NameCensus.

UK surname

Pallister

A habitational name derived from locations in West Yorkshire and North Lancashire.

In the 1881 census there were 756 people recorded with the Pallister surname, ranking it #4,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,128, ranked #5,224, down from #4,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, York and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pallister is 1,167 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.2%.

1881 census count

756

Ranked #4,885

Modern count

1,128

2016, ranked #5,224

Peak year

1999

1,167 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pallister had 756 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,128 in 2016, ranked #5,224.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,092 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pallister surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pallister surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pallister 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 438 #5,615
1861 historical 505 #5,180
1881 historical 756 #4,885
1891 historical 757 #5,265
1901 historical 963 #4,878
1911 historical 1,092 #4,248
1997 modern 1,125 #4,976
1998 modern 1,129 #5,139
1999 modern 1,167 #5,045
2000 modern 1,130 #5,160
2001 modern 1,109 #5,133
2002 modern 1,107 #5,244
2003 modern 1,069 #5,297
2004 modern 1,054 #5,370
2005 modern 1,031 #5,411
2006 modern 1,039 #5,400
2007 modern 1,063 #5,329
2008 modern 1,068 #5,342
2009 modern 1,081 #5,397
2010 modern 1,123 #5,343
2011 modern 1,111 #5,329
2012 modern 1,122 #5,201
2013 modern 1,153 #5,167
2014 modern 1,139 #5,242
2015 modern 1,132 #5,224
2016 modern 1,128 #5,224

Geography

Back to top

Where Pallisters are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, York and Hambleton. 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 Darlington Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 025 County Durham
2 County Durham 029 County Durham
3 York 006 York
4 York 009 York
5 Hambleton 008 Hambleton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pallister

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pallister

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

Pallister is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pallister falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pallister

The surname Pallister is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English words "pæll" meaning "purple" and "ister" meaning "dyer," suggesting that the name referred to an occupation involving the dyeing of fabrics with a purple hue.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 13th century, with mentions of individuals bearing variations such as Pallister, Pallester, and Pallaster in various historical documents from counties like Yorkshire and Lancashire. These areas were known for their thriving textile industries, further supporting the occupational origin of the surname.

One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Cartulary of St. Mary's Priory in Walsingham, Norfolk, which dates back to the 14th century. This manuscript mentions a certain Robert Pallister, who was involved in a land transaction within the priory's records.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Pallister surname became more prevalent, with several individuals of note bearing the name. One such example is Thomas Pallister (c. 1539-1615), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed for his religious beliefs during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was John Palliser (1817-1887), a British explorer and naturalist who conducted extensive surveys in North America and was instrumental in mapping the region that would later become known as the Palliser Triangle in western Canada.

In the realm of literature, Walter Pallister (1835-1919) was a respected English writer and journalist who contributed to various publications and authored several books on historical and literary topics.

The surname Pallister also has connections to places like Pallister Bridge in Cheshire, England, and Pallister Island in British Columbia, Canada, both named after individuals bearing the surname.

Throughout its history, the Pallister surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including soldiers, clergymen, writers, and explorers, leaving their mark on various aspects of society across different eras and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pallister families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pallister 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 347 Pallisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.80x.

County Total Index
Durham 347 15.80x
Yorkshire 260 3.55x
Northumberland 49 4.46x
Middlesex 22 0.30x
Cumberland 14 2.20x
Westmorland 14 8.63x
Lancashire 11 0.13x
Surrey 10 0.28x
Gloucestershire 8 0.55x
Kent 8 0.32x
Hampshire 5 0.33x
Midlothian 3 0.30x
Hertfordshire 2 0.39x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Middlesbrough in Yorkshire leads with 38 Pallisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.88x.

Place Total Index
Middlesbrough 38 39.88x
Darlington 33 38.91x
Westoe 20 16.06x
Auckland St Andrew 19 327.59x
Gateshead 19 11.55x
Leeds 19 4.60x
Holy Trinity 16 9.09x
Witton Le Wear 15 240.77x
Ouston 14 436.14x
Bishop Auckland 13 44.11x
Elswick 13 14.83x
Mile End Old Town 12 10.30x
York Minster Yard W 12 705.88x
Guisbrough 11 68.79x
Northallerton 11 117.77x
St Giles 11 80.23x
Whitley 11 309.86x
York St Cuthbert 11 164.18x
Brandon Byshottles 10 36.34x
Hunslet 10 8.76x
Raskelf 10 826.45x
Kirkleatham 9 91.09x
Stockton On Tees 9 8.50x
Battersea 8 2.94x
East Cowton 8 816.33x
Kyo 8 77.37x
Old Malton 8 173.91x
York St Mary 8 26.39x
Barton 7 538.46x
Lamesley 7 59.22x
Long Newton 7 958.90x
North Bedburn 7 114.01x
Over Dinsdale 7 2692.31x
Dalton In Thirsk 6 952.38x
Elvet 6 37.83x
Great Aycliffe 6 283.02x
High Worsall 6 3000.00x
Kings Meaburn 6 1304.35x
Lanchester 6 148.88x
Long Marton 6 331.49x
Shildon 6 33.99x
Catterick 5 304.88x
Conside Knitsley 5 29.27x
Cowpen 5 19.76x
Farnworth 5 9.52x
Hesket In Forest 5 100.81x
Hetton Le Hole 5 17.96x
Littleworth 5 354.61x
Maunby 5 961.54x
Monk Hesleden 5 81.70x
Sculcoates 5 4.31x
St Cuthbert W O 5 16.13x
St Mary Extra 5 41.05x
Stranton 5 6.76x
Wolsingham 5 24.98x
Birtley 4 44.59x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.12x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 4 136.99x
Brancepeth 4 100.25x
Byers Green 4 64.52x
Girsby 4 2352.94x
Lesbury 4 164.61x
Longwood 4 33.93x
Middridge 4 184.33x
Milton In Gravesend 4 10.59x
Monkwearmouth 4 19.02x
Newbottle 4 33.33x
Redworth 4 285.71x
Stanhope 4 17.64x
Sunderland 4 10.31x
Tottenham 4 3.40x
Tunstall 4 36.56x
West Auckland 4 49.81x
Whitworth 4 24.88x
York St Saviour 4 57.22x
Brafferton Barmpton 3 422.54x
Chilton 3 43.73x
Cockerton 3 42.55x
Gloucester Barton St 3 35.34x
Seaham 3 37.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 64
Elizabeth 37
Jane 29
Sarah 28
Margaret 23
Ann 19
Annie 18
Hannah 15
Emma 10
Isabella 8
Maria 8
Ada 6
Ellen 6
Frances 6
Catherine 5
Fanny 5
Anne 4
Christiana 4
Eleanor 4
Emily 4
Rachel 4
Sophia 4
Alice 3
Dorothy 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Gertrude 3
Barbara 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Harriet 2
Lavinia 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Bertha 1
Eliz. 1
Elizer 1
Elizth.Julia 1
Ethal 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
John 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Leila 1
Sybilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 70
William 42
Thomas 37
George 26
James 26
Robert 25
Richard 17
Joseph 15
Charles 9
Arthur 8
Frederick 7
Henry 7
Matthew 6
Edward 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Ralph 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Christopher 3
Mathew 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Edgar 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Peter 2
Tom 2
Anthony 1
Blades 1
Cuthbert 1
Edwin 1
Ellison 1
Enock 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Jackson 1
Jonah 1
Josephus 1
Lawrence 1
Levi 1
Moorhouse 1
Robt. 1
Thos.J. 1
Warcup 1
Wm.A. 1

FAQ

Pallister surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pallister surname in 1881?

In 1881, 756 people were recorded with the Pallister surname. That placed it at #4,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pallister surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,128 in 2016. That gives Pallister a modern rank of #5,224.

What does the Pallister surname mean?

A habitational name derived from locations in West Yorkshire and North Lancashire.

What does the Pallister map show?

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