NameCensus.

UK surname

Paget

A surname referring to someone who lived near a small village or hamlet.

In the 1881 census there were 1,591 people recorded with the Paget surname, ranking it #2,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,487, ranked #2,654, up from #2,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Warrington and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Paget is 2,526 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.3%.

1881 census count

1,591

Ranked #2,670

Modern count

2,487

2016, ranked #2,654

Peak year

2011

2,526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Paget had 1,591 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,487 in 2016, ranked #2,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,201 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Paget surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Paget surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Paget 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 784 #3,406
1861 historical 793 #3,473
1881 historical 1,591 #2,670
1891 historical 1,596 #2,790
1901 historical 1,927 #2,742
1911 historical 2,201 #2,289
1997 modern 2,356 #2,647
1998 modern 2,476 #2,637
1999 modern 2,502 #2,635
2000 modern 2,452 #2,663
2001 modern 2,405 #2,652
2002 modern 2,490 #2,628
2003 modern 2,413 #2,644
2004 modern 2,440 #2,623
2005 modern 2,389 #2,641
2006 modern 2,379 #2,650
2007 modern 2,393 #2,663
2008 modern 2,421 #2,653
2009 modern 2,502 #2,643
2010 modern 2,520 #2,678
2011 modern 2,526 #2,653
2012 modern 2,472 #2,649
2013 modern 2,504 #2,658
2014 modern 2,512 #2,669
2015 modern 2,498 #2,657
2016 modern 2,487 #2,654

Geography

Back to top

Where Pagets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Warrington, Cornwall and Bridgend. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning) Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire
2 Warrington 006 Warrington
3 Warrington 013 Warrington
4 Cornwall 066 Cornwall
5 Bridgend 002 Bridgend

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Paget

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Paget

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

Paget is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Paget

The surname Paget originates from the Normandy region of France and is believed to have derived from the Old French words "pag" and "pagus", meaning "peasant" and "country district" respectively. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived or worked in a rural area or village.

The earliest recorded instances of the Paget surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Paget" and "Pagiet". This indicates that the name had already become established in England by the late 11th century, following the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the Paget family held lands in Leicestershire and Staffordshire, England. One notable member was William Paget (c. 1506-1563), who served as a diplomat and Secretary of State under King Henry VIII and Edward VI.

In the 16th century, the Paget family acquired the estate of Beaudesert in Staffordshire, which remained their principal seat until the late 19th century. Sir William Paget (1572-1628) was a prominent figure during this time and served as Lord Paget of Beaudesert.

Another significant historical figure was Henry Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge (1663-1743), who was a British Army officer and politician. He fought in the War of the Spanish Succession and was later made a Knight of the Garter.

The Paget family produced several notable military leaders, including Sir Edward Paget (1775-1849), who served as a British Army officer during the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War. He was also a Member of Parliament and held the position of Groom of the Bedchamber to King George IV.

In the field of science, Sir James Paget (1814-1899) was an influential English surgeon and pathologist. He made significant contributions to the study of diseases and is credited with naming and describing several medical conditions, including Paget's disease of the bone.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Paget families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Paget 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. Middlesex leads with 299 Pagets recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.92x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 299 1.92x
Yorkshire 213 1.38x
Gloucestershire 140 4.58x
Leicestershire 111 6.43x
Surrey 97 1.28x
Warwickshire 91 2.32x
Worcestershire 71 3.49x
Somerset 65 2.59x
Staffordshire 54 1.03x
Wiltshire 52 3.78x
Lancashire 43 0.23x
Kent 42 0.79x
Shropshire 40 2.97x
Monmouthshire 30 2.67x
Berkshire 26 2.22x
Glamorgan 25 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 22 1.05x
Derbyshire 21 0.86x
Hampshire 17 0.53x
Essex 15 0.49x
Durham 13 0.28x
Midlothian 13 0.62x
Norfolk 13 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 11 1.17x
Cambridgeshire 11 1.12x
Devon 7 0.22x
Cheshire 6 0.17x
Northumberland 6 0.26x
Renfrewshire 6 0.50x
Sussex 6 0.23x
Hertfordshire 5 0.47x
Huntingdonshire 5 1.62x
Roxburghshire 4 1.42x
Dorset 2 0.20x
Herefordshire 2 0.31x
Lincolnshire 2 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.14x
Royal Navy 2 1.08x
Rutland 2 1.75x
Bedfordshire 1 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x
Suffolk 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 41 Pagets recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.13x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 41 3.13x
Shoreditch London 39 5.78x
Bromham 34 548.39x
Keighley 30 18.24x
Islington London 26 1.72x
Leicester St Margaret 23 5.46x
Hackney London 22 2.52x
Radstock 20 121.36x
Loughborough 19 24.26x
Siston 19 347.99x
Cheltenham 17 7.22x
Hammersmith London 17 4.43x
Lambeth 17 1.25x
St George Hanover 17 8.37x
Clerkenwell London 16 4.35x
Kidderminster Borough 15 12.61x
Pebworth 15 407.61x
Wrockwardine 15 50.71x
Kensington London 14 1.62x
Quorndon 14 144.48x
Sheffield 14 2.85x
Silkstone 14 183.25x
Bradford 13 3.48x
Clawson 13 326.63x
Danby 13 208.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 13 4.14x
Kilmersdon 13 105.01x
Paddington London 13 2.27x
St Marylebone London 13 1.56x
Cookham 12 32.94x
Croydon 12 2.85x
South Leith 12 5.11x
Brightside Bierlow 11 3.64x
Clapham 11 5.65x
Kidderminster Foreign 11 38.26x
Leicester St Mary 11 7.89x
Bolton In Bradford 10 101.11x
Bourton On Dunsmore 10 636.94x
Derby St Peter 10 12.88x
Keynsham 10 55.56x
Long Ditton 10 80.71x
Shrewley 10 510.20x
Warrington 10 4.57x
Badgeworth 9 167.91x
Bethnal Green London 9 1.33x
Bredon 9 129.68x
Great Malvern 9 21.22x
Mynyddyslwyn 9 20.27x
Newcastle Higher 9 48.89x
Tattersett 9 833.33x
Waltham Holy Cross 9 31.34x
Westbury On Trym 9 8.70x
Edmonton 8 6.38x
Hillingdon 8 16.12x
Keyworth 8 167.71x
Lilleshall 8 38.91x
Llangynwyd Lower 8 333.33x
Llanhilleth 8 108.11x
Melton Mowbray 8 25.77x
Poplar London 8 2.72x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 8 11.16x
Aston 7 0.65x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 4.87x
Brimpsfield 7 355.33x
Cottles 7 10000.00x
Kingston On Thames 7 3.84x
Newcastle Under Lyme 7 7.53x
Richmond 7 6.59x
St Pancras London 7 0.56x
Stoke Newington London 7 5.77x
Wednesfield 7 9.05x
Bedwellty 6 3.02x
Cowley 6 375.00x
Devizes St Mary 6 43.13x
Elford 6 263.16x
Farnham 6 10.17x
Feltham 6 38.59x
Leeds 6 0.69x
Lindridge 6 116.73x
St Botolph Aldersgate 6 33.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 82
Sarah 69
Elizabeth 55
Emily 25
Emma 25
Annie 22
Alice 20
Ann 20
Eliza 20
Ellen 19
Clara 17
Margaret 16
Fanny 15
Jane 15
Florence 14
Martha 14
Louisa 13
Edith 12
Maria 12
Rose 12
Caroline 11
Harriet 11
Charlotte 10
Ada 8
Frances 8
Hannah 8
Matilda 8
Susan 8
Agnes 7
Helen 6
Kate 6
Lucy 6
Mabel 6
Amy 5
Esther 5
Gertrude 5
Harriett 5
Lydia 5
Susannah 5
Anne 4
Minnie 4
Selina 4
Sophia 4
Betsy 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Henrietta 3
Julia 3
Kathleen 3
Maud 3

Top male names

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

FAQ

Paget surname: questions and answers

How common was the Paget surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,591 people were recorded with the Paget surname. That placed it at #2,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Paget surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,487 in 2016. That gives Paget a modern rank of #2,654.

What does the Paget surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who lived near a small village or hamlet.

What does the Paget map show?

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