NameCensus.

UK surname

Pavis

An English surname derived from a place name, possibly from the town of Pavilly in Normandy.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Pavis surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Wandsworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include York, Nottingham and Rushcliffe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pavis is 143 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1901

143 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pavis had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 143 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Pavis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pavis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pavis 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 84 #19,067
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 143 #18,570
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 130 #23,805
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 127 #24,267
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Pavis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Wandsworth, London parishes, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Rochdale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to York, Nottingham, Rushcliffe and Ealing. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wandsworth London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 York 001 York
2 Nottingham 015 Nottingham
3 Rushcliffe 008 Rushcliffe
4 Ealing 003 Ealing
5 York 009 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pavis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pavis

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Pavis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Pavis 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pavis 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

Pavis is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pavis 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 Pavis 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pavis

The surname PAVIS has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "pave," meaning "paved" or "cobblestone." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a paved road or worked as a paver.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PAVIS surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. In 1289, a certain Willaume Pavis was mentioned in the records of the city of Rouen. This indicates that the name was already in use and well-established in that area during that time.

The PAVIS surname has also been linked to various places in France, such as the town of Pavie, located in the department of Aisne. It is possible that the name originated from this place, or that people from this area adopted the surname based on their connection to the locality.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in several historical documents, including the records of the city of Paris. A notable example is Jean Pavis, a merchant who lived in Paris during the reign of King Louis XI (1461-1483).

During the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the PAVIS surname was André Pavis, a French poet and writer who was born in Toulouse in 1540 and died in Paris in 1592. His works, which included poems and translations, were well-regarded during his time.

Another individual of note was Jacques Pavis, a French military officer who served in the Wars of Religion in the late 16th century. He was born in Normandy around 1550 and fought for the Catholic League against the Huguenots.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the PAVIS surname was Marie Pavis, a French painter and engraver who was active in Paris during the reign of King Louis XIV. She was born in 1650 and gained recognition for her portraits and religious works.

The 18th century saw the birth of Pierre Pavis, a French architect who was born in Marseille in 1730. He was known for his work on several notable buildings in the city, including the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and the Palais de Justice (Palace of Justice).

As the PAVIS surname spread throughout France and beyond, it continued to be associated with various professions and notable individuals, further contributing to its rich history and diversity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pavis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pavis 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 38 Pavis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.83x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 38 50.83x
Surrey 30 5.22x
Yorkshire 10 0.86x
Lancashire 9 0.64x
Middlesex 9 0.76x
Kent 6 1.49x
Nottinghamshire 5 3.14x
Essex 4 1.72x
Suffolk 3 2.09x
Hampshire 2 0.83x
Leicestershire 2 1.53x
Hertfordshire 1 1.23x
Huntingdonshire 1 4.27x
Warwickshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheveley in Cambridgeshire leads with 24 Pavis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9230.77x.

Place Total Index
Cheveley 24 9230.77x
Lambeth 10 9.72x
Wandsworth 10 88.03x
Stetchworth 9 3600.00x
Todmorden Walsden 9 240.00x
York St Maurice 9 409.09x
Arnold 5 215.52x
Reigate Borough 5 375.94x
Snodland 4 350.88x
West Ham 4 7.78x
Penge 3 39.79x
Poplar London 3 13.47x
Battersea 2 4.61x
Kirtling 2 606.06x
Loughborough 2 33.67x
Newmarket St Mary 2 181.82x
Wood Ditton 2 322.58x
Aldershot 1 12.35x
Bow London 1 6.65x
Broughton 1 833.33x
Chatham 1 9.03x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 4.20x
Edmonton 1 10.52x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 30.67x
Hampstead London 1 5.44x
Hitchin 1 27.25x
Kensington London 1 1.52x
Portsmouth 1 17.95x
Rugby 1 24.81x
Shoreditch London 1 1.95x
Spitalfields London 1 11.26x
Walsham Le Willows 1 208.33x
West Malling 1 109.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Ellen 6
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 5
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Jane 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Minnie 1
Phebe 1
Phoebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rhoda 1
Rosannah 1
Roseita 1
Rossetta 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Susanne 1
Susy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Charles 6
James 6
William 6
Joseph 4
George 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
...linton 1
Alfred 1
Allington 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Chas. 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Pavis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pavis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Pavis surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pavis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Pavis a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Pavis surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, possibly from the town of Pavilly in Normandy.

What does the Pavis map show?

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