UK surname
An English surname referring to someone with a pale or sickly complexion.
In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Pale surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15, ranked #37,092, down from #23,220 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Belgrave, Tunbridge, Bidborough and West Meon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pale is 264 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.5%.
1881 census count
73
Ranked #23,220
Modern count
15
2016, ranked #37,092
Peak year
1861
264 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Pale surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Pale surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 50 | #24,274 |
| 1861 | historical | 264 | #9,385 |
| 1881 | historical | 73 | #23,220 |
| 1891 | historical | 85 | #26,080 |
| 1901 | historical | 32 | #30,501 |
| 1911 | historical | 59 | #26,914 |
| 1997 | modern | 6 | #37,704 |
| 1998 | modern | 10 | #37,048 |
| 1999 | modern | 14 | #36,595 |
| 2000 | modern | 11 | #36,879 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 6 | #37,586 |
| 2004 | modern | 7 | #37,496 |
| 2005 | modern | 8 | #37,422 |
| 2006 | modern | 8 | #37,481 |
| 2007 | modern | 9 | #37,435 |
| 2008 | modern | 10 | #37,371 |
| 2009 | modern | 10 | #37,446 |
| 2010 | modern | 14 | #37,124 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 11 | #37,394 |
| 2013 | modern | 9 | #37,653 |
| 2014 | modern | 11 | #37,462 |
| 2015 | modern | 12 | #37,371 |
| 2016 | modern | 15 | #37,092 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Belgrave, Tunbridge, Bidborough, West Meon, Shapwick (pt), Huntspill and Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgrave | Leicestershire |
| 2 | Tunbridge, Bidborough | Kent |
| 3 | West Meon | Hampshire |
| 4 | Shapwick (pt), Huntspill | Somerset |
| 5 | Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton | Hertfordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Pale surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pale, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Pale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Pale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Pale is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Pale, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname PALE originated in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'pale', meaning pale or light-colored, which was likely a nickname given to someone with a pale complexion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PALE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a William Pale was listed as a landholder. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a John le Pale residing in Oxfordshire.
During the medieval period, the PALE name was often associated with place names such as Pale in Somerset and Pale in Derbyshire. These place names were derived from the Old English word 'palæc', meaning a small enclosed area or paling.
The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of lands and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the PALE surname. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Palla in Hertfordshire and Palle in Essex.
One notable early bearer of the PALE surname was John Pale (c. 1370-1454), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Henry VI.
Another significant figure was William Pale (c. 1505-1568), an English churchman and reformer who served as the Dean of Chester Cathedral during the Protestant Reformation.
In the 16th century, the PALE surname was also found in Ireland, particularly in the Pale of Dublin, where many English settlers had established themselves. One prominent Irish bearer of the name was Richard Pale (c. 1520-1600), an influential landowner and member of the Irish Parliament.
In the 17th century, the PALE name appeared in the records of early American colonists. One notable example is Humphrey Pale (1605-1679), an early settler in Massachusetts Bay Colony who served as a deacon in the Puritan church.
Another notable figure was John Pale (1639-1719), a Quaker preacher and author from England who traveled extensively in the American colonies and wrote several religious works.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pale surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Leicestershire leads with 14 Pales recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.74x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 14 | 17.74x |
| Devon | 8 | 5.40x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 0.98x |
| Staffordshire | 7 | 2.91x |
| Cheshire | 5 | 3.18x |
| Gloucestershire | 5 | 3.58x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.59x |
| Hertfordshire | 4 | 8.15x |
| Kent | 4 | 1.65x |
| Ayrshire | 3 | 5.63x |
| Essex | 2 | 1.42x |
| Lincolnshire | 2 | 1.76x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.58x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 1.63x |
| Dorset | 1 | 2.14x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.69x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 1.81x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.14x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Syston in Leicestershire leads with 14 Pales recorded in 1881 and an index of 1891.89x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Syston | 14 | 1891.89x |
| Barnstaple | 6 | 257.51x |
| Wolstanton | 6 | 82.19x |
| Blackburn | 4 | 17.79x |
| Hackney London | 4 | 10.02x |
| Malpas | 4 | 1739.13x |
| Hatfield | 3 | 303.03x |
| Kilmarnock | 3 | 47.32x |
| Rolvenden | 3 | 967.74x |
| Westbury On Trym | 3 | 63.42x |
| Camberwell | 2 | 4.40x |
| Ingoldsby | 2 | 2222.22x |
| Walthamstow | 2 | 39.53x |
| Baldock | 1 | 217.39x |
| Beckenham | 1 | 31.45x |
| Birkenhead | 1 | 7.98x |
| Bourton | 1 | 500.00x |
| Bristol St Paul In | 1 | 26.88x |
| Broadwell | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 1 | 7.45x |
| Halwell | 1 | 625.00x |
| Inverkip | 1 | 76.92x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.45x |
| Odiham | 1 | 156.25x |
| Preston Quarter | 1 | 58.14x |
| Sampford Peverell | 1 | 625.00x |
| St Andrew Holborn | 1 | 41.49x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 1 | 3.92x |
| Whitechapel London | 1 | 14.25x |
| York St Mary | 1 | 34.25x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Pale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Pale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Pale households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 13 |
| Carpenter | 3 |
| F W K | 2 |
| Potters Paintress | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Ag Labourer | 1 |
| Agricultural Laborer | 1 |
| Assistant (Drapers) | 1 |
| Assistant In Business (Do) | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Butcher Employing One Boy | 1 |
| Coal Merchant | 1 |
| Color Dyer | 1 |
| Cook Dom | 1 |
| Corn Miller | 1 |
| Farm Servant (Indoor) | 1 |
| Genl Servt Domestic | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Groom & Servt | 1 |
| House Keeper Dom. | 1 |
| Iron Miner | 1 |
| Merchants Clerk | 1 |
| Nurse (Dom) | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Potter Presser | 1 |
| Potters Sorter | 1 |
| Retired Dealer In Fancy ... | 1 |
| Retired Painter | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Servant (Domestic) | 1 |
| Sticher (Hos) | 1 |
| Sticher Hosery | 1 |
| Transferrer (Potter) | 1 |
| Twine Baller | 1 |
| Watch Case Maker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Pale surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 15 in 2016. That gives Pale a modern rank of #37,092.
An English surname referring to someone with a pale or sickly complexion.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pale bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.