 2 0.49x
Brecknockshire 1 3.11x
Cheshire 1 0.28x
Cumberland 1 0.72x
Hertfordshire 1 0.90x
Oxfordshire 1 1.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 12 Tippins recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.35x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 12 10.35x
West Drayton 9 1607.14x
Rochester St Margaret 8 138.17x
Longbenton 7 69.03x
Dodderhill 6 666.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 6.92x
Kirkby 6 779.22x
Westminster St 6 101.18x
Kensington London 5 5.59x
Kirkdale 5 15.56x
Stoke Lacy 5 3125.00x
Toxteth Park 5 7.73x
West Dean 5 97.47x
West Ham 5 7.13x
Bedwellty 4 19.47x
West Derby 4 7.16x
Worcester St Nicholas 4 400.00x
Bishops Frome 3 750.00x
Bromley 3 35.84x
Bromyard 3 344.83x
Cirencester 3 70.26x
Dudley 3 11.74x
Hackney London 3 3.32x
Lambeth 3 2.14x
Charmouth 2 588.24x
Islington London 2 1.28x
Ratcliffe London 2 22.50x
Rock 2 238.10x
Wolverhampton 2 4.79x
Ashford 1 18.69x
Aston 1 0.89x
Beckenham 1 13.93x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.43x
Birmingham 1 0.74x
Brighton 1 1.83x
Burford 1 116.28x
Cakemore 1 294.12x
Claylane 1 28.57x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.63x
Dukinfield 1 6.09x
Enfield 1 9.47x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 1 208.33x
Harrington 1 59.88x
Hillhampton 1 1250.00x
Ibstock 1 76.92x
Ledbury 1 44.05x
Leicester St Mary 1 6.93x
Lewes St John Under 1 270.27x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 1 24.88x
Llanelly 1 25.97x
Lower Mitton 1 54.05x
Manchester 1 1.16x
Ramsey 1 238.10x
Selby 1 30.03x
Sheffield 1 1.97x
St George Bloomsbury 1 10.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.74x
Subdeanery 1 48.54x
Tring 1 33.78x
Twyford Stenson 1 833.33x
Whistones 1 65.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 8
Thomas 8
John 7
Henry 6
Richard 5
Joseph 3
Ralph 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Robert 2
Algernon 1
Arthur 1
Austin 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.J. 1
Hugh 1
Inft 1
J. 1
James 1
Johnthan 1
R. 1
Reginald 1
Shidrick 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tippin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tippin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Tippin surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tippin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 83 in 2016. That gives Tippin a modern rank of #32,815.

What does the Tippin surname mean?

An old Scottish surname derived from the words "typpyn" and "tippene," meaning "to knock" or "to strike."

What does the Tippin map show?

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