NameCensus.

UK surname

Pennant

A surname derived from the Old French word "pennon", meaning a long streamer or flag.

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Pennant surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 342, ranked #13,398, up from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denbighshire, Birmingham and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pennant is 367 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 327.5%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

342

2016, ranked #13,398

Peak year

2010

367 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pennant had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016, ranked #13,398.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 96 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Pennant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pennant surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pennant 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 96 #24,559
1901 historical 79 #25,363
1911 historical 57 #27,099
1997 modern 241 #15,638
1998 modern 274 #14,759
1999 modern 291 #14,234
2000 modern 297 #14,008
2001 modern 285 #14,191
2002 modern 298 #14,048
2003 modern 292 #14,065
2004 modern 286 #14,312
2005 modern 295 #13,972
2006 modern 316 #13,402
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 326 #13,374
2009 modern 346 #13,075
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 347 #13,167
2012 modern 331 #13,538
2013 modern 337 #13,537
2014 modern 339 #13,581
2015 modern 340 #13,455
2016 modern 342 #13,398

Geography

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Where Pennants 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 Denbighshire, Birmingham, Wandsworth and Oxford. 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 Denbighshire 008 Denbighshire
2 Birmingham 031 Birmingham
3 Wandsworth 037 Wandsworth
4 Birmingham 035 Birmingham
5 Oxford 016 Oxford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pennant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pennant

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Pennant surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Pennant 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pennant 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

Pennant 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

Pennant 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 Pennant 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Pennant

The surname PENNANT is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "penon," which referred to a small triangular flag or banner carried on a lance or spear. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who made or carried such banners, perhaps a military standard-bearer or a herald.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations in spelling such as "Pennon," "Penon," and "Pynon." One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a person named Robert Penon.

In the 14th century, the name PENNANT is documented in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a Richard Penon. The Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1346 also mention a John Pynon.

One notable figure bearing the PENNANT surname was Thomas Pennant, a renowned Welsh naturalist, traveler, and writer born in 1726. He is best known for his works on British zoology, including "British Zoology" (1766) and "Arctic Zoology" (1784-1787). Thomas Pennant played a significant role in the early study and documentation of British wildlife.

Another individual of note was William George Pennant, born in 1800, who was a British naval officer and served as the Governor of the Falkland Islands from 1841 to 1849. He played a crucial role in establishing British sovereignty over the islands during a period of territorial disputes with Argentina.

In the 18th century, the name PENNANT was also associated with the Pennant family of Downing, Flintshire, a prominent Welsh landowning family. Notable members included Thomas Pennant (1693-1768), who served as the High Sheriff of Flintshire, and his son Richard Pennant (1737-1808), who was a politician and the Governor of the British East India Company's settlements in Bengal.

The PENNANT surname has also been linked to various place names in England and Wales, such as Pennant Melangell in Powys, Wales, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in certain regions.

Throughout history, the PENNANT surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including naturalists, military personnel, politicians, and landowners, reflecting the diverse origins and associations of this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pennant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pennant 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 14 Pennants recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.08x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 14 19.08x
Lancashire 13 1.40x
Middlesex 10 1.28x
Cheshire 9 5.23x
Shetland 9 112.92x
Flintshire 6 28.60x
Glamorgan 6 4.42x
Pembrokeshire 6 24.19x
Aberdeenshire 2 2.77x
Midlothian 2 1.91x
Essex 1 0.65x
Gloucestershire 1 0.65x
Kent 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wicken in Northamptonshire leads with 14 Pennants recorded in 1881 and an index of 12727.27x.

Place Total Index
Wicken 14 12727.27x
Unst 9 1551.72x
Dymeirchion 6 3529.41x
Everton 6 20.33x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 6 303.03x
Llantrisant 5 146.20x
St Botolph Aldgate 4 373.83x
Little Stanney 3 7500.00x
Rosemarket 3 3333.33x
St George Hanover 3 29.44x
Hammersmith London 2 10.41x
Lydiate 2 689.66x
Mathry 2 952.38x
Peterhead 2 52.36x
Toxteth Park 2 6.38x
Blackburn 1 4.06x
Burnley 1 12.82x
Cirencester 1 48.31x
Dover St James 1 85.47x
Edinburgh St Andrews 1 116.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.38x
Llanwnda 1 370.37x
Romford 1 41.15x
St Luke London 1 7.99x
Stretford 1 19.65x
Swansea Town 1 8.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Isabella 2
Adelaide 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Gwynedd 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Ina 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Kathleen 1
Lilian 1
Martha 1
Muriele 1
Phebe 1
Rachel 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

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 Pennant households.

FAQ

Pennant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pennant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Pennant surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pennant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016. That gives Pennant a modern rank of #13,398.

What does the Pennant surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "pennon", meaning a long streamer or flag.

What does the Pennant map show?

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