NameCensus.

UK surname

Pendergast

From an English place name meaning "head of the oak tree," likely referring to a prominent or boundary oak.

In the 1881 census there were 397 people recorded with the Pendergast surname, ranking it #8,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 268, ranked #16,003, down from #8,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, London parishes and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Greenwich and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pendergast is 407 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.5%.

1881 census count

397

Ranked #8,010

Modern count

268

2016, ranked #16,003

Peak year

1901

407 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pendergast had 397 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016, ranked #16,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 407 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Pendergast surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pendergast surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pendergast 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 172 #13,619
1881 historical 397 #8,010
1891 historical 352 #9,781
1901 historical 407 #9,374
1911 historical 282 #11,915
1997 modern 237 #15,809
1998 modern 248 #15,772
1999 modern 238 #16,308
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 236 #16,094
2002 modern 242 #16,186
2003 modern 248 #15,695
2004 modern 238 #16,242
2005 modern 245 #15,857
2006 modern 242 #16,097
2007 modern 241 #16,341
2008 modern 251 #16,026
2009 modern 269 #15,589
2010 modern 286 #15,231
2011 modern 271 #15,708
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 250 #16,778
2014 modern 258 #16,554
2015 modern 262 #16,278
2016 modern 268 #16,003

Geography

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Where Pendergasts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, London parishes, Birstall, Wigan and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Greenwich, Great Yarmouth, Craigton and Hyndburn. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wigan Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 010 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Greenwich 032 Greenwich
3 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
4 Craigton Glasgow City
5 Hyndburn 003 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pendergast

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pendergast

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Pendergast surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pendergast household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pendergast is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pendergast 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

Pendergast falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pendergast is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pendergast

The surname Pendergast is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name "Pendered" and the suffix "gast" meaning "guest" or "stranger". The name was first recorded in the late 11th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pendergast". This suggests that the name was already established in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the Middle Ages, the Pendergasts were prominent landowners and nobles in the West Country of England. The name is associated with several place names in the region, such as Pendergast Manor in Cornwall and Pendergast Farm in Devon.

One notable figure with the surname Pendergast was Sir John Pendergast (c. 1370-1440), a Cornish knight who served as a Member of Parliament for Cornwall in 1404 and 1419. He was known for his military service during the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another prominent individual was Richard Pendergast (1562-1623), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Dean of Peterborough Cathedral from 1617 until his death.

In the 17th century, several members of the Pendergast family emigrated to the British colonies in North America, including Thomas Pendergast (1613-1678), who settled in Virginia in 1635.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname was Thomas Joseph Pendergast (1872-1945), a political boss who controlled Kansas City, Missouri, and the surrounding counties from the early 1920s to the late 1930s. He was known for his corruption and influence in local and national politics.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Pendergast (1911-1996), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Governor of Norfolk Island from 1965 to 1970.

Throughout its history, the surname Pendergast has been spelled in various ways, including Pendergast, Pendergast, Pendergress, and Pendergress, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling in different parts of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pendergast families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pendergast 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. Lancashire leads with 133 Pendergasts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.90x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 133 2.90x
Yorkshire 103 2.69x
Leicestershire 31 7.24x
Middlesex 22 0.57x
Cheshire 21 2.46x
Staffordshire 18 1.38x
Kent 15 1.14x
Shropshire 13 3.90x
Durham 9 0.78x
Devon 5 0.62x
Renfrewshire 4 1.34x
Surrey 4 0.21x
Lanarkshire 3 0.24x
Northumberland 3 0.52x
Worcestershire 3 0.59x
Essex 2 0.26x
Royal Navy 2 4.35x
Buteshire 1 4.27x
Channel Islands 1 0.87x
Dorset 1 0.39x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Lincolnshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Batley in Yorkshire leads with 46 Pendergasts recorded in 1881 and an index of 126.44x.

Place Total Index
Batley 46 126.44x
Leicester St Margaret 31 29.68x
Liverpool 22 7.90x
Gomersal 19 106.32x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 13.02x
Great Bolton 17 28.00x
Stockport 16 36.46x
Manchester 14 6.79x
Woolwich 14 28.75x
Heckmondwike 13 105.61x
Shrewsbury St Julian 13 157.39x
Wigan 10 15.61x
Altofts 9 213.27x
Framwellgate 9 132.16x
Paddington London 9 6.34x
Salford 8 5.93x
Stretford 8 31.72x
Little Bolton 6 10.18x
Toxteth Park 6 3.87x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.98x
Church 5 77.28x
Halliwell 5 29.98x
Heaton Norris 5 19.16x
Shipley 5 25.18x
Widnes 5 15.12x
Birkenhead 4 5.88x
West Derby 4 2.98x
West Greenock 4 7.44x
Aspull 3 27.83x
Axmouth 3 333.33x
Bury 3 5.73x
Glasgow 3 1.35x
Huddersfield 3 5.38x
Leeds 3 1.39x
Oldham 3 2.03x
Tynemouth 3 9.75x
Whittington 3 612.24x
Bishops Tawton 2 79.68x
Caterham 2 24.04x
Parr 2 12.20x
St Andrew Holborn 2 15.27x
St Martin In Fields 2 8.65x
St Marylebone London 2 0.97x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.00x
Chelsea London 1 0.86x
Croydon 1 0.96x
Crumpsall 1 9.26x
Eastoft 1 125.00x
Erith 1 7.70x
Farnborough 1 12.02x
Gorton 1 2.32x
Greasby 1 370.37x
Hook 1 11.88x
Hulme 1 1.04x
Hunsworth 1 49.75x
Kilmory 1 29.33x
Kirkdale 1 1.30x
Lambeth 1 0.30x
Portland 1 7.34x
Preston 1 47.39x
Preston 1 0.82x
Prestwich 1 8.74x
Redcar 1 32.89x
Royal Navy 1 2.54x
Sheffield 1 0.82x
South Shoebury 1 32.68x
South Weald 1 15.31x
St Helier 1 2.68x
Westminster St 1 7.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Ellen 17
Margaret 17
Catherine 15
Ann 9
Bridget 9
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 6
Annie 5
Maria 5
Susan 5
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Margret 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Agnes 1
Annette 1
Belinda 1
Caterine 1
Catharine 1
Cathrain 1
Cathrine 1
Celia 1
Dora 1
Elizth. 1
Fannie 1
Fanny 1
Honor 1
Isabella 1
Jesse 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Keaty 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Margeret 1
Mgt. 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
Thomas 29
James 23
Patrick 18
Michael 13
William 13
Joseph 4
Peter 4
Bartholomew 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Daniel 2
David 2
Dominick 2
George 2
Martin 2
Aaron 1
Adam 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Domimic 1
Enock 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gregory 1
Henry 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Josh. 1
Matthew 1
Nathaniel 1
R. 1
Ro. 1
Robert 1
Son 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pendergast surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pendergast surname in 1881?

In 1881, 397 people were recorded with the Pendergast surname. That placed it at #8,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pendergast surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016. That gives Pendergast a modern rank of #16,003.

What does the Pendergast surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "head of the oak tree," likely referring to a prominent or boundary oak.

What does the Pendergast map show?

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