NameCensus.

UK surname

Upright

A surname referring to someone with an honest, upright character or bearing.

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Upright surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 81, ranked #32,971, down from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Conwy and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Upright is 101 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.3%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

81

2016, ranked #32,971

Peak year

1998

101 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Upright had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 81 in 2016, ranked #32,971.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 69 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Upright surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Upright surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Upright 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 30 #30,188
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 64 #28,781
1901 historical 62 #27,252
1911 historical 69 #25,965
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 97 #28,187
2000 modern 98 #27,988
2001 modern 100 #27,402
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 88 #29,831
2006 modern 82 #30,933
2007 modern 87 #30,666
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 91 #31,497
2011 modern 86 #32,006
2012 modern 84 #32,502
2013 modern 85 #32,658
2014 modern 80 #33,133
2015 modern 81 #32,975
2016 modern 81 #32,971

Geography

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Where Uprights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Conwy, Sevenoaks, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Leeds. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 010 Wakefield
2 Conwy 001 Conwy
3 Sevenoaks 003 Sevenoaks
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 030 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 Leeds 092 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Upright

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Upright

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Upright, 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 Upright surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Upright 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Upright 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

Upright 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

Upright falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Upright

The surname Upright is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "upriht," meaning "straight" or "upright." It is thought to have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with an upright or honest character, or possibly for someone who was physically tall and straight-standing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Upright can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Upright de Wyke. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279 include a reference to a man named William Upperight, indicating a slight variation in spelling. Place names may have also influenced the development of the surname, such as the village of Upright in Somerset, which is recorded in historical documents from the 14th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Upright throughout history include Sir John Upright (1550-1620), a prominent English lawyer and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In the 17th century, Thomas Upright (1622-1689) was a Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

During the 18th century, Samuel Upright (1735-1812) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was later appointed as the Governor of Bermuda. In the 19th century, Mary Upright (1845-1920) was a renowned English writer and poet, known for her works exploring the themes of nature and spirituality.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Upright was Sir Geoffrey Upright (1886-1958), a British explorer and archaeologist who led several expeditions to Egypt and contributed significantly to the study of ancient Egyptian civilization.

While the surname Upright originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration patterns. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references remain rooted in the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Upright families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Upright 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 14 Uprights recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.54x.

County Total Index
Devon 14 12.54x
Durham 10 6.27x
Kent 8 4.37x
Berkshire 7 17.39x
Yorkshire 5 0.94x
Warwickshire 4 2.96x
Dorset 3 8.52x
Surrey 3 1.15x
Middlesex 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cockerton in Durham leads with 8 Uprights recorded in 1881 and an index of 1568.63x.

Place Total Index
Cockerton 8 1568.63x
Ramsgate 8 267.56x
Reading St Giles 7 177.22x
Handsworth 5 354.61x
Camberwell 3 8.76x
Colyton 3 697.67x
Exeter St Mary Steps 3 1200.00x
Exeter St Sidwell 3 117.19x
Melcombe Regis 3 205.48x
Aston 2 5.37x
Birmingham 2 4.44x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 175.44x
Thornley 2 344.83x
Winkleigh 2 909.09x
Crediton 1 94.34x
Westminster St 1 50.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 4
Mary 3
Blanche 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Upright households.

FAQ

Upright surname: questions and answers

How common was the Upright surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Upright surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Upright surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 81 in 2016. That gives Upright a modern rank of #32,971.

What does the Upright surname mean?

A surname referring to someone with an honest, upright character or bearing.

What does the Upright map show?

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