NameCensus.

UK surname

Passmore

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "path by a moor."

In the 1881 census there were 1,746 people recorded with the Passmore surname, ranking it #2,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,264, ranked #2,865, down from #2,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Molton, Highbray, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Exeter St David (including Castle Yard). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Passmore is 2,369 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.7%.

1881 census count

1,746

Ranked #2,476

Modern count

2,264

2016, ranked #2,865

Peak year

2010

2,369 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Passmore had 1,746 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,264 in 2016, ranked #2,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,193 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Passmore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Passmore surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Passmore 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 1,071 #2,618
1861 historical 773 #3,560
1881 historical 1,746 #2,476
1891 historical 1,794 #2,553
1901 historical 2,090 #2,566
1911 historical 2,193 #2,300
1997 modern 2,199 #2,825
1998 modern 2,260 #2,854
1999 modern 2,291 #2,839
2000 modern 2,255 #2,866
2001 modern 2,219 #2,847
2002 modern 2,257 #2,865
2003 modern 2,209 #2,853
2004 modern 2,183 #2,887
2005 modern 2,177 #2,862
2006 modern 2,207 #2,833
2007 modern 2,222 #2,837
2008 modern 2,255 #2,817
2009 modern 2,309 #2,826
2010 modern 2,369 #2,822
2011 modern 2,298 #2,859
2012 modern 2,235 #2,884
2013 modern 2,276 #2,883
2014 modern 2,299 #2,870
2015 modern 2,261 #2,885
2016 modern 2,264 #2,865

Geography

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Where Passmores are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Molton, Highbray, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Sedgley and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon and Swansea. 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 North Molton, Highbray Devon
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
4 Sedgley Staffordshire
5 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 008 North Devon
2 Swansea 021 Swansea
3 North Devon 010 North Devon
4 North Devon 009 North Devon
5 North Devon 011 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Passmore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Passmore

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Passmore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Passmore household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Passmore 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

Passmore is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Passmore falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Passmore

The surname Passmore is of English origin, with its earliest recordings dating back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "pass" meaning a narrow passage or path, and "mor" meaning a moor or marsh. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a marshy area with a narrow path leading through it.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robertus de Passemore, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1196. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, making this one of the earliest documented instances of the surname.

The Passmore name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which were a series of inquisitions or surveys conducted during the reign of King Edward I. This record lists a William de Passemore, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name is found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where a Johannes Passmore is listed. The Poll Tax was a tax levied on every person above a certain age, providing valuable records of names and locations during that time.

One notable bearer of the Passmore name was John Passmore, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1637 to 1720. He served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and was also a prebendary of Chichester Cathedral.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Benjamin Passmore, a British engineer and industrialist who lived from 1767 to 1848. He played a significant role in the development of early steam engines and was involved in the construction of several notable bridges and canals in England.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Passmore name is that of Thomas Passmore, who arrived in Pennsylvania from England in the late 17th century. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the country.

Other notable individuals with the Passmore surname include William Passmore, an English artist and engraver born in 1825, and John Passmore Edwards, a British journalist, publisher, and philanthropist who lived from 1823 to 1911 and was known for his support of public libraries and education.

While the Passmore name has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through emigration and settlement in other countries. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the locational descriptions of marshy areas with narrow paths.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Passmore families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Passmore 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. Devon leads with 648 Passmores recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.23x.

County Total Index
Devon 648 18.23x
Middlesex 186 1.09x
Somerset 161 5.86x
Staffordshire 134 2.32x
Surrey 97 1.17x
Glamorgan 90 3.03x
Gloucestershire 69 2.06x
Lancashire 54 0.27x
Cornwall 53 2.74x
Yorkshire 35 0.21x
Hampshire 34 0.97x
Kent 22 0.38x
Lanarkshire 19 0.34x
Durham 18 0.35x
Essex 17 0.50x
Dorset 12 1.07x
Northamptonshire 11 0.68x
Wiltshire 11 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.35x
Warwickshire 8 0.19x
Berkshire 7 0.55x
Lincolnshire 7 0.26x
Cheshire 6 0.16x
Royal Navy 5 2.46x
Shropshire 5 0.34x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.56x
Leicestershire 4 0.21x
Monmouthshire 4 0.32x
Northumberland 4 0.16x
Sussex 4 0.14x
Hertfordshire 3 0.25x
Norfolk 3 0.11x
Suffolk 3 0.14x
Brecknockshire 2 0.59x
Derbyshire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnstaple in Devon leads with 56 Passmores recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.34x.

Place Total Index
Barnstaple 56 100.34x
Minehead 46 443.16x
Sedgley 43 20.08x
West Bromwich 31 9.39x
Great Torrington 30 148.81x
Camberwell 29 2.66x
Exeter St Sidwell 28 34.39x
Wombourn 28 261.68x
Bishops Nympton 23 339.23x
Islington London 23 1.39x
Aberavon 22 80.38x
Stokeinteignhead 22 574.41x
Tiverton 22 35.92x
North Molton 21 303.03x
Bideford 20 52.51x
Newington 20 3.17x
Merthyr Tydfil 18 6.30x
Plymstock 17 91.30x
St Pancras London 17 1.24x
Bedminster 16 6.19x
Chard 16 48.05x
Morchard Bishop 16 215.63x
Braunton 15 124.38x
Stoke Damerel 15 6.03x
Exeter St David 14 46.10x
Exeter St Thomas The 14 38.63x
Ilfracombe 14 38.25x
Kensington London 14 1.47x
Weston Super Mare 14 20.17x
Northam 13 50.17x
Pilton 13 110.83x
St Marylebone London 13 1.43x
Tormoham 13 8.64x
Crediton 12 35.62x
Fulham London 12 4.84x
Kingswinford 12 5.73x
South Molton 12 61.44x
Southampton St Mary 12 5.45x
Battersea 11 1.75x
Charles 11 714.29x
Chelsea London 11 2.14x
Finchley 11 16.80x
Kenwyn 11 21.75x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 4.02x
Bridgewater 10 13.40x
Camborne 10 12.55x
Kinson 10 45.64x
Wembworthy 10 395.26x
West Teignmouth 10 36.76x
Barony 9 0.64x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 14.81x
Exeter St Paul 9 127.84x
Exmoor 9 491.80x
Liverpool 9 0.73x
Northmolton 9 422.54x
St Giles In Fields 9 15.28x
Stone 9 12.20x
Twitchen 9 750.00x
Westbury On Trym 9 7.93x
Ashreigney 8 202.53x
Bournmoor 8 100.25x
Bridford 8 313.73x
Castleford 8 12.98x
Chulmleigh 8 98.77x
Glasgow 8 0.82x
Mevagissey 8 62.26x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.34x
White Lackington 8 479.04x
Wolborough 8 17.80x
Birmingham 7 0.49x
Bodmin 7 21.88x
Bow London 7 3.22x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 2.22x
Ide 7 180.88x
Llanguick 7 13.14x
Manchester 7 0.77x
Pennycross 7 234.90x
Shoreditch London 7 0.95x
Southampton All Sts 7 11.65x
St Luke London 7 2.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 123
Elizabeth 81
Sarah 47
Emily 36
Ann 34
Eliza 31
Jane 31
Ellen 26
Annie 23
Emma 20
Maria 18
Alice 17
Hannah 16
Louisa 16
Susan 16
Charlotte 15
Edith 14
Caroline 13
Fanny 13
Florence 12
Amelia 10
Bessie 10
Harriet 9
Ada 8
Clara 8
Grace 8
Kate 8
Margaret 8
Martha 8
Frances 7
Harriett 7
Bertha 6
Catherine 6
Esther 6
Agnes 5
Lucy 5
Minnie 5
Rose 5
Sophia 5
Beatrice 4
Helena 4
Lilian 4
Rhoda 4
Rosa 4
Selina 4
Elizth. 3
Jessie 3
Mabel 3
Matilda 3
Rachel 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 131
John 99
George 64
James 51
Henry 44
Charles 35
Richard 35
Thomas 35
Samuel 23
Alfred 21
Joseph 19
Robert 17
Arthur 13
Francis 13
Walter 13
Edward 12
Frank 12
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Philip 8
Benjamin 7
Augustus 6
Peter 6
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Abraham 4
Edmund 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
Harry 4
Nicholas 4
Michael 3
Alexander 2
Alon 2
Charley 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Edwin 2
Ephraim 2
Frances 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jeremiah 2
Joshua 2
Percy 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Edd. 1

FAQ

Passmore surname: questions and answers

How common was the Passmore surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,746 people were recorded with the Passmore surname. That placed it at #2,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Passmore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,264 in 2016. That gives Passmore a modern rank of #2,865.

What does the Passmore surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "path by a moor."

What does the Passmore map show?

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