NameCensus.

UK surname

Tope

A surname derived from the Old English word "topp" meaning hilltop or summit.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Tope surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Totnes and Harberton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Southampton and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tope is 312 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.7%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1891

312 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tope had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 312 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tope surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tope surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tope 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 178 #11,397
1861 historical 259 #9,561
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 312 #10,744
1901 historical 295 #11,783
1911 historical 303 #11,372
1997 modern 212 #16,996
1998 modern 215 #17,306
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 205 #17,940
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 197 #18,474
2003 modern 194 #18,463
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 186 #18,985
2006 modern 176 #19,787
2007 modern 172 #20,321
2008 modern 177 #20,169
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 171 #21,654
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 164 #22,325
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Topes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Totnes, Harberton, Plympstock and Newton Ferrers. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Southampton and South Hams. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 Totnes Devon
3 Harberton Devon
4 Plympstock Devon
5 Newton Ferrers Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 031 Plymouth
2 Southampton 007 Southampton
3 South Hams 008 South Hams
4 South Hams 004 South Hams
5 Plymouth 032 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tope

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tope

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Tope surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tope household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Tope 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

Tope 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

Tope falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tope is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tope, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tope

The surname Tope is believed to have originated in England, potentially dating back to the 13th century. It is likely derived from an Old English or Middle English word meaning "hill" or "hilltop," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a prominent hill or elevated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tope can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a person named William del Tope is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled with the prefix "del" or "de la," indicating a connection to a specific place or location.

During the medieval period, the name Tope appeared in various records and documents across different regions of England. For example, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a Robert de la Tope is listed among taxpayers. This variation in spelling, with the addition of the preposition "de la," further reinforces the potential geographic origin of the name.

Over time, the name Tope may have been associated with certain place names or locations that shared a similar root or meaning. For instance, some historians have suggested a connection between the surname Tope and the village of Tope in Shropshire, which could have been derived from the Old English word "top" meaning "hilltop" or "summit."

Notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Tope include:

1. John Tope (c. 1530-1595), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge, from 1590 until his death.

2. Edward Tope (c. 1617-1675), an English minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Olive Branch" and "A Modest Plea for an Equal Commonwealth."

3. William Tope (c. 1680-1745), a prominent English businessman and merchant who established a successful trading company in London during the early 18th century.

4. Mary Tope (1752-1832), an English writer and poet known for her collection of poems titled "Poetical Trifles," published in 1790.

5. Sir Robert Tope (1823-1901), a British military officer who served in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in combat.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the surname Tope throughout various periods of English history, as well as its potential roots in geographic locations and its association with notable figures from different walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tope families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tope 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. Devon leads with 166 Topes recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.21x.

County Total Index
Devon 166 34.21x
Cornwall 11 4.17x
Caernarfonshire 10 10.61x
Glamorgan 8 1.97x
Staffordshire 8 1.02x
Middlesex 7 0.30x
Surrey 7 0.62x
Hampshire 4 0.84x
Derbyshire 3 0.82x
Somerset 3 0.80x
Gloucestershire 2 0.44x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Northamptonshire 2 0.91x
Royal Navy 2 7.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.62x
Merionethshire 1 2.34x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.32x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 17 Topes recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.48x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 17 45.48x
Plymouth Charles The 16 74.84x
Totnes 14 492.96x
Harberton 12 1081.08x
Plymstock 11 433.07x
Bangor 10 110.01x
Newton Ferrers 9 1607.14x
Staverton 9 1500.00x
Stoke Damerel 9 26.50x
Buckfastleigh 8 357.14x
Highweek 8 462.43x
Plympton St Mary 8 285.71x
Roath 8 43.38x
Tormoham 6 29.23x
Wolverhampton 6 9.92x
Islington London 5 2.21x
Bodmin 4 91.53x
Brixham 4 71.17x
Croydon 4 6.34x
Egg Buckland 4 481.93x
North Huish 4 1379.31x
Blackawton 3 352.94x
Broadhempston 3 666.67x
Dartmouth Townstall 3 151.52x
Maker 3 122.95x
Rame 3 441.18x
South Brent 3 288.46x
Winshill 3 128.76x
Aldershot 2 12.49x
Ashprington 2 555.56x
Chard 2 43.96x
Dartington 2 392.16x
Halwell 2 377.36x
Kingsbridge 2 163.93x
Kirkdale 2 4.30x
Marshfield 2 163.93x
Royal Navy 2 8.42x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 2.40x
Ugborough 2 170.94x
Yealmpton 2 270.27x
Bulwell 1 14.64x
Coffinswell 1 625.00x
Devonport 1 17.92x
East Barnet 1 31.35x
Hove 1 5.80x
Lambeth 1 0.49x
Llanaber 1 59.17x
Mortlake 1 19.76x
Northampton All Sts 1 13.44x
Northampton Priory St 1 7.60x
Northwood 1 14.71x
Phillack 1 29.33x
Portsmouth 1 9.09x
Reigate Foreign 1 8.13x
Revelstoke 1 227.27x
Shoreditch London 1 0.99x
St Martin Ludgate 1 1250.00x
Weston Super Mare 1 10.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 10
Sarah 8
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Emma 5
Jane 5
Alice 4
Margaret 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Grace 3
Clara 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Rosina 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clare 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Francis 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kesiah 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Marroin 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Mina 1
Minnie 1
Rosita 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Therisa 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 18
Henry 9
Alfred 7
Samuel 7
George 6
Richard 6
James 5
Charles 4
Edwin 4
Frederick 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Nicholas 2
Richd. 2
Walter 2
Ebom 1
Edmond 1
Ely 1
Enock 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Roger 1
Saml.R. 1
Sidney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tope surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tope surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Tope surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tope surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Tope a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Tope surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "topp" meaning hilltop or summit.

What does the Tope map show?

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