NameCensus.

UK surname

Pedler

A surname derived from the occupation of a door-to-door trader or peddler.

In the 1881 census there were 276 people recorded with the Pedler surname, ranking it #10,305 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #10,305 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Sheffield and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pedler is 350 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.6%.

1881 census count

276

Ranked #10,305

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

1911

350 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pedler had 276 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,305 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 350 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pedler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pedler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pedler 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 248 #8,840
1861 historical 228 #10,703
1881 historical 276 #10,305
1891 historical 289 #11,425
1901 historical 296 #11,749
1911 historical 350 #10,262
1997 modern 214 #16,893
1998 modern 230 #16,607
1999 modern 221 #17,126
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 205 #17,683
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 210 #17,559
2004 modern 208 #17,758
2005 modern 193 #18,572
2006 modern 197 #18,465
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 190 #19,246
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 200 #19,457
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 192 #20,067
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 201 #19,494
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Pedlers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, Bideford and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, Sheffield, Blackpool and Cornwall. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
4 Bideford Devon
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 039 Cardiff
2 Cardiff 045 Cardiff
3 Sheffield 008 Sheffield
4 Blackpool 014 Blackpool
5 Cornwall 044 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pedler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pedler

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pedler 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

Pedler is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Pedler

The surname Pedler originated in England in the 14th century. It derives from the Old English word 'pedder' or 'pedlere', meaning a traveling merchant or peddler who carried goods for sale. The name is an occupational surname given to those who were engaged in this trade.

In the medieval period, peddlers were an important part of the economy, traveling from town to town selling wares and goods. The Pedler surname would have been adopted by families whose ancestors were peddlers. It is likely that the name first arose in areas where this occupation was common, such as market towns or trading centers.

One of the earliest records of the Pedler surname can be found in the Essex Feet of Fines from 1384, which mentions a John Pedlere. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which lists a Robert Pedlere.

The Pedler surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, although the spelling varies slightly, appearing as 'Peddere' or 'Pedere'. This suggests that the name has its origins in the late 11th century or earlier.

Over time, the surname evolved to take on various spellings, including Pedlar, Peddler, and Pedler. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include John Pedler, who was born in Somerset in 1515, and William Pedler, born in Devon in 1585.

Notable individuals with the Pedler surname include Jessie Pedler (1865-1926), an English novelist and playwright, and Sir Arnold Pedler (1865-1948), a British businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London from 1928 to 1929.

Another prominent figure was Edward Pedler (1807-1886), a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas. Additionally, there was Frederic Pedler (1853-1917), a British painter and etcher known for his landscapes and maritime scenes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pedler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pedler 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. Devon leads with 107 Pedlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.16x.

County Total Index
Devon 107 19.16x
Middlesex 34 1.27x
Glamorgan 25 5.35x
Gloucestershire 25 4.75x
Lancashire 20 0.63x
Yorkshire 12 0.45x
Kent 11 1.20x
Lanarkshire 8 0.92x
Staffordshire 5 0.55x
Surrey 5 0.38x
Durham 4 0.50x
Essex 4 0.76x
Somerset 4 0.93x
Cornwall 3 0.99x
Hampshire 3 0.55x
Dorset 2 1.14x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.88x
Herefordshire 1 0.91x
Isle of Man 1 2.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 14 Pedlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.19x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 14 14.19x
Barnstaple 11 125.57x
Cardiff St John 11 72.08x
Sampford Peverell 11 1864.41x
Newton Abbot St Mary 10 213.68x
Bideford 9 150.50x
Sheffield 9 10.64x
High Bickington 8 1269.84x
Maryhill 8 47.11x
Roath 8 37.72x
Bristol St George 7 28.77x
Gillingham 7 37.10x
Lancaster 7 36.96x
Westbury On Trym 7 39.28x
East Stonehouse 6 54.55x
Halberton 6 461.54x
Liverpool 6 3.10x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 13.37x
Zeal Monachorum 6 1395.35x
Camberwell 5 2.92x
Instow 5 833.33x
Islington London 5 1.92x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 11.63x
St Luke London 5 11.62x
Kirkdale 4 7.47x
Minchinhampton 4 95.47x
Stockton On Tees 4 10.40x
Wolverhampton 4 5.75x
Woodford 4 66.78x
Bishops Tawton 3 172.41x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 6.06x
Clifton 3 11.28x
Clovelly 3 410.96x
Gravesend 3 38.71x
Heanton Punchardon 3 731.71x
Northam 3 73.71x
St Pancras London 3 1.39x
Stoke Damerel 3 7.68x
Wellington 3 51.28x
Chittlehampton 2 144.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.95x
Exeter St Sidwell 2 15.64x
Lymington 2 49.51x
Manningham 2 6.11x
Mile End Old Town 2 4.72x
Sherborne 2 38.54x
Swimbridge 2 176.99x
Tiverton 2 20.79x
Westminster St 2 20.22x
Allensmore 1 188.68x
Bathwick 1 20.92x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.86x
Bodmin 1 19.92x
Chatham 1 3.97x
Everton 1 0.99x
Exeter Heavitree 1 24.04x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 45.66x
Frithelstock 1 192.31x
Hackney London 1 0.66x
Horfield 1 18.90x
Ilfracombe 1 17.39x
Kenarth 1 63.69x
Kingsbridge 1 71.43x
Merther 1 434.78x
Northwood 1 12.77x
Onchan 1 6.97x
Paignton 1 23.53x
Plymouth Charles The 1 4.07x
Ripley 1 344.83x
St George Martyr 1 22.12x
St Thomas Apostle 1 106.38x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 9
Emma 7
Eliza 6
Ann 5
Emily 5
Louisa 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Florence 4
Lucy 4
Annie 3
Edith 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Caroline 2
Elizebeth 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Nelly 2
Rebecca 2
Arabella 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Edna 1
Elizth. 1
Ellan 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Jestina 1
Julia 1
Katherian 1
Matilda 1
Rachel 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 14
George 12
Henry 10
Thomas 9
Charles 8
Richard 8
James 6
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Herbert 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alice 1
Billy 1
Cornelius 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.W. 1
Horice 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
O.P. 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Septimas 1
Trevor 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm 1

FAQ

Pedler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pedler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 276 people were recorded with the Pedler surname. That placed it at #10,305 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pedler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Pedler a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Pedler surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of a door-to-door trader or peddler.

What does the Pedler map show?

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