NameCensus.

UK surname

Pan

A surname of Greek origin meaning "all" or "everything," or referring to the god of nature, Pan.

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Pan surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 414, ranked #11,574, up from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pan is 414 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1235.5%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

414

2016, ranked #11,574

Peak year

2016

414 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pan had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 414 in 2016, ranked #11,574.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Pan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pan 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 38 #26,502
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1997 modern 55 #32,114
1998 modern 64 #31,562
1999 modern 81 #30,037
2000 modern 88 #29,284
2001 modern 88 #29,056
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 114 #25,664
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 153 #21,490
2006 modern 159 #21,148
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 293 #14,974
2011 modern 271 #15,708
2012 modern 327 #13,654
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 378 #12,512
2015 modern 402 #11,861
2016 modern 414 #11,574

Geography

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Where Pans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, South Castlehill and Thorn and Barnet. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 007 Liverpool
2 Manchester 032 Manchester
3 Bristol 032 Bristol, City of
4 South Castlehill and Thorn East Dunbartonshire
5 Barnet 020 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pan

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Pan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Pan 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pan 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

Pan 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

Pan 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 Pan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Pan

The surname PAN is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "panne," meaning a pan or a shallow vessel. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked with pans or as a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of pans.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are a few entries that may be early examples of the name PAN, such as "Panne" and "Panna." However, it's difficult to determine if these were true surnames or just descriptive terms.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PAN is in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a "William Panne." Another early example is from the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in 1203, which reference a "Robert Panne."

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms, including "le Panne," "atte Panne," and "Panne." These variations suggest that the name was initially used as a descriptive term before becoming a hereditary surname.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname PAN began to spread across England, with records showing bearers in counties like Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. In the 16th century, the name was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled "Pane" or "Payne."

Notable historical figures with the surname PAN include:

1. Sir Ralph Pan (c. 1400-1470), a wealthy English merchant and landowner from Somerset. 2. John Pan (fl. 1450-1480), an English clergyman and author of theological works. 3. William Pan (c. 1530-1592), a Scottish politician and landowner in Fife. 4. Thomas Pan (c. 1560-1620), an English composer and musician during the Renaissance period. 5. Andrew Pan (1659-1718), a Scottish minister and theologian known for his sermons and writings.

The surname PAN has also been associated with various place names throughout Britain, such as Panfield in Essex, Panborough in Buckinghamshire, and Pandy in Wales, which may have influenced the name's development or been influenced by it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pan 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. Lancashire leads with 13 Pans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 13 3.87x
Nottinghamshire 5 13.12x
Kent 3 3.11x
Lincolnshire 2 4.42x
Middlesex 2 0.71x
Hampshire 1 1.73x
Somerset 1 2.20x
Surrey 1 0.73x
Sussex 1 2.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westleigh in Lancashire leads with 8 Pans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1052.63x.

Place Total Index
Westleigh 8 1052.63x
Nottingham St Mary 5 50.71x
West Derby 4 40.73x
Lewisham 3 58.25x
Alfriston 1 1666.67x
Crowland 1 357.14x
Great Grimsby 1 34.84x
Hammersmith London 1 14.35x
Lambeth 1 4.06x
Midsomer Norton 1 232.56x
Portsmouth 1 75.19x
Preston 1 11.14x
St Giles In Fields 1 102.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ada 1
Caroline 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1
Louise 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Marjie 1
Mary 1
Rose 1
Susanh. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 2
William 2
Albert 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Samuel 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 Pan households.

FAQ

Pan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Pan surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 414 in 2016. That gives Pan a modern rank of #11,574.

What does the Pan surname mean?

A surname of Greek origin meaning "all" or "everything," or referring to the god of nature, Pan.

What does the Pan map show?

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