NameCensus.

UK surname

Pedlar

A surname referring to an itinerant vendor or traveling merchant.

In the 1881 census there were 324 people recorded with the Pedlar surname, ranking it #9,214 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 276, ranked #15,673, down from #9,214 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bodmin and St Dennis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Huntingdonshire and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pedlar is 421 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.8%.

1881 census count

324

Ranked #9,214

Modern count

276

2016, ranked #15,673

Peak year

1901

421 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pedlar had 324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,214 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016, ranked #15,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 421 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pedlar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pedlar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pedlar 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 139 #13,659
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 324 #9,214
1891 historical 353 #9,760
1901 historical 421 #9,141
1911 historical 374 #9,770
1997 modern 291 #13,792
1998 modern 298 #13,937
1999 modern 291 #14,234
2000 modern 285 #14,422
2001 modern 276 #14,507
2002 modern 290 #14,314
2003 modern 293 #14,037
2004 modern 292 #14,109
2005 modern 286 #14,242
2006 modern 279 #14,577
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 293 #14,669
2010 modern 279 #15,529
2011 modern 278 #15,390
2012 modern 279 #15,289
2013 modern 284 #15,358
2014 modern 284 #15,455
2015 modern 271 #15,881
2016 modern 276 #15,673

Geography

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Where Pedlars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bodmin, St Dennis, Willesden and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Huntingdonshire and Herefordshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bodmin Cornwall
3 St Dennis Cornwall
4 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
2 Huntingdonshire 014 Huntingdonshire
3 Herefordshire 017 Herefordshire, County of
4 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 003 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pedlar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pedlar

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Pedlar 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

Pedlar is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pedlar falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pedlar

The surname Pedlar is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'pedde', which means a wicker basket or pack. It likely originated in the Middle Ages and was an occupational surname given to those who traveled from place to place selling small goods from a pack or basket.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it is spelled as 'le Pedder'. Similar spellings such as 'Pedder' and 'Peddere' can also be found in various historical records from the same period.

During the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it is spelled as 'Pedlare'. This is one of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling of the name.

The Pedlar surname is closely linked to the town of Pedmore, located in the West Midlands region of England. It is believed that the town's name is derived from the Old English words 'pedde' and 'mor', meaning a basket on the moor, and may have been the origin of the surname.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was John Pedlar, a merchant who lived in the city of Bristol in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was William Pedlar, a cloth merchant from the town of Coventry, who was recorded in the Guild Records of Coventry in the early 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in the parish records of Stratford-upon-Avon, where a family by the name of Pedlar resided. This may be a reference to the famous English playwright, William Shakespeare, who is known to have had connections with families from the area.

During the 17th century, the name is found in the records of the Virginia Colony in America, where a man named John Pedlar was listed as a landowner in the county of Surry in the year 1642.

Another notable individual was Sir Thomas Pedlar, a wealthy merchant and landowner from the county of Somerset, who lived during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was known for his charitable works and donated funds for the construction of several churches and schools in the region.

In the 19th century, the surname appears in the records of the British Army, with a soldier named James Pedlar serving in the Peninsular War against Napoleon's forces in Spain and Portugal.

These examples showcase the rich history and diverse geographical spread of the Pedlar surname, which has its roots in the occupational traditions of medieval England and has since been carried by individuals from various walks of life across different parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pedlar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pedlar 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. Cornwall leads with 159 Pedlars recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.30x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 159 44.30x
Devon 73 11.06x
Middlesex 27 0.85x
Lancashire 17 0.45x
Glamorgan 15 2.72x
Kent 8 0.74x
Warwickshire 6 0.75x
Gloucestershire 5 0.80x
Oxfordshire 4 2.04x
Sussex 4 0.75x
Lanarkshire 3 0.29x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.75x
Durham 1 0.11x
Essex 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 2.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Withiel in Cornwall leads with 31 Pedlars recorded in 1881 and an index of 7045.45x.

Place Total Index
Withiel 31 7045.45x
St Austell 18 146.70x
St Wenn 17 2881.36x
Bodmin 14 235.69x
Farnworth 10 44.37x
St Dennis 10 746.27x
St Issey 10 1369.86x
Ilfracombe 8 117.82x
Lamorran 8 8000.00x
St Winnow 8 650.41x
Swansea Higher 8 139.13x
Swimbridge 8 601.50x
Hackney London 7 3.94x
Lanivet 7 625.00x
Pilton 7 321.10x
Plumstead 7 19.41x
Bolehall Glascote 6 176.99x
Hampstead London 6 12.15x
St Marylebone London 6 3.54x
Tormoham 6 21.49x
Broughton In Salford 5 14.53x
Calstock 5 71.02x
East Stonehouse 5 38.46x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 74.29x
Kenwyn 5 53.25x
Perranzabuloe 5 161.29x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 9.83x
Stonehouse East 5 149.25x
Bristol St James In 4 43.76x
Egloshayle 4 238.10x
Exeter Alphington 4 330.58x
Gt Rollright 4 952.38x
Hove 4 17.06x
Roche 4 219.78x
Tavistock 4 53.19x
Barnstaple 3 28.96x
Chelsea London 3 3.14x
Clase 3 14.61x
Coryton 3 1250.00x
Liskeard 3 49.92x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 5.65x
Sheviock 3 491.80x
Zeal Monachorum 3 588.24x
Barony 2 0.77x
Kensington London 2 1.13x
Pemberton 2 13.33x
Barking 1 5.46x
Berry Pomeroy 1 91.74x
Bishops Tawton 1 48.54x
Cardiff St John 1 5.55x
Carmarthen St Peter 1 8.76x
Clifton 1 3.18x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 6.62x
Heanton Punchardon 1 208.33x
Lanhydrock 1 500.00x
Lanlivery 1 66.23x
Mawgan In Meneage 1 107.53x
Mevagissey 1 41.84x
North Petherwyn 1 107.53x
Old Monkland 1 2.46x
Paddington London 1 0.86x
Plymouth Charles The 1 3.44x
Royal Navy 1 3.10x
Saltash 1 35.97x
Sherburn 1 34.84x
St Columb Major 1 33.56x
St Stephen In Brannel 1 30.58x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.17x
Twickenham 1 7.36x
Walmer 1 21.28x
Willesden 1 3.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 15
Ann 8
Emily 8
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Grace 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Flora 2
Harriet 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Brosi 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Elsinora 1
Elvira 1
Florence 1
H.L. 1
Henrietta 1
Issy 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Lois 1
Loveday 1
Mariah 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 19
James 10
Henry 8
Charles 7
Joseph 7
Samuel 7
George 6
Richard 5
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Thomas 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Josiah 2
Alfred 1
August 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Chas.H. 1
Christopher 1
Claleb 1
Ephraim 1
Fedrick 1
Fredrick 1
Hart 1
Hedley 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Jas.Yeo 1
Jonah 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Nicholas 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
W.H. 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Pedlar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pedlar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 324 people were recorded with the Pedlar surname. That placed it at #9,214 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pedlar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016. That gives Pedlar a modern rank of #15,673.

What does the Pedlar surname mean?

A surname referring to an itinerant vendor or traveling merchant.

What does the Pedlar map show?

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