NameCensus.

UK surname

Penders

A surname derived from the Old French word "pendre," meaning "to hang," potentially referring to a hangman or executioner.

In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Penders surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, up from #30,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Maryhill East and Craigend and Ruchazie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Penders is 123 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 470.0%.

1881 census count

20

Ranked #30,738

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2010

123 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Penders had 20 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 54 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Penders surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Penders surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Penders 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 20 #30,738
1891 historical 49 #30,349
1901 historical 38 #29,914
1911 historical 27 #30,437
1997 modern 85 #28,988
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 97 #28,187
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 94 #28,246
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

Back to top

Where Penders' 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 St. Helens, Maryhill East, Craigend and Ruchazie and Milton East. 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 St. Helens 017 St. Helens
2 Maryhill East Glasgow City
3 Craigend and Ruchazie Glasgow City
4 St. Helens 011 St. Helens
5 Milton East Glasgow City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Penders

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Penders

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Penders 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

Penders is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Penders 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 Penders is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Penders

The surname Penders is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, where it emerged in the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "pender," which means a person who hangs or suspends things. This could refer to an occupation such as a rope-maker or a manufacturer of hanging objects.

The earliest recorded instances of the Penders name can be found in Dutch records from the late 1500s. The name appears to have been concentrated in the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg, where variations such as "Pender" and "Penders" were used interchangeably.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the name Penders was Jan Penders, a Dutch painter born in 1631 in Middelburg. He was known for his still-life works and portraits of wealthy patrons. Another early bearer of the name was Hendrik Penders, a merchant and alderman in the city of Breda, who lived from 1610 to 1678.

As the Dutch established colonies in various parts of the world, the Penders name spread to other regions. In the late 18th century, a Pieter Penders was recorded as a settler in the Dutch Cape Colony in South Africa. He was born in 1755 in Amsterdam and became a successful farmer in the Cape region.

In the 19th century, the Penders name can be found in records from the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Germany near the Dutch border. One notable individual was Josephus Penders, a Belgian priest and theologian who lived from 1834 to 1899. He was known for his writings on Catholic doctrine and philosophy.

Another significant figure was Pieter Penders, a Dutch architect who designed several notable buildings in the Netherlands during the late 19th century. He was born in 1845 in Eindhoven and is best known for his work on the St. Joseph's Church in Tilburg, which was completed in 1892.

While the Penders name has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration and the establishment of Dutch communities abroad.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Penders families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Penders 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. Lanarkshire leads with 5 Penders' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.93x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 5 7.93x
Cheshire 4 9.30x
Lancashire 4 1.73x
Middlesex 3 1.54x
Midlothian 2 7.66x
Oxfordshire 1 8.31x
Yorkshire 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birkenhead in Cheshire leads with 4 Penders' recorded in 1881 and an index of 116.62x.

Place Total Index
Birkenhead 4 116.62x
Liverpool 4 28.49x
New Monkland 4 215.05x
St Anne Soho London 3 270.27x
South Leith 2 68.03x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 142.86x
Fringford 1 3333.33x
Glasgow 1 8.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 2
Harriet 1
Marcella 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
James 2
Edward 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Penders households.

FAQ

Penders surname: questions and answers

How common was the Penders surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Penders surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Penders surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Penders a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Penders surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "pendre," meaning "to hang," potentially referring to a hangman or executioner.

What does the Penders map show?

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