STAPLETON
Recorded variant spellings include Sta Pleton
Stapleton is an English locational surname of ancient provenance. It is recorded as Stapleton, Stapletun and Stapletone in early documents, and has long been associated with a number of places in the British Isles.
The name derives from the Old English elements stapol, meaning a post or pillar, and tun, meaning a farm or settlement. The literal sense is therefore “the settlement or enclosure near a post or pillar.” In a medieval context the post would have acted as a landmark or boundary marker, and the surname would have identified those who lived in its proximity.
Historical references to the place name appear in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the forms Stapletone, Staplentun and Stapleton. The earliest known family record is in the 1166 Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where a Randolf de Stapeltuna is named. In Yorkshire the name is found again in 1394 in the wills of Bryan de Staplton, and the 1379 poll‑tax rolls mention individuals in Masham, Doncaster and Hornby bearing the surname.
Geographically the surname originates from places called Stapleton in Cumberland, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Leicester, Shropshire, Somerset and Yorkshire. The Somerset location was originally recorded as Stepleton and is derived from the Old English stepel, meaning a church steeple, reflecting the rarity of stone churches before the twelfth century.
Beyond England, the surname spread to Scotland and Ireland. In Ireland it was brought by a Norman family who entered with the retinue of King Henry I in 1170; later branches became gaelicised as Mac an Ghaill, “son of the foreigner.” In Scotland a variant called Tapleton is recorded in the Western Isles, believed to descend from the Old Norse Tappr meaning “truth.”
In the modern era the Stapleton surname is most common in the United States, Canada and Australia, in addition to the United Kingdom. In the U.S. it is most frequent in California, Texas, Florida and New York. Within the United Kingdom its highest concentrations occur in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Norfolk, echoing the locations of the original settlements.
Variants of the surname include Stapletun, Stallton, Stalton, Stapledon, Stapleyton and Stopiltun. Related names of the same origin are Stanton and Staunton, although these are separate families. The persistence of the name through centuries of record denotes its historical importance and geographical breadth.
Typical given names associated with the Stapleton surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Barbara
- Catherine
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Jennifer
- Joanne
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Stapleton in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Stapleton are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 6,756 people named Stapleton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,392nd most common surname in Britain. Around 104 in a million people in Britain are named Stapleton.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Stapleton
- Nicola Stapleton - Actress
- Chris Stapleton - American country music singer-songwriter
- John Stapleton - Television presenter
- Steven Stapleton - Musician
- Oliver Stapleton - Cinematographer
- Annamarie Stapleton - Rower
- Cyril Stapleton - Musician (1914 to 1974)
- Martin Stapleton - Mixed martial artist
- Gerald Stapleton - South African flying ace (1920 to 2010)
- Simon Stapleton - Football player
- Deryck Stapleton - Royal Air Force air marshal (1918 to 2018)
- Frederick Stapleton - Swimmer (1877 to 1939)
- Wellington Stapleton-Cotton, 2nd Viscount Combermere - Irish Viscount (1818 to 1891)
- Ernest Stapleton - Cricketer (1869 to 1938)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.