NameCensus.

UK surname

Pelc

An occupational surname of Polish origin, referring to a furrier or skinner.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fauldhouse, Pendle and Perth Road.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pelc is 143 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

2014

143 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Pelc surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pelc surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pelc 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
1997 modern 43 #33,361
1998 modern 44 #33,462
1999 modern 53 #32,746
2000 modern 54 #32,710
2001 modern 50 #32,957
2002 modern 49 #33,377
2003 modern 50 #33,362
2004 modern 52 #33,418
2005 modern 57 #33,178
2006 modern 74 #31,850
2007 modern 81 #31,408
2008 modern 78 #32,081
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Pelcs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fauldhouse, Pendle, Perth Road, Hambleton and Doncaster. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fauldhouse West Lothian
2 Pendle 002 Pendle
3 Perth Road Dundee City
4 Hambleton 008 Hambleton
5 Doncaster 023 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pelc

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pelc

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Pelc surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pelc household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Pelc 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

Pelc 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

Pelc 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 Pelc is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Pelc, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pelc

The surname PELC is of Polish origin, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "pelc," which means "thumb" or "little finger." The name was likely used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with a particularly distinctive thumb or little finger.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various medieval documents and records from the areas of Krakow and Lesser Poland. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Liber Beneficiorum, a 14th-century manuscript that documented ecclesiastical benefices and appointments in the Diocese of Krakow.

The PELC surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Jan Pelc, a wealthy merchant and landowner from the town of Kazimierz near Krakow, who lived in the late 15th century.

Another prominent figure with the PELC surname was Piotr Pelc (1563-1631), a Polish mathematician, astronomer, and professor at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. He made significant contributions to the development of mathematics and astronomy in Renaissance-era Poland.

In the 18th century, Michał Pelc (1720-1795) was a renowned Polish painter and engraver who specialized in religious subjects and portraits. His works can be found in many churches and museums throughout Poland.

During the 19th century, Ludwik Pelc (1838-1891) was a Polish writer and journalist who was active in the Polish independence movement. He wrote several novels and plays that explored themes of national identity and the struggle for freedom.

More recently, Jerzy Pelc (1924-2003) was a distinguished Polish semiotician, logician, and philosopher. He made significant contributions to the study of semiotics and the philosophy of language, and served as a professor at the University of Warsaw for many years.

The PELC surname has also been associated with several notable place names throughout Poland, such as the village of Pelcowa near Rzeszow and the Pelc Valley in the Tatra Mountains.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Pelc surname: questions and answers

How common is the Pelc surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Pelc a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Pelc surname mean?

An occupational surname of Polish origin, referring to a furrier or skinner.

What does the Pelc map show?

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