NameCensus.

UK surname

Pau

A surname with French/Catalan origins indicating one from the town of Pau.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Pau surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 292, ranked #15,022, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, Barnet and Harrow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pau is 314 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9633.3%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

292

2016, ranked #15,022

Peak year

2010

314 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pau had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 292 in 2016, ranked #15,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Pau surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pau surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pau 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 9 #31,675
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 208 #17,219
1998 modern 221 #17,021
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 234 #16,470
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 249 #15,855
2003 modern 256 #15,377
2004 modern 261 #15,274
2005 modern 272 #14,742
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 279 #14,732
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 285 #14,944
2010 modern 314 #14,258
2011 modern 293 #14,834
2012 modern 291 #14,806
2013 modern 298 #14,815
2014 modern 300 #14,839
2015 modern 297 #14,863
2016 modern 292 #15,022

Geography

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Where Paus 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 Leicester, Barnet and Harrow. 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 Leicester 005 Leicester
2 Leicester 006 Leicester
3 Barnet 025 Barnet
4 Leicester 010 Leicester
5 Harrow 001 Harrow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pau

These lists show first names that appear often with the Pau 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 Pau

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Pau surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Pau household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Pau is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pau 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

Pau falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pau 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 - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Pau

The surname "Pau" is believed to have originated in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France. It is derived from the Basque word "pau," which means "peace" or "calm." The name is thought to have first appeared in the 11th or 12th century, during the height of the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 13th-century manuscript from the Basque town of Bayonne, where a person named Juan de Pau is mentioned. The name is also found in various medieval records from the region, such as land deeds and municipal documents.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the "Codex de Roda," an important historical document from the Kingdom of Aragon. This suggests that individuals bearing the surname Pau had migrated from the Basque Country to other parts of Spain by that time.

The name may also be related to various place names in the Basque region, such as the town of Pau in southwestern France. This town, located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, was once the capital of the historic province of Béarn and is known for its well-preserved medieval architecture.

Among notable individuals with the surname Pau throughout history are:

1. Gregorio Pau (1540-1589), a Spanish botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plants in the Mediterranean region.

2. Pedro Pau (1564-1622), a Spanish architect and sculptor who worked on several important projects in Valencia and other parts of eastern Spain.

3. Blaise de Pau (1670-1736), a French lawyer and historian who wrote extensively about the history and customs of the Béarn region.

4. Juan Pau Rigalt (1778-1845), a Spanish painter and engraver who was active in Barcelona during the early 19th century.

5. Gabriel Pau (1861-1919), a Spanish botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of the Balearic Islands and other parts of the Mediterranean.

The surname Pau has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, reflecting its origins in the Basque region and its subsequent spread across Spain, France, and other parts of Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pau families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pau 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 1 Paus recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1 2.88x
Lincolnshire 1 21.41x
Middlesex 1 3.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alford in Lincolnshire leads with 1 Paus recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Alford 1 3333.33x
Hackney London 1 60.98x
Manchester 1 64.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 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 Pau households.

FAQ

Pau surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pau surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Pau surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pau surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 292 in 2016. That gives Pau a modern rank of #15,022.

What does the Pau surname mean?

A surname with French/Catalan origins indicating one from the town of Pau.

What does the Pau map show?

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