NameCensus.

UK surname

Palliser

An occupational surname referring to someone who made palliums (cloaks or robes).

In the 1881 census there were 350 people recorded with the Palliser surname, ranking it #8,762 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, down from #8,762 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Thirsk and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Great Yarmouth and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Palliser is 474 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.0%.

1881 census count

350

Ranked #8,762

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

1911

474 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Palliser had 350 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,762 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 474 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Palliser surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Palliser surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Palliser 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 235 #9,206
1861 historical 282 #8,895
1881 historical 350 #8,762
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 462 #8,539
1911 historical 474 #8,162
1997 modern 278 #14,210
1998 modern 304 #13,773
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 304 #13,791
2001 modern 294 #13,896
2002 modern 293 #14,203
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 262 #15,233
2005 modern 272 #14,742
2006 modern 268 #15,000
2007 modern 256 #15,647
2008 modern 259 #15,688
2009 modern 277 #15,260
2010 modern 275 #15,673
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 261 #16,041
2013 modern 256 #16,506
2014 modern 261 #16,421
2015 modern 262 #16,278
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Pallisers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Thirsk, Bradford, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Great Yarmouth, Scarborough and Herefordshire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Thirsk Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
2 Hambleton 008 Hambleton
3 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
4 Scarborough 012 Scarborough
5 Herefordshire 006 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Palliser

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Palliser

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Palliser is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Palliser is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Palliser

The surname Palliser has its origins in England, traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Palshede or Palsed, which was located in the county of Essex. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "pæl" meaning "pole" or "stake" and "sed" meaning "seed" or "grain", suggesting a connection to an agricultural area or a place where grain was grown or stored.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Palliser surname is found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1200, where a person named Robert de Palsede is mentioned. This document was a record of land transactions and property transfers during that time period. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a William Palsere is listed.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records with slightly different spellings, such as Palshere, Palsser, and Palshur. This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spellings were not yet widely adopted.

One notable individual with the Palliser surname was Sir Hugh Palliser (1722-1796), a British naval officer and colonial governor of Newfoundland. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War and was involved in several naval battles against the French and Spanish fleets.

Another prominent figure was John Palliser (1807-1887), an Irish explorer and geographer who led several expeditions to western Canada and the Canadian Rockies. The Palliser Triangle, a semi-arid region in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, was named after him.

In the literary world, Ine Palliser (1888-1949) was a British novelist and playwright known for her novels set in rural England, such as "The Edge o' Beyond" and "Treadwell's Litany".

The Palliser surname also has a connection to architecture, with George Palliser (1819-1892), a renowned British architect who designed several notable buildings in England, including the Queen's Theatre in Manchester and the Charing Cross Hotel in London.

Finally, Wray Palliser (1892-1976) was a British artist and sculptor known for his works in bronze and stone, many of which are displayed in public spaces and museums across the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Palliser families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Palliser 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 235 Pallisers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.93x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 235 6.93x
Durham 41 4.03x
Lancashire 28 0.69x
Middlesex 21 0.61x
Cheshire 10 1.32x
Brecknockshire 6 8.76x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.87x
Northumberland 2 0.39x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Suffolk 1 0.24x
Surrey 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rawdon in Yorkshire leads with 19 Pallisers recorded in 1881 and an index of 475.00x.

Place Total Index
Rawdon 19 475.00x
Scarborough 16 51.90x
Thirsk 14 358.06x
Benfieldside 12 179.10x
Bradford 12 14.61x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 50.37x
Redcar 11 408.92x
Bedale 10 806.45x
Leeds 10 5.22x
Northallerton 10 230.95x
Tranmere 10 36.00x
Falsgrave 9 180.00x
South Kilvington 9 2903.23x
Sowerby In Thirsk 9 441.18x
Ardwick 8 21.83x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 7 60.34x
Bowling 7 20.83x
Brompton In 7 460.53x
Kensington London 7 3.68x
St Marylebone London 7 3.83x
Thornaby 7 55.21x
Llangenny 6 1016.95x
Oldham 6 4.58x
Shipley 6 34.07x
Chadderton 5 25.18x
Gateshead 5 6.56x
Sheffield 5 4.63x
Sutton On Forest 5 735.29x
Whickham 5 53.36x
Bishopwearmouth 4 4.58x
Chopwell 4 211.64x
Ferryhill 4 112.36x
Ince In Makerfield 4 21.16x
Litherland 4 47.11x
Murton In York 4 1904.76x
York Holy Trinity Kings 4 571.43x
Flaxton 3 697.67x
Fulham London 3 6.04x
Hart 3 120.97x
Mirfield 3 16.10x
Sculcoates 3 5.58x
West Tanfield 3 461.54x
York St Denis In 3 201.34x
York St Mary 3 21.35x
Barnsley 2 5.71x
Chelsea London 2 1.94x
Darlington 2 5.09x
Masham 2 158.73x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.68x
Ripon 2 25.41x
Scalby In Scarborough 2 285.71x
Shotley High Quarter 2 588.24x
Snenton 2 11.03x
Tadcaster West 2 74.35x
York St Saviour 2 61.73x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.13x
Bentley Cum Arksey 1 56.50x
Brighton 1 0.86x
East Hartburn 1 238.10x
Eryholme 1 454.55x
Finchley 1 7.62x
Holy Trinity 1 1.23x
Horton In Bradford 1 1.89x
Hundleby 1 135.14x
Ilkley 1 18.05x
Islington London 1 0.30x
Kirk Deighton 1 243.90x
Linton Upon Ouse 1 285.71x
Lowestoft 1 5.08x
Maunby 1 416.67x
Reigate Foreign 1 5.54x
Romanby 1 204.08x
Rotherham 1 5.23x
Skipton 1 9.36x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.04x
Strensall 1 192.31x
York St Lawrence 1 28.25x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 26
Thomas 14
James 11
George 9
Alfred 6
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Henry 4
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Edwd. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Matthew 2
Oliver 2
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Clark 1
Edwin 1
Evelyn 1
Ewart 1
Frederick 1
Garnett 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Lawrance 1
Mathew 1
Mattw. 1
Mckenzie 1
Michael 1
Oscar 1
Owen 1
Pickersgill 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Simeon 1
Sylvester 1
Thornton 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Palliser surname: questions and answers

How common was the Palliser surname in 1881?

In 1881, 350 people were recorded with the Palliser surname. That placed it at #8,762 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Palliser surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Palliser a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Palliser surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made palliums (cloaks or robes).

What does the Palliser map show?

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