NameCensus.

UK surname

Patching

An English surname originating from a place name meaning "dweller by the the small patch of land."

In the 1881 census there were 627 people recorded with the Patching surname, ranking it #5,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 660, ranked #8,078, down from #5,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and Hove. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Wiltshire and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Patching is 783 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.3%.

1881 census count

627

Ranked #5,643

Modern count

660

2016, ranked #8,078

Peak year

1911

783 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Patching had 627 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 660 in 2016, ranked #8,078.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 783 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Patching surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Patching surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Patching 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 384 #6,235
1861 historical 409 #6,283
1881 historical 627 #5,643
1891 historical 651 #5,962
1901 historical 730 #6,065
1911 historical 783 #5,559
1997 modern 694 #7,298
1998 modern 707 #7,418
1999 modern 727 #7,316
2000 modern 717 #7,374
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 681 #7,677
2003 modern 672 #7,634
2004 modern 679 #7,588
2005 modern 656 #7,716
2006 modern 651 #7,790
2007 modern 651 #7,857
2008 modern 653 #7,890
2009 modern 658 #7,997
2010 modern 673 #8,024
2011 modern 674 #7,927
2012 modern 650 #8,072
2013 modern 684 #7,881
2014 modern 681 #7,952
2015 modern 659 #8,109
2016 modern 660 #8,078

Geography

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Where Patchings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, Hove and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Wiltshire, Babergh, Wealden and Basildon. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hove Sussex
4 Brighton Sussex
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 021 Rotherham
2 Wiltshire 019 Wiltshire
3 Babergh 011 Babergh
4 Wealden 018 Wealden
5 Basildon 021 Basildon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Patching

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Patching

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Patching is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Patching 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

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

Meaning and origin of Patching

The surname Patching is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "pæcc," which means a small patch or plot of land. It was likely used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived on or near a small piece of land or a patch of ground.

The earliest known record of the surname Patching can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where the name appears as "Robert de Pacching." This suggests that the name was prevalent in the county of Sussex during that time. The spelling variations in early records include Patching, Patchinge, Patchyng, and Patchynge.

One notable historical reference to the surname Patching is in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334, where a John Patching is recorded in the county of Sussex. This document was a tax assessment roll that provides valuable information about the distribution of surnames in different regions during that period.

In the 16th century, the surname Patching was also found in other parts of England, including Kent and Wiltshire. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was William Patching, who was born in Kent around 1520.

Another notable bearer of the surname Patching was Sir Robert Patching, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in the 16th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1562 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in recognition of his services to the city.

In the 17th century, the surname Patching was still prevalent in Sussex and the surrounding areas. One of the most notable figures from this period was George Patching, a Puritan minister who was born in Sussex in 1623. He played a significant role in the religious and political debates of his time.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Patching continued to be found in various parts of England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the world, such as North America and Australia. One notable individual from this period was John Patching, an English botanist and horticulturist who lived from 1733 to 1815. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and was known for his extensive collection of rare and exotic species.

Overall, the surname Patching has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, where it was likely derived from a descriptive term related to land or geography. While the name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, it has endured as a distinctive English surname with roots in the county of Sussex.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Patching families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Patching 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. Sussex leads with 392 Patchings recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.95x.

County Total Index
Sussex 392 37.95x
Kent 63 3.01x
Middlesex 50 0.82x
Surrey 43 1.44x
Nottinghamshire 24 2.91x
Yorkshire 16 0.26x
Lancashire 8 0.11x
Warwickshire 7 0.45x
Northamptonshire 6 1.04x
Hampshire 5 0.40x
Essex 4 0.33x
Leicestershire 4 0.59x
Staffordshire 3 0.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.55x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 131 Patchings recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.87x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 131 62.87x
Portslade 47 744.85x
Hove 30 66.20x
Faversham 24 120.42x
New Shoreham 21 339.26x
Broadwater 16 67.54x
Calverton 14 536.40x
Rottingdean 14 396.60x
Shipley 11 470.09x
Lewisham 10 8.97x
Milton In Gravesend 10 31.91x
Telscombe 10 5000.00x
West Grinstead 10 321.54x
Doncaster 9 20.29x
Horsham 9 44.87x
Islington London 9 1.52x
Steyning 9 257.14x
Mitcham 8 42.40x
Putney 8 28.65x
Southwick 8 146.52x
Ashford 7 34.40x
Croydon 7 4.22x
East Blatchington 7 1555.56x
Fulham London 7 7.88x
Woodborough 7 376.34x
Barcombe 6 241.94x
Edgbaston 6 12.53x
Horsted Keynes 6 248.96x
Kensington London 6 1.76x
Lewes All Sts 6 145.99x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 20.47x
Old Shoreham 6 1153.85x
Upper Beeding 6 468.75x
Battersea 5 2.22x
Portsea 5 2.03x
South Bersted 5 56.95x
Tottenham 5 5.13x
West Derby 5 2.35x
Wimbledon 5 14.92x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.50x
Brightside Bierlow 4 3.36x
Burton Lazars 4 784.31x
Cliffe 4 114.61x
Hampstead London 4 4.19x
Patcham 4 216.22x
Tonbridge 4 5.31x
West Ham 4 1.50x
Clapham 3 3.92x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.07x
Denton 3 294.12x
Lambeth 3 0.56x
Liverpool 3 0.68x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.40x
Preston 3 16.63x
Wolverhampton 3 1.89x
Bromley London 2 1.48x
Chelsea London 2 1.08x
Falmer 2 165.29x
Lewes St Ann 2 56.82x
Maidstone 2 3.21x
Rudgwick 2 84.75x
Sculcoates 2 2.08x
Southfleet 2 103.09x
St Marylebone London 2 0.61x
Boughton Aluph 1 84.75x
Bow London 1 1.28x
Cardiff St Mary 1 1.70x
Cudham 1 46.73x
Gillingham 1 2.32x
Itchingfield 1 109.89x
Lewes St Michael 1 48.78x
Newhaven 1 11.92x
St Albans St Peter 1 7.02x
St George Hanover 1 1.25x
St Helier 1 1.69x
Warnham 1 44.84x
West Hoathly 1 30.86x
Westminster St 1 4.43x
Westminster St James 1 1.59x
Withyam 1 22.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 18
Jane 18
Ann 16
Emily 15
Annie 12
Ellen 12
Eliza 10
Alice 9
Emma 9
Caroline 8
Susannah 8
Ada 6
Harriet 6
Harriett 6
Kate 6
Amelia 5
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Louisa 5
Mabel 4
Grace 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Francis 2
Helen 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Nellie 2
Rosa 2
Adelia 1
Alvina 1
Bertha 1
C. 1
Elizth. 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Lilly 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 36
John 33
George 23
Thomas 22
Henry 18
James 18
Richard 15
Walter 13
Alfred 11
Charles 11
Harry 11
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Albert 6
Robert 6
Frederick 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
David 3
Ernest 3
Peter 3
Samuel 3
Jno. 2
Tom 2
Ambrose 1
Amos 1
Ann 1
Anthony 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Ellis 1
Ferdinand 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Albert 1
H. 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Richd. 1
Saml. 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Patching surname: questions and answers

How common was the Patching surname in 1881?

In 1881, 627 people were recorded with the Patching surname. That placed it at #5,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Patching surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 660 in 2016. That gives Patching a modern rank of #8,078.

What does the Patching surname mean?

An English surname originating from a place name meaning "dweller by the the small patch of land."

What does the Patching map show?

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