NameCensus.

UK surname

Pallas

A surname derived from the Latin word for a young woman or virgin.

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Pallas surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 299, ranked #14,770, up from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Sunderland and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pallas is 319 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 443.6%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

299

2016, ranked #14,770

Peak year

2011

319 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pallas had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 299 in 2016, ranked #14,770.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Pallas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pallas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pallas 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 30 #30,188
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 75 #27,414
1901 historical 132 #19,469
1911 historical 161 #17,072
1997 modern 279 #14,175
1998 modern 280 #14,550
1999 modern 274 #14,826
2000 modern 275 #14,757
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 278 #14,726
2003 modern 283 #14,368
2004 modern 282 #14,451
2005 modern 295 #13,972
2006 modern 292 #14,148
2007 modern 293 #14,272
2008 modern 292 #14,403
2009 modern 290 #14,778
2010 modern 306 #14,529
2011 modern 319 #14,000
2012 modern 306 #14,327
2013 modern 309 #14,451
2014 modern 314 #14,371
2015 modern 305 #14,579
2016 modern 299 #14,770

Geography

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Where Pallas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Sunderland, Gateshead, Middlesborough and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Sunderland Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 001 Sunderland
2 Sunderland 004 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
4 Sunderland 011 Sunderland
5 Sunderland 028 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pallas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pallas

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pallas, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Pallas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pallas household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pallas 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

Pallas is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pallas falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pallas is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Pallas, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pallas

The surname Pallas is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, where it was derived from the Greek word "pallax," meaning a concubine or a mistress. It was likely used as a nickname or a descriptive surname for someone associated with or descended from such a relationship.

During the Byzantine era, the name Pallas became closely associated with the Pallas family, a prominent aristocratic family in Constantinople. One notable member was Petrus Pallas, a 4th-century Roman grammarian and lexicographer, who wrote a commentary on the works of Virgil.

The name Pallas also appears in some early English records, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a personal name. This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England during the Norman Conquest, possibly by individuals of Greek or Byzantine descent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pallas can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from 1180, where a Robert Pallas is mentioned. In the 13th century, a William Pallas is recorded as holding lands in Leicestershire.

In the 16th century, the name Pallas gained prominence through the explorer and naturalist Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), a German-born scientist who conducted extensive research in Russia and made significant contributions to the fields of geography, zoology, and botany.

Another notable figure with the surname Pallas was Claude Pallas (1711-1779), a French historian and numismatist who specialized in the study of ancient coins and medals. He served as the curator of the Cabinet des Médailles at the Bibliothèque Royale in Paris.

In the realm of literature, the name Pallas is associated with the Scottish author and poet James Pallas (1677-1762), known for his satirical works and his contributions to the Union literature of the early 18th century.

The surname Pallas has also been linked to various place names, such as Pallas Green in Shropshire, England, and Pallas, a town in County Galway, Ireland. These place names may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the surname.

Throughout history, the surname Pallas has been used by individuals from diverse backgrounds, reflecting its ancient origins and its spread across different cultures and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pallas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pallas 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. Durham leads with 36 Pallas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.16x.

County Total Index
Durham 36 22.16x
Yorkshire 10 1.85x
Angus 4 7.91x
Middlesex 3 0.55x
Cumberland 1 2.13x
Royal Navy 1 15.36x
Surrey 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 32 Pallas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 229.56x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 32 229.56x
Marsden In Almondbury 5 1020.41x
Middlesbrough 5 70.92x
Liff Benvie 4 52.08x
Sunderland 4 139.37x
Edmonton 2 45.45x
Cockermouth 1 101.01x
Newington 1 4.96x
Royal Navy 1 17.99x
St Anne Soho London 1 32.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 3
Dorothy 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Charlote 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Maria 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
William 3
David 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Hason 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Johnson 1
Mark 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1

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 Pallas households.

FAQ

Pallas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pallas surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Pallas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 299 in 2016. That gives Pallas a modern rank of #14,770.

What does the Pallas surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin word for a young woman or virgin.

What does the Pallas map show?

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