NameCensus.

UK surname

Pawson

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "paw," meaning a cat's paw, possibly denoting someone who worked with animal hides or fur.

In the 1881 census there were 1,199 people recorded with the Pawson surname, ranking it #3,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,588, ranked #3,910, down from #3,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leeds and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, East Lindsey and Boston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pawson is 1,736 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.4%.

1881 census count

1,199

Ranked #3,363

Modern count

1,588

2016, ranked #3,910

Peak year

1911

1,736 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pawson had 1,199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,588 in 2016, ranked #3,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,736 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Pawson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pawson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pawson 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 977 #2,856
1861 historical 971 #2,866
1881 historical 1,199 #3,363
1891 historical 1,367 #3,175
1901 historical 1,549 #3,327
1911 historical 1,736 #2,829
1997 modern 1,617 #3,663
1998 modern 1,628 #3,777
1999 modern 1,622 #3,820
2000 modern 1,643 #3,755
2001 modern 1,581 #3,818
2002 modern 1,593 #3,869
2003 modern 1,571 #3,834
2004 modern 1,613 #3,751
2005 modern 1,565 #3,810
2006 modern 1,580 #3,768
2007 modern 1,574 #3,815
2008 modern 1,582 #3,829
2009 modern 1,598 #3,883
2010 modern 1,618 #3,916
2011 modern 1,616 #3,886
2012 modern 1,618 #3,810
2013 modern 1,628 #3,858
2014 modern 1,634 #3,869
2015 modern 1,641 #3,809
2016 modern 1,588 #3,910

Geography

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Where Pawsons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, East Lindsey, Boston, Sheffield and Scarborough. 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 3
2 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 002 Leeds
2 East Lindsey 013 East Lindsey
3 Boston 001 Boston
4 Sheffield 008 Sheffield
5 Scarborough 014 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pawson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pawson

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Pawson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Pawson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pawson 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

Pawson 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

Pawson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pawson

The surname Pawson originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be an occupational surname, derived from the Old English word "pawa," meaning peacock, and the suffix "-son," indicating a relationship or occupation. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked with peacocks or traded in their feathers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Pawson can be found in various historical documents from the 13th century onwards. For example, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 mention a William Pawson, while the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301 list a John Pawson.

One notable historical figure with the surname Pawson was Henry Pawson (1554-1627), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk. He was known for his works on theology and church history.

Another prominent individual with this surname was John Pawson (1629-1696), an English Quaker minister and writer. He played a significant role in the early years of the Quaker movement and authored several religious texts.

In the 18th century, there was a notable figure named Thomas Pawson (1746-1805), an English mathematician and surveyor. He was involved in various land surveying projects and contributed to the development of mathematical instruments.

The surname Pawson also has connections to certain place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Pawson in Cambridgeshire, which may have derived its name from the surname or vice versa.

It's important to note that the spelling of surnames often varied in earlier times, and alternative spellings such as Pawsonne, Pawsonne, and Pawsoun can be found in historical records.

Overall, the surname Pawson has a rich history in England, with its origins likely rooted in an occupational context related to peacocks. While the name has evolved over the centuries, it has been carried by numerous notable figures throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pawson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pawson 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. Yorkshire leads with 770 Pawsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.65x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 770 6.65x
Lincolnshire 162 8.68x
Lancashire 84 0.61x
Durham 38 1.09x
Nottinghamshire 27 1.72x
Surrey 27 0.47x
Northumberland 20 1.15x
Middlesex 17 0.15x
Cheshire 8 0.31x
Sussex 8 0.41x
Kent 7 0.18x
Essex 6 0.26x
Norfolk 4 0.22x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Gloucestershire 2 0.09x
Hampshire 2 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.18x
Somerset 2 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.14x
Cumberland 1 0.10x
Rutland 1 1.17x
Shropshire 1 0.10x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Suffolk 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 138 Pawsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.12x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 138 21.12x
Bramley In Bramley 39 88.06x
Great Grimsby 33 27.85x
Clifford Cum Boston 24 230.77x
Walton In Wetherby 20 2531.65x
Guiseley 17 114.71x
Bradford 16 5.71x
Burley In Wharfdale 16 156.56x
North South Anston 16 316.21x
Sharples 16 106.45x
Battersea 15 3.49x
Ecclesall Bierlow 15 6.37x
Newark Upon Trent 15 26.52x
Bishopwearmouth 14 4.70x
Haworth 14 50.91x
Holy Trinity 14 5.03x
Huddersfield 14 8.31x
York St Mary 14 29.22x
Knaresborough 13 71.55x
Manningham 13 9.12x
Somerby In Grantham 13 273.68x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 12 30.33x
Coniston Cold 12 888.89x
Doncaster 12 14.20x
Hunslet 12 6.65x
Great Crosby 11 29.12x
Sheffield 11 2.99x
Clitheroe 10 24.52x
Idle 10 18.64x
Laceby 10 246.31x
Adel Cum Eccup 9 188.28x
Broughton In Salford 9 7.10x
Hambleton 9 424.53x
Holton Le Moor 9 1267.61x
Horncastle 9 46.70x
Patrington 9 164.23x
Wardleworth 9 11.37x
Wortley In Bramley 9 9.82x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 8 19.04x
Ecclesfield 8 9.43x
Gate Fulford 8 29.61x
Grantham 8 32.88x
Market Deeping 8 165.29x
Normanton 8 23.01x
North Somercotes 8 163.60x
Sculcoates 8 4.36x
Seaford 8 119.58x
Shadwell 8 181.82x
Skegness 8 149.53x
Tynemouth 8 8.60x
Wilstrop 8 2666.67x
Bordley 7 4375.00x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 21.31x
Castleton 7 5.06x
Wetherby 7 92.84x
Asterby 6 697.67x
Beelsby 6 882.35x
Boston 6 10.59x
Hessle In Sculcoates 6 58.71x
Middleton In Wharfedale 6 1000.00x
Pittington 6 61.41x
Roughton 6 983.61x
Tockwith 6 260.87x
Tottenham 6 3.23x
Alne 5 253.81x
Dewsbury 5 4.21x
Heckmondwike 5 13.43x
Hedon 5 128.87x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 3.32x
High Low Bishopside 5 48.73x
Ilkley 5 26.44x
Kimberworth 5 7.79x
Morley 5 8.31x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 5 19.04x
Sutton 5 12.15x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 15.10x
Templenewsam 5 59.67x
Thornton In Craven 5 53.88x
Walton In Wakefield 5 201.61x
Wyham With Cadeby 5 892.86x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 80
John 66
George 51
Thomas 42
James 31
Charles 30
Henry 23
Edward 22
Joseph 20
Robert 16
Albert 10
Arthur 9
Alfred 8
Benjamin 8
David 7
Harry 7
Herbert 7
Richard 7
Francis 6
Fred 6
Thos. 6
Walter 6
Frank 5
Samuel 5
Tom 5
Ambrose 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Isaac 4
Richd. 4
Michael 3
Ralph 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Arnold 2
Ben 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Jos. 2
Moses 2
Austen 1
Bartholomew 1
Bryon 1
Carnegier 1
Carter 1
Charls 1
Chas. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Wm.Foster 1

FAQ

Pawson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pawson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,199 people were recorded with the Pawson surname. That placed it at #3,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pawson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,588 in 2016. That gives Pawson a modern rank of #3,910.

What does the Pawson surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "paw," meaning a cat's paw, possibly denoting someone who worked with animal hides or fur.

What does the Pawson map show?

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