NameCensus.

UK surname

Palfreyman

A surname referring to a person responsible for caring for and riding palfreys.

In the 1881 census there were 647 people recorded with the Palfreyman surname, ranking it #5,514 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,203, ranked #4,944, up from #5,514 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Hope. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, North Warwickshire and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Palfreyman is 1,260 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.9%.

1881 census count

647

Ranked #5,514

Modern count

1,203

2016, ranked #4,944

Peak year

2002

1,260 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Palfreyman had 647 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,514 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,203 in 2016, ranked #4,944.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,127 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Palfreyman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Palfreyman surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Palfreyman 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 359 #6,583
1861 historical 336 #7,589
1881 historical 647 #5,514
1891 historical 692 #5,665
1901 historical 1,025 #4,657
1911 historical 1,127 #4,129
1997 modern 1,177 #4,792
1998 modern 1,241 #4,745
1999 modern 1,254 #4,742
2000 modern 1,232 #4,790
2001 modern 1,215 #4,753
2002 modern 1,260 #4,705
2003 modern 1,214 #4,759
2004 modern 1,206 #4,793
2005 modern 1,199 #4,761
2006 modern 1,182 #4,835
2007 modern 1,183 #4,867
2008 modern 1,190 #4,869
2009 modern 1,200 #4,939
2010 modern 1,221 #4,968
2011 modern 1,209 #4,938
2012 modern 1,192 #4,944
2013 modern 1,224 #4,911
2014 modern 1,231 #4,911
2015 modern 1,203 #4,961
2016 modern 1,203 #4,944

Geography

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Where Palfreymans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Hope, Sheffield and Denby,Horsley (Kilbourne). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, North Warwickshire, Cheshire West and Chester, North Devon and North East Derbyshire. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Hope Derbyshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Denby,Horsley (Kilbourne) Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
2 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire
3 Cheshire West and Chester 038 Cheshire West and Chester
4 North Devon 013 North Devon
5 North East Derbyshire 014 North East Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Palfreyman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Palfreyman

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Palfreyman 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

Palfreyman is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Palfreyman falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Palfreyman

The surname Palfreyman has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old French words "palefrei" and "palefridier," meaning a saddle horse or a groom who tended to such horses.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a Robert le Palfreyman is mentioned. This reference suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 13th century.

During the medieval period, the name was often spelled variations such as Palfrayman, Palfreyman, and Palfreiman, reflecting the regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time. These variations can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and tax rolls.

In the 14th century, the surname Palfreyman is documented in the Wiltshire Assize Rolls of 1349, where a John Palfreyman is recorded. This entry provides evidence of the name's continued use and geographical spread across different counties in England.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Palfreyman, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in 1559 and served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel in 1601 and 1604.

Another individual with the surname Palfreyman was William Palfreyman, a 17th-century English clergyman and author. Born in 1637, he served as the rector of Little Hadham in Hertfordshire and published several religious works, including "The Testimony of the Spirit" in 1691.

In the 18th century, the name appears in the records of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in England. Among those mentioned is John Palfreyman, a Quaker from Worcestershire, who was born in 1718.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was Edward Palfreyman, a British architect and surveyor. Born in 1836, he was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Abbot's Kensington and the Talbot Inn in Richmond.

Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Palfreyman, a British military officer and administrator who served in India during the late 19th century. He was born in 1849 and held various positions, including Chief Commissioner of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1893 to 1897.

While the surname Palfreyman is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and is associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, architects, and military officers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Palfreyman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Palfreyman 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. Yorkshire leads with 250 Palfreymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.99x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 250 3.99x
Derbyshire 162 16.37x
Lancashire 66 0.88x
Cheshire 47 3.37x
Staffordshire 26 1.22x
Nottinghamshire 22 2.58x
Warwickshire 18 1.13x
Leicestershire 17 2.43x
Middlesex 16 0.25x
Devon 7 0.53x
Durham 7 0.37x
Hampshire 5 0.39x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Essex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradwell in Derbyshire leads with 30 Palfreymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1357.47x.

Place Total Index
Bradwell 30 1357.47x
Nether Hallam 27 31.86x
Barnsley 24 37.15x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 18.84x
Brightside Bierlow 21 17.09x
Claylane 20 145.35x
Denby 19 629.14x
Sheffield 19 9.53x
Thurgoland 19 449.17x
Litton 16 1019.11x
Macclesfield 16 25.80x
Barugh 14 264.65x
Chesterfield 14 37.74x
Manchester 14 4.15x
Hartington Nether 12 1463.41x
Kirkdale 11 8.72x
Heaton Norris 10 23.42x
Heeley 10 52.55x
Atherstone 9 110.57x
Blackwell 8 164.61x
East Retford 8 108.25x
Eyam 8 289.86x
West Bromwich 8 6.55x
Belgrave 7 44.25x
Birmingham 7 1.32x
Everton 7 2.93x
Featherstone 7 99.57x
Hoyland Nether 7 45.57x
Poplar London 7 5.87x
St George In East 7 16.28x
Bollington In 6 48.31x
Dukinfield 6 9.31x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 6 483.87x
Millington W Little 6 1500.00x
Ripley 6 49.06x
Wednesbury 6 11.25x
Ashover 5 101.63x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.10x
Castle Donnington 5 86.06x
Castleford 5 21.92x
Codnor Loscoe 5 63.78x
Hartington Town Quarter 5 537.63x
Holbeck 5 12.05x
Hunslet 5 5.12x
Mansfield 5 16.96x
Quarnford 5 526.32x
Salford 5 2.27x
Stockport 5 6.96x
Wortley In Wortley 5 203.25x
Broughton In Salford 4 5.83x
Hollinsclough 4 526.32x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.34x
Liverpool 4 0.88x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 4 52.42x
Nottingham St Mary 4 1.82x
Rudheath 4 363.64x
South Molton 4 55.33x
Birkenhead 3 2.70x
Bridlington 3 20.92x
Doncaster 3 6.56x
Fernilee 3 130.43x
Leeds 3 0.85x
Mexborough 3 24.14x
Netherthong 3 147.78x
Penistone 3 61.48x
Radford 3 6.93x
St Mary Extra 3 28.76x
Stafford St Mary 3 9.93x
Sutton In Macclesfield 3 20.72x
Thixendale 3 545.45x
Tideswell 3 69.93x
Aberdare 2 2.65x
Acomb 2 61.16x
Aston 2 0.46x
Beswick 2 10.43x
Bradford 2 1.32x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.68x
Glusburn 2 56.50x
Moss Side 2 5.07x
Shildon 2 13.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Sarah 32
Elizabeth 23
Ann 18
Emma 14
Hannah 14
Annie 13
Jane 11
Ellen 9
Eliza 7
Elizth. 7
Martha 7
Catherine 6
Edith 6
Frances 6
Ada 5
Alice 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Clara 3
Emily 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
A. 2
Bertha 2
Betty 2
E. 2
Ester 2
Fanny 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
Rachel 2
Selina 2
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Edna 1
Eliza. 1
Elsie 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Hetty 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Lena 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 46
George 33
William 26
Thomas 20
Joseph 17
Charles 15
Richard 11
Robert 11
Henry 8
James 7
Albert 6
Francis 6
Frederick 6
Wm. 6
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Jesse 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Luke 2
Mark 2
Tom 2
Alonzo 1
Chas. 1
Clarance 1
Clifford 1
Collin 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Enoch 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Jas. 1
Jno.Thackeray 1
Lancelot 1
Leonard 1
Wybert 1

FAQ

Palfreyman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Palfreyman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 647 people were recorded with the Palfreyman surname. That placed it at #5,514 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Palfreyman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,203 in 2016. That gives Palfreyman a modern rank of #4,944.

What does the Palfreyman surname mean?

A surname referring to a person responsible for caring for and riding palfreys.

What does the Palfreyman map show?

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