NameCensus.

UK surname

Pead

A French surname derived from the word "pied", meaning foot.

In the 1881 census there were 256 people recorded with the Pead surname, ranking it #10,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 371, ranked #12,561, down from #10,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Burford, Greet. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills, Havant and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pead is 461 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.9%.

1881 census count

256

Ranked #10,885

Modern count

371

2016, ranked #12,561

Peak year

2000

461 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pead had 256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016, ranked #12,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 456 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pead 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 271 #9,193
1881 historical 256 #10,885
1891 historical 337 #10,133
1901 historical 400 #9,483
1911 historical 456 #8,409
1997 modern 443 #10,189
1998 modern 460 #10,232
1999 modern 459 #10,310
2000 modern 461 #10,231
2001 modern 454 #10,162
2002 modern 445 #10,538
2003 modern 424 #10,789
2004 modern 421 #10,866
2005 modern 411 #10,956
2006 modern 397 #11,317
2007 modern 401 #11,353
2008 modern 396 #11,581
2009 modern 412 #11,461
2010 modern 399 #12,018
2011 modern 378 #12,363
2012 modern 363 #12,592
2013 modern 376 #12,472
2014 modern 381 #12,426
2015 modern 380 #12,364
2016 modern 371 #12,561

Geography

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Where Peads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Burford, Greet and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Malvern Hills, Havant, Broadland, Eastleigh and Teignbridge. 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 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burford, Greet Worcestershire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 007 Malvern Hills
2 Havant 013 Havant
3 Broadland 002 Broadland
4 Eastleigh 015 Eastleigh
5 Teignbridge 019 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pead

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Pead is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pead 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

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

Meaning and origin of Pead

The surname Pead has its roots in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "pede," which referred to a small foot or a person with a diminutive stature.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the name Pead can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Chelmsford, Essex, England, where a John Pead was recorded as being baptized in 1592. Additionally, the name appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 for the county of Hertfordshire, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Pead name was particularly concentrated in the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, and Suffolk. Notable individuals from this period include William Pead (1712-1789), a respected clockmaker from Woodbridge, Suffolk, and Thomas Pead (1745-1821), a prominent landowner and farmer from Chelmsford, Essex.

As the surname gained recognition, it also appeared in various historical documents and records. For instance, the name was mentioned in the court rolls of the Manor of Writtle in Essex, dating back to the early 19th century. Additionally, the 1841 census for England and Wales recorded several Pead families residing in various parts of the country.

Some notable individuals bearing the Pead surname include:

1. John Pead (1792-1867), a successful merchant and industrialist from Ipswich, Suffolk, who played a significant role in the town's economic development.

2. Elizabeth Pead (1815-1897), a philanthropist and social reformer from Chelmsford, Essex, known for her work in improving the living conditions of the poor.

3. William Henry Pead (1844-1912), a respected architect from London, who designed several notable buildings in the city during the late 19th century.

4. Arthur Pead (1867-1942), a renowned artist and illustrator from Norwich, Norfolk, whose works were featured in various publications and exhibitions.

5. Edith Pead (1888-1972), an acclaimed author and poet from Colchester, Essex, who wrote several books on rural life and the countryside.

While the surname Pead has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with descendants of these families now residing in various countries. However, the name remains closely tied to its English heritage and the historical records that trace its origins and evolution over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pead 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. Suffolk leads with 62 Peads recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.46x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 62 20.46x
Middlesex 57 2.29x
Surrey 35 2.89x
Berkshire 23 12.32x
Essex 17 3.46x
Kent 17 2.00x
Shropshire 10 4.65x
Hampshire 9 1.77x
Glamorgan 5 1.15x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.00x
Derbyshire 3 0.77x
Warwickshire 3 0.48x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Gloucestershire 2 0.41x
Norfolk 2 0.52x
Worcestershire 2 0.62x
Dorset 1 0.61x
Monmouthshire 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 19 Peads recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.49x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 19 9.49x
Lambeth 12 5.53x
Orford 11 1122.45x
Rotherhithe 11 35.80x
West Ham 11 10.15x
Shoreditch London 10 9.27x
Easthampstead 8 800.00x
Woodbridge 7 180.88x
Burford 6 1621.62x
Chigwell 6 129.59x
Greenwich 6 15.15x
Ipswich St Margaret 6 58.37x
Islington London 6 2.49x
Abingdon St Helen 5 91.58x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 5 87.87x
Cardiff St Mary 5 20.96x
Hitcham 5 657.89x
Laxfield 5 666.67x
Portsea 5 5.00x
Aldeburgh 4 223.46x
Bitterley 4 470.59x
Clewer 4 52.29x
Deptford St Paul 4 6.11x
Hackney London 4 2.87x
Holdenhurst 4 29.92x
Knodishall 4 1052.63x
Leiston 4 192.31x
Lewisham 4 8.84x
Long Wittenham 4 833.33x
Newington 4 4.35x
Rattlesden 4 449.44x
St Andrew Holborn 4 47.45x
Aston 3 1.74x
Croydon 3 4.46x
Derby St Peter 3 24.19x
Eston 3 55.87x
Ipswich St Clement 3 38.96x
Kensington London 3 2.17x
Speldhurst 3 69.44x
St Marylebone London 3 2.26x
Teddington London 3 53.19x
Battersea 2 2.19x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.41x
Cookham 2 34.36x
Fawley 2 769.23x
Kingston On Thames 2 6.87x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 2 208.33x
Saxmundham 2 178.57x
Tenbury 2 112.36x
Berkeley Hamfallow 1 113.64x
Buckingham 1 32.68x
Chiswick 1 7.36x
Paddington London 1 1.09x
Portland 1 11.39x
Quedgley 1 243.90x
Rendham 1 322.58x
St George Hanover 1 3.08x
Sutton 1 11.40x
Upper Llanvrechva 1 35.84x
Wickham Market 1 80.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 16
John 14
William 13
Henry 8
James 7
Charles 6
Edward 6
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Frederic 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Durdant 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Foster 1
Fred.William 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbet 1
Jno. 1
Jno.A.J. 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Matthew 1
Robt. 1
Sydney 1
Willm.Andrew 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 256 people were recorded with the Pead surname. That placed it at #10,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016. That gives Pead a modern rank of #12,561.

What does the Pead surname mean?

A French surname derived from the word "pied", meaning foot.

What does the Pead map show?

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