NameCensus.

UK surname

Pendred

A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Pendre or Penbrey.

In the 1881 census there were 175 people recorded with the Pendred surname, ranking it #13,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #13,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rugby, Lewisham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, North East Lincolnshire and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pendred is 239 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.3%.

1881 census count

175

Ranked #13,982

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

1911

239 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pendred had 175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Pendred surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pendred surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pendred 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 132 #14,174
1861 historical 106 #20,147
1881 historical 175 #13,982
1891 historical 169 #16,885
1901 historical 200 #15,120
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 183 #18,642
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 169 #20,233
2000 modern 168 #20,252
2001 modern 166 #20,129
2002 modern 177 #19,759
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 167 #20,367
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 159 #21,148
2007 modern 159 #21,387
2008 modern 158 #21,690
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 148 #23,697
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Pendreds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rugby, Lewisham, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, North East Lincolnshire, East Northamptonshire, Tandridge and Harrow. 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 Rugby Warwickshire
2 Lewisham London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 014 Stroud
2 North East Lincolnshire 021 North East Lincolnshire
3 East Northamptonshire 004 East Northamptonshire
4 Tandridge 006 Tandridge
5 Harrow 007 Harrow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pendred

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pendred

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Pendred 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

Pendred is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pendred 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 Pendred 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pendred

The surname Pendred is believed to have originated in England, likely in the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name or toponymic reference, although its exact origins are uncertain.

One theory suggests that the name is derived from the Old English words "pyndan," meaning to pen or enclose, and "red," meaning a clearing or open space. This could indicate that Pendred originally referred to an enclosed clearing or a settlement within a forested area.

Another possible origin is from a combination of the Old English words "penn," meaning a hill or enclosure, and "red," meaning a reed or reedy place. This would suggest that the name originally described a person who lived near a reedy hill or enclosure.

While there are no definitive historical records linking the name to a specific place or individual, some early examples of the surname can be found in various records from the 13th century onwards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a Thomas de Pendred. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include a reference to a Richard Pendred.

In the 14th century, there are records of a John Pendred in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1371, and a Robert Pendred in the Poll Tax returns for Yorkshire in 1379.

A notable bearer of the name was Sir Richard Pendred, a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in the late 16th century, who was born around 1550 and died in 1614.

Another individual of historical significance was John Pendred, a prominent English mathematician and astronomer from the 17th century, born in 1620 and known for his contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, there was a William Pendred, a renowned architect from Gloucestershire, who designed several notable buildings, including St. Mary's Church in Cheltenham, born in 1725 and died in 1798.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Edward Pendred was a notable British naval officer and explorer, born in 1810. He is known for his expeditions to the Arctic regions and his contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Alice Pendred was a prominent suffragette and activist for women's rights, born in 1875 in London. She played a significant role in the campaign for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pendred families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pendred 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. Northamptonshire leads with 56 Pendreds recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.08x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 56 35.08x
Surrey 21 2.54x
Middlesex 16 0.94x
Bedfordshire 12 13.65x
Essex 11 3.28x
Huntingdonshire 11 32.64x
Suffolk 10 4.84x
Warwickshire 10 2.34x
Kent 8 1.38x
Lancashire 7 0.35x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.31x
Gloucestershire 2 0.60x
Hampshire 2 0.57x
Leicestershire 1 0.53x
Lincolnshire 1 0.37x
Norfolk 1 0.38x
Staffordshire 1 0.17x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Raunds in Northamptonshire leads with 16 Pendreds recorded in 1881 and an index of 981.60x.

Place Total Index
Raunds 16 981.60x
Reigate Foreign 14 156.42x
Mile End Old Town 11 41.06x
West Ham 11 14.87x
Wymington 11 3793.10x
Rugby 10 172.71x
Northampton All Sts 9 166.05x
Yardley Hastings 9 1323.53x
Bury St Edmunds St James 6 108.70x
Oldham 6 9.23x
St Neots 6 327.87x
Harlestone 5 1515.15x
Northampton Priory St 5 52.19x
Southoe 5 3125.00x
Streatham 5 39.71x
Swanscombe 5 192.31x
Aldeburgh 4 327.87x
Northampton St Giles 4 65.79x
Kings Cliffe 3 405.41x
Nottingham St Mary 3 5.07x
Woodnewton 3 1071.43x
Chipping Sodbury 2 322.58x
Lambeth 2 1.35x
Lewisham 2 6.48x
North Waltham 2 833.33x
St Pancras London 2 1.46x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 6.25x
Fincham 1 217.39x
Lee 1 11.89x
Leeds 1 1.05x
Poplar London 1 3.12x
Rushden 1 46.73x
Shefford Hardwick 1 3333.33x
Spratton 1 208.33x
St Andrew By Wardrobe 1 1000.00x
St Luke London 1 3.67x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 23.42x
Whitherley 1 333.33x
Wolverhampton 1 2.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 17
Mary 9
Elizabeth 6
Annie 4
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Amy 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Cariline 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Georgiana 1
Hariet 1
Isabel 1
Jemima 1
Leanora 1
Malinda 1
Maoni 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Minna 1
Naomi 1
Priscilla 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 8
Charles 7
Thomas 7
George 6
James 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Frank 2
Josiah 2
Vaughn 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Berthon 1
Bruce 1
Ebenezer 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Fredrick 1
Groom 1
Hamilton 1
Harry 1
Jeremiah 1
Joheph 1
Jonathon 1
Joseph 1
Loughnan 1
Morley 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Pendred surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pendred surname in 1881?

In 1881, 175 people were recorded with the Pendred surname. That placed it at #13,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pendred surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Pendred a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Pendred surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Pendre or Penbrey.

What does the Pendred map show?

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