NameCensus.

UK surname

Upchurch

Derived from a place name meaning "up the church," referring to a person who lived near a church.

In the 1881 census there were 328 people recorded with the Upchurch surname, ranking it #9,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 381, ranked #12,317, down from #9,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Werburgh and Hitchin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby, Huntingdonshire and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Upchurch is 501 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.2%.

1881 census count

328

Ranked #9,126

Modern count

381

2016, ranked #12,317

Peak year

1911

501 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Upchurch had 328 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016, ranked #12,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 501 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Upchurch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Upchurch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Upchurch 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 328 #9,126
1891 historical 395 #8,961
1901 historical 452 #8,676
1911 historical 501 #7,820
1997 modern 444 #10,172
1998 modern 440 #10,581
1999 modern 433 #10,807
2000 modern 442 #10,597
2001 modern 439 #10,447
2002 modern 435 #10,736
2003 modern 415 #10,962
2004 modern 404 #11,199
2005 modern 394 #11,308
2006 modern 377 #11,743
2007 modern 379 #11,854
2008 modern 386 #11,795
2009 modern 393 #11,886
2010 modern 401 #11,973
2011 modern 402 #11,828
2012 modern 386 #12,037
2013 modern 392 #12,100
2014 modern 398 #12,048
2015 modern 385 #12,256
2016 modern 381 #12,317

Geography

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Where Upchurchs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Derby, Huntingdonshire, Fenland and Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Hitchin Hertfordshire
5 Titchmarsh Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 009 Derby
2 Huntingdonshire 005 Huntingdonshire
3 Fenland 011 Fenland
4 Huntingdonshire 006 Huntingdonshire
5 Cornwall 005 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Upchurch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Upchurch

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Upchurch 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

Upchurch is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Upchurch

The surname Upchurch originated in England, specifically in the county of Kent. It can be traced back to the 13th century and is derived from the Old English words "upp" meaning "upper" and "cirice" meaning "church." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked at an upper or higher church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Kent, a legal document from 1292, which mentions a person named John de Upchurche. The spelling variations during this time included Upchirche, Upchurche, and Upechurche.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls for Kent, which were tax records. A certain William Upchurch was listed as a taxpayer in 1327. The spelling had evolved closer to the modern form by this point.

The Upchurch surname is also associated with several place names in Kent, such as Upper Church, a hamlet near Shorne, and Upchurch, a village near Sittingbourne. These place names likely contributed to the adoption of the surname by local residents.

Notable individuals with the Upchurch surname include:

1. John Upchurch (c. 1480 - c. 1540), an English merchant and influential figure in the city of Bristol. 2. Richard Upchurch (1530 - 1608), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Canterbury from 1589 to 1608. 3. Thomas Upchurch (1670 - 1736), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several churches and buildings in London. 4. William Upchurch (1786 - 1859), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Rutland from 1837 to 1841. 5. Robert Upchurch (1828 - 1897), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1879 to 1881.

While the Upchurch surname has its roots in Kent, it has since spread to other parts of England and beyond, with descendants bearing the name found in various parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Upchurch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Upchurch 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. Huntingdonshire leads with 100 Upchurchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 157.41x.

County Total Index
Huntingdonshire 100 157.41x
Hertfordshire 78 35.37x
Cambridgeshire 45 22.21x
Middlesex 40 1.25x
Northamptonshire 27 8.97x
Lancashire 11 0.29x
Somerset 6 1.17x
Essex 5 0.79x
Kent 4 0.37x
Derbyshire 3 0.60x
Norfolk 3 0.61x
Berkshire 2 0.83x
Devon 2 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.23x
Surrey 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hitchin in Hertfordshire leads with 67 Upchurchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 673.37x.

Place Total Index
Hitchin 67 673.37x
Warboys 65 3532.61x
Coton 12 3333.33x
Great Gransden 12 1714.29x
Tichmarsh 10 990.10x
Castleton 9 23.73x
Comberton 9 1428.57x
Hammersmith London 8 10.15x
Kensington London 8 4.50x
Cottenham 7 260.22x
Huntingdon St Mary 7 440.25x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 44.51x
Ramsey 6 117.88x
Histon 5 471.70x
March 5 73.64x
Paddington London 5 4.25x
Beckenham 4 28.03x
Chelsea London 4 4.15x
Colchester St Giles 4 64.10x
Hertford St John 4 121.58x
Houghton 4 714.29x
Pattishall 4 400.00x
Rockingham 4 1600.00x
St Ippollitts 4 360.36x
St Pancras London 4 1.55x
Fulham London 3 6.47x
Huntingdon St John 3 163.04x
Islington London 3 0.97x
Oundle 3 89.29x
Castor 2 156.25x
Hemingford Abbots 2 465.12x
Normanton 2 47.28x
Northampton All Sts 2 19.59x
Offley 2 139.86x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 3.90x
Reading St Lawrence 2 38.91x
Benwick 1 112.36x
Burnham Westgate 1 94.34x
Carlton 1 20.33x
Caxton 1 161.29x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.66x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.32x
Colchester St Mary At 1 44.64x
Derby St Michael 1 95.24x
Downham Market 1 29.59x
Hackney London 1 0.56x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 45.45x
Little Shelford 1 175.44x
Peterborough 1 4.59x
Pilkington 1 6.93x
Shoreditch London 1 0.72x
South Lynn 1 18.02x
Southwark Christchurch 1 6.67x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 87.72x
St Edward Cambridge 1 156.25x
St Giles In Fields 1 9.06x
St Ives 1 30.40x
St Marythe Great 1 151.52x
Sudborough 1 322.58x
Watford 1 5.85x
Westminster St 1 8.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Annie 10
Elizabeth 10
Emma 9
Ellen 8
Jane 8
Martha 6
Sarah 6
Eliza 5
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Ruth 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Anne 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
B. 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Elenor 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Julia 1
Lucretia 1
Marian 1
Marth 1
Mercy 1
Millicent 1
Minnie 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rossanah 1
S. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 17
George 16
Charles 13
Thomas 11
James 10
Arthur 6
Henry 6
Richard 6
Joseph 5
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Lewis 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Frederick 2
Lavender 2
Aubrey 1
Benjamin 1
Benjamine 1
Clifford 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.G. 1
Fredr.Wm. 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jessie 1
Joney 1
Moses 1
Norris 1
Owen 1
Phineas 1
Phinihas 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Thompson 1
Tom 1
Wm.E. 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Upchurch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Upchurch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 328 people were recorded with the Upchurch surname. That placed it at #9,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Upchurch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016. That gives Upchurch a modern rank of #12,317.

What does the Upchurch surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "up the church," referring to a person who lived near a church.

What does the Upchurch map show?

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