NameCensus.

UK surname

Toplis

In the 1881 census there were 574 people recorded with the Toplis surname, ranking it #6,073 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 512, ranked #9,823, down from #6,073 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Matlock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Erewash and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toplis is 806 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.8%.

1881 census count

574

Ranked #6,073

Modern count

512

2016, ranked #9,823

Peak year

1901

806 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toplis had 574 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,073 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 512 in 2016, ranked #9,823.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 806 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Toplis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toplis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toplis 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 493 #5,073
1861 historical 522 #5,026
1881 historical 574 #6,073
1891 historical 735 #5,398
1901 historical 806 #5,600
1911 historical 743 #5,776
1997 modern 572 #8,424
1998 modern 598 #8,414
1999 modern 611 #8,345
2000 modern 600 #8,426
2001 modern 581 #8,469
2002 modern 592 #8,537
2003 modern 567 #8,645
2004 modern 575 #8,584
2005 modern 561 #8,667
2006 modern 546 #8,867
2007 modern 553 #8,870
2008 modern 539 #9,098
2009 modern 560 #9,042
2010 modern 565 #9,167
2011 modern 548 #9,300
2012 modern 531 #9,431
2013 modern 528 #9,633
2014 modern 537 #9,565
2015 modern 532 #9,567
2016 modern 512 #9,823

Geography

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Where Toplis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Matlock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Werburgh, Nottingham St Mary and Ilkeston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Erewash and Wakefield. 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 Matlock Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 005 Derbyshire Dales
2 Derbyshire Dales 006 Derbyshire Dales
3 Erewash 006 Erewash
4 Erewash 005 Erewash
5 Wakefield 043 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toplis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toplis

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

Toplis is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Toplis 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 Toplis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Toplis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toplis 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. Derbyshire leads with 230 Toplis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.10x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 230 26.10x
Yorkshire 68 1.22x
Lancashire 57 0.85x
Middlesex 55 0.98x
Nottinghamshire 53 6.99x
Leicestershire 41 6.57x
Staffordshire 18 0.95x
Essex 9 0.81x
Lincolnshire 8 0.89x
Shropshire 8 1.65x
Kent 7 0.36x
Surrey 6 0.22x
Cheshire 4 0.32x
Channel Islands 3 1.80x
Angus 2 0.38x
Gloucestershire 2 0.18x
Warwickshire 2 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Monmouthshire 1 0.25x
Rutland 1 2.42x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashby De La Zouch in Leicestershire leads with 31 Toplis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 214.38x.

Place Total Index
Ashby De La Zouch 31 214.38x
Nottingham St Mary 31 15.80x
Chesterfield 30 90.83x
Matlock 30 253.59x
Sheffield 30 16.90x
West Hallam 24 2105.26x
Church Gresley 15 106.99x
Derby St Werburgh 14 27.52x
Ticknall 13 718.23x
Islington London 11 2.02x
Normanton 10 59.67x
Alfreton 9 33.62x
Claylane 9 73.47x
Gorton 9 14.34x
Smalley 9 573.25x
St Pancras London 9 1.99x
Ilkeston 8 32.39x
Long Eaton 8 68.79x
Much Wenlock 8 178.17x
Burton Upon Trent 7 15.75x
Didsbury 7 78.92x
Heanor 7 53.11x
Manchester 7 2.33x
West Derby 7 3.58x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 5.66x
Harlington 6 202.02x
Hartshorn 6 180.18x
Leyton Low 6 26.57x
Louth 6 29.10x
Winster 6 372.67x
Belper 5 29.27x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 24.96x
Nether Seal 5 454.55x
Skircoat 5 22.74x
Sutton In Ashfield 5 30.38x
Batley 4 7.55x
Calke 4 4444.44x
Droylsden 4 18.36x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 3.53x
Feltham 4 71.17x
Hampstead London 4 4.56x
Litchurch 4 11.28x
Litherland 4 28.65x
Seals 4 181.82x
Shoreditch London 4 1.64x
St Luke London 4 4.43x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.99x
Warrington 4 5.05x
Whitechapel London 4 7.21x
Whittington 4 32.81x
Basford 3 8.58x
Brampton 3 24.35x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.74x
Camberwell 3 0.83x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.26x
Heeley 3 17.70x
Leyton 3 15.67x
Liscard 3 13.40x
Nuthall 3 105.26x
Rolleston 3 205.48x
Selston 3 35.42x
St Peter 3 62.37x
Ardwick 2 3.32x
Aston 2 0.51x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 3.98x
Battersea 2 0.97x
Bolton By Bowland 2 148.15x
Derby St Alkmund 2 7.57x
Derby St Peter 2 7.13x
Glamis 2 63.49x
Greasley 2 11.68x
Handsworth 2 13.57x
Kirk Langley 2 152.67x
Limehouse London 2 3.24x
Mark Eaton 2 150.38x
Newark Upon Trent 2 7.33x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 5.95x
Shardlow 2 119.76x
Staveley 2 12.79x
Woodborough 2 116.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Elizabeth 29
Sarah 28
Annie 14
Hannah 14
Emily 10
Emma 10
Ann 9
Eliza 7
Fanny 6
Jane 6
Caroline 4
Clara 4
Ellen 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Maud 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Winefred 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Dorothy 1
E. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Ettie 1
Eva 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Lavina 1
Liza 1
Louise 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 42
George 23
Thomas 20
Henry 15
James 14
Samuel 13
Joseph 11
Robert 11
Frederick 8
Charles 7
Aaron 5
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Reuben 3
Abel 2
Frank 2
Harold 2
Mary 2
Oliver 2
Simeon 2
Ann 1
Claude 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
German 1
Isaac 1
Lewis 1
Marcus 1
Reauben 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Toplis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toplis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 574 people were recorded with the Toplis surname. That placed it at #6,073 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toplis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 512 in 2016. That gives Toplis a modern rank of #9,823.

What does the Toplis map show?

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