NameCensus.

UK surname

Pease

An English occupational surname referring to a grower or seller of peas.

In the 1881 census there were 1,127 people recorded with the Pease surname, ranking it #3,534 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,390, ranked #4,361, down from #3,534 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, London parishes and Pontefract. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thurrock, Wakefield and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pease is 1,565 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.3%.

1881 census count

1,127

Ranked #3,534

Modern count

1,390

2016, ranked #4,361

Peak year

1911

1,565 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pease had 1,127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,534 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,390 in 2016, ranked #4,361.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,565 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pease surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pease surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pease 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 622 #4,153
1861 historical 651 #4,122
1881 historical 1,127 #3,534
1891 historical 1,031 #4,045
1901 historical 1,347 #3,721
1911 historical 1,565 #3,100
1997 modern 1,491 #3,929
1998 modern 1,534 #3,973
1999 modern 1,539 #3,992
2000 modern 1,527 #4,001
2001 modern 1,496 #3,991
2002 modern 1,507 #4,058
2003 modern 1,445 #4,117
2004 modern 1,417 #4,181
2005 modern 1,392 #4,208
2006 modern 1,378 #4,248
2007 modern 1,388 #4,253
2008 modern 1,368 #4,330
2009 modern 1,406 #4,319
2010 modern 1,429 #4,339
2011 modern 1,434 #4,289
2012 modern 1,421 #4,252
2013 modern 1,452 #4,245
2014 modern 1,450 #4,284
2015 modern 1,431 #4,282
2016 modern 1,390 #4,361

Geography

Back to top

Where Peases are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, London parishes, Pontefract and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thurrock, Wakefield, Middlesbrough and Leeds. 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 Darlington Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thurrock 018 Thurrock
2 Wakefield 001 Wakefield
3 Thurrock 012 Thurrock
4 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
5 Leeds 101 Leeds

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pease

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pease

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

Pease is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pease falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pease

The surname Pease originated in England, derived from the Old English word "pese," meaning pea. It likely referred to someone who cultivated peas or lived near a pea field. The name first appeared in historical records in the late 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pease can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208, where a William Pese is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also lists a Roger Pese in Norfolk.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled Pese or Pease. Over time, it evolved into various spellings, including Peas, Peaze, and Pease. The surname Pease was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Pease. However, it does mention several place names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as Peasenhall in Suffolk and Peasmarsh in Sussex.

One notable individual with the surname Pease was Henry Pease (1807-1881), a prominent English industrialist and railway entrepreneur. He played a significant role in the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Another famous bearer of the name was Sir Joseph Pease (1772-1846), a wealthy Quaker industrialist and philanthropist from Darlington, England. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Edward Pease (1767-1858), a Quaker wool manufacturer and abolitionist from Darlington, was a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement in Britain. He was also involved in the establishment of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Sir Alfred Edward Pease (1857-1939) was a British Liberal politician and industrialist from Darlington. He served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies and held various positions in the government.

Thomas Pease (1795-1873), a Quaker industrialist and railway promoter from Darlington, played a significant role in the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the West Durham coal industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pease families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pease 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 425 Peases recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 425 3.88x
Norfolk 138 8.12x
Essex 133 6.10x
Middlesex 112 1.01x
Durham 60 1.82x
Northumberland 36 2.19x
Buckinghamshire 33 4.94x
Kent 28 0.74x
Lancashire 27 0.21x
Devon 14 0.61x
Lincolnshire 14 0.79x
Warwickshire 14 0.50x
Cornwall 13 1.04x
Gloucestershire 13 0.60x
Oxfordshire 13 1.90x
Hampshire 10 0.44x
Surrey 10 0.19x
Westmorland 6 2.47x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.34x
Royal Navy 5 3.80x
Leicestershire 4 0.33x
Staffordshire 4 0.11x
Cheshire 3 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.29x
Renfrewshire 2 0.23x
Worcestershire 2 0.14x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Ross-shire 1 0.33x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.05x

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 54 Peases recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.73x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 54 8.73x
Wing 27 436.19x
Witham 25 222.42x
East Dereham 24 111.78x
Pontefract 21 89.02x
Elswick 20 15.24x
Castleford 19 47.64x
Bradford 18 6.79x
Shipdham 17 294.63x
Rayleigh 16 318.73x
Scoulton 16 1300.81x
Woolwich 16 11.48x
Darlington 15 11.82x
Westoe 15 8.05x
Great Burstead 14 176.32x
Hunslet 14 8.20x
Kensington London 14 2.28x
Soothill 14 35.39x
St Pancras London 14 1.57x
Dewsbury 13 11.57x
Whitechapel London 13 11.93x
Wombwell 13 40.71x
Cressing 12 585.37x
Lakenham 12 49.71x
East Tuddenham 11 643.27x
Hackney London 11 1.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 6.21x
Holbeck 10 13.78x
Tanshelf 10 114.29x
Hulme 9 3.29x
Kimberworth 9 14.81x
Nether Hallam 9 6.07x
Sheffield 9 2.58x
Templenewsam 9 113.49x
Caston 8 388.35x
Featherstone 8 65.04x
Gainsborough 8 19.20x
Holdenhurst 8 13.46x
Kelvedon 8 137.69x
Lostwithel 8 225.35x
Methley 8 51.88x
Stoke Newington London 8 9.29x
Barnsley 7 6.20x
Batley 7 6.73x
Broughton In Salford 7 5.84x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 22.51x
Carlton Husthwaite 7 1093.75x
Hampstead London 7 4.07x
Hatfield Peverel 7 148.62x
Heeley 7 21.03x
Kidlington 7 132.58x
Paddington London 7 1.72x
Rivenhall 7 268.20x
Watton 7 131.09x
West Ham 7 1.45x
Westminster St 7 17.18x
Almondbury 6 11.33x
Benwell 6 33.39x
Beverley St Mary 6 37.50x
Burradon In Tynemouth 6 142.86x
Finghall Akebar 6 1034.48x
Griston 6 582.52x
Hipperholme Cum 6 12.47x
Hook 6 24.91x
Kirkby Lonsdale 6 91.32x
Swalcliffe 6 253.16x
Briston 5 155.28x
Chatham 5 4.82x
Chelsea London 5 1.50x
Church Fenton 5 253.81x
Cornforth 5 51.65x
Crayford 5 30.36x
Doncaster 5 6.25x
Kippax 5 51.92x
Lambeth 5 0.52x
Langthorpe 5 387.60x
Sculcoates 5 2.88x
South Benfleet 5 193.80x
Wellingham 5 1000.00x
Westbury 5 316.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 71
John 61
Thomas 37
George 36
Joseph 28
Edward 24
James 24
Henry 21
Robert 19
Arthur 16
Charles 16
Alfred 14
Richard 11
Walter 10
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Albert 8
Herbert 8
Wm. 8
Benjamin 7
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Samuel 6
David 5
Percy 4
Tom 4
Willie 4
Aaron 3
Francis 3
Sidney 3
Abraham 2
Earnest 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Jno. 2
Joshua 2
Leonard 2
Midgley 2
Paul 2
Simon 2
Thos. 2
Allen 1
Ambrose 1
Chas. 1
Christmas 1
Claude 1
Fred 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1

FAQ

Pease surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pease surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,127 people were recorded with the Pease surname. That placed it at #3,534 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pease surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,390 in 2016. That gives Pease a modern rank of #4,361.

What does the Pease surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a grower or seller of peas.

What does the Pease map show?

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