NameCensus.

UK surname

Pankhurst

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hand wood" or "hand forest".

In the 1881 census there were 1,041 people recorded with the Pankhurst surname, ranking it #3,772 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,264, ranked #4,730, down from #3,772 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Burwash. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Guildford and Weymouth and Portland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pankhurst is 1,415 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.4%.

1881 census count

1,041

Ranked #3,772

Modern count

1,264

2016, ranked #4,730

Peak year

1911

1,415 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pankhurst had 1,041 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,772 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,264 in 2016, ranked #4,730.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,415 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Pankhurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pankhurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pankhurst 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 737 #3,575
1861 historical 537 #4,889
1881 historical 1,041 #3,772
1891 historical 1,012 #4,106
1901 historical 1,325 #3,781
1911 historical 1,415 #3,410
1997 modern 1,264 #4,508
1998 modern 1,366 #4,361
1999 modern 1,369 #4,392
2000 modern 1,343 #4,442
2001 modern 1,298 #4,487
2002 modern 1,317 #4,522
2003 modern 1,262 #4,609
2004 modern 1,255 #4,628
2005 modern 1,233 #4,653
2006 modern 1,244 #4,631
2007 modern 1,232 #4,717
2008 modern 1,232 #4,743
2009 modern 1,249 #4,778
2010 modern 1,296 #4,715
2011 modern 1,288 #4,686
2012 modern 1,274 #4,654
2013 modern 1,315 #4,607
2014 modern 1,305 #4,663
2015 modern 1,283 #4,687
2016 modern 1,264 #4,730

Geography

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Where Pankhursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Burwash and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, Guildford, Weymouth and Portland, Bromley and Swale. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burwash Sussex
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 004 Rother
2 Guildford 007 Guildford
3 Weymouth and Portland 001 Weymouth and Portland
4 Bromley 001 Bromley
5 Swale 013 Swale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pankhurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pankhurst

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Pankhurst surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pankhurst household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Pankhurst is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pankhurst is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pankhurst falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pankhurst

The surname Pankhurst is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name Pankhurst, a hamlet located near the village of Clitheroe in Lancashire, England.

The name Pankhurst is believed to have originated from the Old English words "panca" meaning "hill" and "hyrst" meaning "wooded hill" or "forest." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived near or on a wooded hill in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pankhurst can be found in the Lancashire Inquests and Extents from the reign of King Edward III, dated around 1350. The document mentions a "John de Pankhurst" as a landowner in the area.

In the 16th century, the Pankhurst family was well-established in Lancashire, with records indicating their presence in the parish of Whalley and the nearby town of Burnley. During this period, variations in spelling, such as "Pankhirst" and "Pankherst," were common.

A notable figure bearing the Pankhurst name was Richard Pankhurst, born in 1605, who served as a Puritan clergyman and chaplain to Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Pankhurst family expanded their reach, with members recorded in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and London. One prominent individual from this era was John Pankhurst (1717-1798), a successful merchant and ship owner based in London.

The 19th century saw the rise of the Pankhurst family's involvement in the women's suffrage movement. Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928), a leading figure in the fight for women's right to vote, was born in Manchester to a family with a long history in the area.

Another notable figure was Sylvia Pankhurst (1882-1960), daughter of Emmeline and a dedicated activist in her own right, who played a crucial role in the suffragette movement and later championed various socialist and anti-fascist causes.

Richard Keir Pye Pankhurst (1927-2017), an anthropologist and historian, was a prominent member of the Pankhurst family in the 20th century, known for his extensive research and writings on Ethiopia and Eritrea.

While the Pankhurst surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread across the globe, carried by descendants of the original bearers, and has become closely associated with the struggle for women's rights and political activism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pankhurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pankhurst 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. Kent leads with 439 Pankhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.67x.

County Total Index
Kent 439 12.67x
Sussex 249 14.54x
Surrey 119 2.41x
Middlesex 105 1.03x
Staffordshire 25 0.73x
Warwickshire 20 0.78x
Lancashire 18 0.15x
Hampshire 16 0.77x
Hertfordshire 9 1.29x
Norfolk 7 0.45x
Northamptonshire 7 0.73x
Yorkshire 7 0.07x
Oxfordshire 5 0.80x
Cornwall 4 0.35x
Somerset 4 0.24x
Dorset 3 0.45x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Essex 1 0.05x
Shropshire 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 41 Pankhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.81x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 41 32.81x
Battersea 38 10.17x
Chatham 34 35.67x
Newington 25 6.66x
Maidstone 24 23.26x
Burwash 23 289.67x
Warbleton 21 411.76x
Snodland 20 203.67x
Frant 19 156.64x
Dartford 18 50.80x
Fawkham 17 2073.17x
Salehurst 15 202.43x
Aston 14 1.99x
Hastings St Mary 14 32.86x
Leigh 13 286.98x
Ryarsh 13 677.08x
Lewisham 12 6.50x
Minster In Sheppey 12 20.91x
St George Hanover 12 9.05x
St Pancras London 12 1.47x
Brightling 10 425.53x
East Malling 10 120.77x
Hartfield 10 184.50x
Knockholt 10 362.32x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 16.49x
Rye 10 61.46x
St Pauls Cray 10 377.36x
Bromley 9 17.04x
Caterham 9 41.15x
Hatfield 9 63.42x
Hove 9 11.98x
Linton 9 296.05x
Pembury 9 183.30x
South Mimms 9 64.66x
Addington 8 869.57x
Brighton 8 2.32x
Burslem 8 8.15x
Camberwell 8 1.23x
Islington London 8 0.81x
Lambeth 8 0.90x
Mountfield 8 368.66x
Strood 8 40.49x
Alverstoke 7 9.29x
Bromley London 7 3.13x
Eastchurch 7 204.68x
Eaton St Andrew 7 161.66x
Folkestone 7 10.42x
Framfield 7 131.83x
Hastings St Leonards 7 27.81x
Milton In Gravesend 7 13.47x
Stone In Dartford 7 78.74x
Barnsley 6 5.78x
Borden 6 136.67x
Brenchley 6 48.39x
Cranbrook 6 40.87x
Dover St Mary Virgin 6 17.89x
East Farleigh 6 103.27x
East Peckham 6 83.33x
Greenwich 6 3.71x
Hailsham 6 57.92x
Hampton London 6 35.95x
Hastings St Clement 6 37.24x
Hayes 6 57.92x
Rochester St Margaret 6 16.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.94x
Ticehurst 6 57.25x
Tottenham 6 3.71x
Warwick St Mary 6 26.99x
Westfield 6 163.93x
Bow London 5 3.87x
Croydon 5 1.82x
Hawkhurst 5 46.43x
Hornsey 5 3.89x
Mereworth 5 179.21x
St Martin In Fields 5 8.22x
Streatham 5 6.64x
Sutton At Hone 5 69.54x
Toxteth Park 5 1.23x
Wadhurst 5 44.48x
Westham 5 143.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 36
Eliza 21
Emily 20
Sarah 19
Annie 17
Ellen 17
Fanny 17
Jane 17
Emma 14
Harriet 12
Alice 11
Ann 10
Louisa 10
Edith 9
Martha 9
Ada 8
Charlotte 8
Hannah 7
Kate 7
Anne 6
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Frances 6
Minnie 6
Rose 6
Florence 5
Harriett 5
Amy 4
Catherine 4
Julia 4
Sophia 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Edna 3
Eleanor 3
Gertrude 3
Lousia 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Phillis 3
Ruth 3
Susan 3
Maud 2
Mercy 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Rhoda 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 64
George 49
Thomas 47
John 38
James 24
Henry 23
Alfred 21
Edward 21
Charles 18
Arthur 16
Joseph 12
Richard 12
Walter 11
Stephen 10
Albert 9
Harry 9
Peter 8
Ernest 7
Frederick 7
Benjamin 5
David 5
Percy 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Samuel 4
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Jesse 3
Arannah 2
Daniel 2
F. 2
Jeremiah 2
Jno. 2
Joshua 2
Nathaniel 2
Reginald 2
Tremyneer 2
Wm. 2
A.G. 1
Austin 1
Bernard 1
E. 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Ellis 1
Jack 1
Jericho 1

FAQ

Pankhurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pankhurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,041 people were recorded with the Pankhurst surname. That placed it at #3,772 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pankhurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,264 in 2016. That gives Pankhurst a modern rank of #4,730.

What does the Pankhurst surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hand wood" or "hand forest".

What does the Pankhurst map show?

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