UK surname
A surname derived from the Latin word "pallium," meaning a cloak or robe.
In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Paller surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5, ranked #38,264, down from #31,604 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Nottingham St Nicholas and St Peter and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Paller is 146 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 64.3%.
1881 census count
14
Ranked #31,604
Modern count
5
2016, ranked #38,264
Peak year
1861
146 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Paller surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Paller 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 | 9 | #31,675 |
| 1861 | historical | 146 | #15,628 |
| 1881 | historical | 14 | #31,604 |
| 1891 | historical | 43 | #30,933 |
| 1901 | historical | 7 | #33,435 |
| 1911 | historical | 7 | #33,083 |
| 1997 | modern | 5 | #37,891 |
| 1998 | modern | 2 | #38,550 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 4 | #38,004 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 4 | #38,013 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 5 | #38,195 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 5 | #38,221 |
| 2016 | modern | 5 | #38,264 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Nottingham St Nicholas and St Peter, Cardiff St John and St Mary, St Giles Camberwell and Reigate. 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 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Nottingham St Nicholas and St Peter | Nottinghamshire |
| 3 | Cardiff St John and St Mary | Glamorganshire |
| 4 | St Giles Camberwell | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Reigate | Surrey |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Paller 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 Paller, 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 Paller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Paller 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, Paller 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 Paller is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Paller, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Paller is believed to have originated in Germany, and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "palla", which means "cloak" or "garment". This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with a person who made or sold cloaks or garments.
The earliest known record of the Paller surname appears in a document from the city of Nuremberg, dated 1543. In this document, a man named Hans Paller is mentioned as a member of the local guild of tailors and clothiers. This provides evidence that the name was already in use at that time, and was likely related to the textile trade.
Another early reference to the name can be found in a church register from the village of Oberndorf, near Bamberg, in the year 1571. This register records the birth of a child named Anna Paller, daughter of a local farmer named Jakob Paller.
One of the most notable historical figures with the surname Paller was Johann Paller (1582-1638), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from the city of Augsburg. He is credited with developing several innovative designs for clocks and astronomical instruments, and his work was highly regarded throughout Europe.
In the 18th century, a man named Friedrich Paller (1713-1784) gained recognition as a skilled woodcarver and furniture maker in the town of Freiburg im Breisgau. Several pieces of his intricate woodwork can still be seen in local churches and museums.
The name Paller also appears in historical records from Switzerland, where a family of that name lived in the canton of Valais in the 17th and 18th centuries. One member of this family, Matthias Paller (1684-1756), was a respected scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Basel.
Over the centuries, the Paller surname has been found in various regions of Germany, with slightly different spellings such as Paler, Pahler, or Pallert. It has also been associated with several place names, such as Pallershof and Pallersdorf, which may have been named after early inhabitants with the Paller surname.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Paller 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. Glamorgan leads with 7 Pallers recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.46x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Glamorgan | 7 | 29.46x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 3.09x |
| Surrey | 2 | 3.01x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardiff St Mary in Glamorgan leads with 7 Pallers recorded in 1881 and an index of 534.35x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff St Mary | 7 | 534.35x |
| Great Bolton | 5 | 233.64x |
| Hambledon | 2 | 2857.14x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Paller 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 Paller 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 Paller households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Cab Man | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Paller surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 5 in 2016. That gives Paller a modern rank of #38,264.
A surname derived from the Latin word "pallium," meaning a cloak or robe.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Paller 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.