NameCensus.

UK surname

Topham

Derived from a place name, possibly related to a high dwelling or topographical feature.

In the 1881 census there were 2,189 people recorded with the Topham surname, ranking it #2,028 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,048, ranked #3,154, down from #2,028 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arlsey, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochdale, Ashfield and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Topham is 2,728 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.4%.

1881 census count

2,189

Ranked #2,028

Modern count

2,048

2016, ranked #3,154

Peak year

1911

2,728 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Topham had 2,189 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,028 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,048 in 2016, ranked #3,154.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,728 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Topham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Topham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Topham 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 1,632 #1,760
1861 historical 1,668 #1,717
1881 historical 2,189 #2,028
1891 historical 2,343 #2,006
1901 historical 2,551 #2,159
1911 historical 2,728 #1,898
1997 modern 2,266 #2,740
1998 modern 2,358 #2,748
1999 modern 2,367 #2,762
2000 modern 2,341 #2,769
2001 modern 2,267 #2,787
2002 modern 2,334 #2,779
2003 modern 2,231 #2,825
2004 modern 2,212 #2,855
2005 modern 2,137 #2,903
2006 modern 2,167 #2,872
2007 modern 2,151 #2,910
2008 modern 2,147 #2,948
2009 modern 2,192 #2,956
2010 modern 2,220 #2,990
2011 modern 2,179 #3,000
2012 modern 2,100 #3,046
2013 modern 2,119 #3,076
2014 modern 2,108 #3,118
2015 modern 2,077 #3,132
2016 modern 2,048 #3,154

Geography

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Where Tophams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arlsey, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, St Werburgh and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochdale, Ashfield, South Kesteven, Nottingham and Chesterfield. 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 Arlsey Bedfordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochdale 002 Rochdale
2 Ashfield 010 Ashfield
3 South Kesteven 005 South Kesteven
4 Nottingham 023 Nottingham
5 Chesterfield 012 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Topham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Topham

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

Topham is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Topham

The surname Topham has its origins in England, emerging during the Anglo-Saxon period between the 5th and 11th centuries. It is derived from the Old English words "topp" meaning "top" or "summit" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name likely originated as a place name, referring to a settlement situated at the top of a hill or elevated location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Topham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry "Toppehame" is listed as a manor in the county of Yorkshire, indicating the presence of the name in that region.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Toppham" and "Toppeham" in various medieval records and charters. This variation in spelling was common during that time as standardized spellings were not yet established.

Topham has also been associated with specific place names, such as Topham in Yorkshire and Topham in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have served as the birthplaces or residences of individuals who adopted the surname Topham.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Topham include:

1. John Topham (1628-1670), an English clergyman and writer who published works on theology and religious commentary.

2. Edward Topham (1751-1820), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

3. Francis Topham (1808-1877), a British politician and barrister who served as a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth.

4. Thomas Topham (1787-1853), an English antiquarian and collector of books and manuscripts, renowned for his extensive library.

5. Henry Topham (1864-1942), a British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in the field of automobile design and manufacturing.

These examples illustrate the presence of the Topham surname across various professions and time periods, reflecting its enduring legacy as a surname of English origin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Topham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Topham 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. Yorkshire leads with 937 Tophams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.43x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 937 4.43x
Lancashire 244 0.96x
Derbyshire 146 4.37x
Lincolnshire 137 4.01x
Nottinghamshire 109 3.79x
Middlesex 96 0.45x
Cheshire 94 2.00x
Bedfordshire 59 5.34x
Durham 52 0.82x
Staffordshire 49 0.68x
Huntingdonshire 47 11.09x
Surrey 43 0.41x
Kent 28 0.38x
Shropshire 20 1.08x
Cambridgeshire 15 1.11x
Essex 11 0.26x
Northumberland 11 0.35x
Warwickshire 11 0.20x
Hertfordshire 9 0.61x
Northamptonshire 9 0.45x
Westmorland 9 1.92x
Devon 6 0.14x
Leicestershire 5 0.21x
Midlothian 5 0.17x
Monmouthshire 5 0.32x
Cornwall 4 0.17x
Flintshire 4 0.70x
Hampshire 4 0.09x
Suffolk 3 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.16x
Denbighshire 2 0.25x
Oxfordshire 2 0.15x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Anglesey 1 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.11x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 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. Horton In Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 107 Tophams recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.40x.

Place Total Index
Horton In Bradford 107 32.40x
Leeds 65 5.44x
Arlesey 46 329.75x
Nottingham St Mary 38 5.11x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 36 49.77x
Barnsley 28 12.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 28 3.66x
Willaston In Nantwich 26 178.82x
Brightside Bierlow 25 6.03x
Alfreton 22 21.67x
Bradford 20 3.91x
Hackney London 20 1.67x
Holy Trinity 20 3.93x
Toseland 18 1440.00x
Derby All Sts 17 60.91x
Barton Upon Irwell 16 8.39x
Bowling 15 7.16x
Derby St Peter 15 14.09x
Hulme 15 2.84x
Middleton In Oldham 15 19.75x
Nantwich 15 27.40x
Preston 15 2.21x
Sheffield 15 2.23x
Spittlegate 15 31.78x
Gorton 14 5.88x
Great Staughton 14 170.32x
Lewisham 14 3.61x
Bainton 13 445.21x
Chorlton On Medlock 13 3.23x
Ecclesfield 13 8.38x
Westow 13 528.46x
Bermondsey 12 1.89x
Ecclesall Bierlow 12 2.79x
Islington London 12 0.58x
Sculcoates 12 3.58x
York All Sts North 12 114.61x
Belper 11 16.98x
Lockwood 11 14.46x
Metheringham 11 80.70x
Tranmere 11 6.35x
Addingham 10 63.29x
Bradleys Both 10 265.96x
Hampstead London 10 3.01x
Harby 10 389.11x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 7.34x
Huddersfield 10 3.25x
Hunslet 10 3.03x
Kensington London 10 0.84x
Manningham 10 3.84x
Middlesbrough 10 3.63x
Mirfield 10 8.61x
Newby Cum Mulwith 10 1612.90x
Newton In Clitheroe 10 413.22x
Wakefield 10 6.16x
Azerley 9 178.93x
Bromley London 9 1.92x
Catterick 9 189.47x
Deeping St James 9 74.63x
Grantham 9 20.23x
Hedleyhope 9 81.82x
Knaresborough 9 27.09x
Leconfield Arram 9 384.62x
Moor House 9 1698.11x
Myton On Swale 9 652.17x
Nether Hallam 9 3.15x
Nottingham St Peter 9 28.06x
Scarborough 9 4.68x
Slingsby 9 206.42x
St Neots 9 39.06x
Tong 9 22.03x
Walton On Hill 9 6.56x
Welbourn 9 222.22x
Bonwick 8 4705.88x
Codsall 8 78.13x
Congleton 8 9.83x
Hasland 8 23.52x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 8 102.04x
Snenton 8 7.08x
St George Hanover 8 2.87x
Wolsingham 8 13.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 168
Sarah 78
Elizabeth 73
Annie 59
Ann 43
Jane 39
Alice 34
Ellen 34
Emma 32
Martha 28
Eliza 26
Hannah 24
Margaret 20
Emily 19
Florence 15
Harriet 15
Louisa 15
Lucy 13
Ada 12
Agnes 12
Fanny 12
Amy 10
Anne 10
Catherine 10
Clara 10
Frances 10
Maria 10
Caroline 9
Isabella 9
Kate 9
Edith 8
Gertrude 8
Charlotte 7
Ethel 7
Amelia 6
Esther 6
Helen 6
Rebecca 6
Jessie 5
Lizzie 5
Mabel 5
Beatrice 4
Elizth. 4
Grace 4
Harriett 4
Lilly 4
Minnie 4
Elisabeth 3
Phoebe 3
Priscilla 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 144
William 128
George 70
Thomas 65
James 61
Robert 45
Henry 44
Joseph 41
Charles 38
Arthur 24
Richard 24
Edward 21
Walter 20
Frederick 19
Herbert 18
Alfred 17
Samuel 17
Frank 14
Albert 12
Christopher 11
Harry 11
Edwin 9
Ernest 9
Francis 8
Fred 8
Mark 6
Percy 6
Amos 5
Benjamin 5
Jabez 5
Wm. 5
Edgar 4
Fredk. 4
Isaac 4
David 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Harold 3
Leonard 3
Moses 3
Reuben 3
Robt. 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Aaron 2
Alexander 2
Charlie 2
Matthew 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2

FAQ

Topham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Topham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,189 people were recorded with the Topham surname. That placed it at #2,028 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Topham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,048 in 2016. That gives Topham a modern rank of #3,154.

What does the Topham surname mean?

Derived from a place name, possibly related to a high dwelling or topographical feature.

What does the Topham map show?

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