NameCensus.

UK surname

Pheasant

A surname derived from the Old English word for the game bird.

In the 1881 census there were 319 people recorded with the Pheasant surname, ranking it #9,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 354, ranked #13,054, down from #9,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Barnwell St Andrew and Wednesbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Isle of Wight and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pheasant is 387 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.0%.

1881 census count

319

Ranked #9,326

Modern count

354

2016, ranked #13,054

Peak year

2003

387 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pheasant had 319 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 354 in 2016, ranked #13,054.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 367 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pheasant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pheasant surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pheasant 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 216 #11,273
1881 historical 319 #9,326
1891 historical 331 #10,277
1901 historical 367 #10,076
1911 historical 356 #10,148
1997 modern 379 #11,447
1998 modern 386 #11,668
1999 modern 386 #11,740
2000 modern 377 #11,903
2001 modern 364 #12,033
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 387 #11,523
2004 modern 377 #11,776
2005 modern 364 #12,008
2006 modern 352 #12,396
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 347 #13,044
2010 modern 380 #12,462
2011 modern 362 #12,773
2012 modern 359 #12,698
2013 modern 370 #12,626
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 358 #12,942
2016 modern 354 #13,054

Geography

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Where Pheasants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Barnwell St Andrew, Wednesbury and Tring. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Isle of Wight, East Northamptonshire and West Lancashire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Barnwell St Andrew Northamptonshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Tring Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
3 East Northamptonshire 006 East Northamptonshire
4 West Lancashire 009 West Lancashire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pheasant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pheasant

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Pheasant surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pheasant 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pheasant 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

Pheasant is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pheasant falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pheasant 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 Pheasant, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pheasant

The surname Pheasant is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is an occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "fesaunt," which was derived from the Old French "feisant" and ultimately from the Latin word "phasianus." These terms referred to the pheasant bird, which was highly prized in medieval Europe for its meat and plumage.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Pheasant can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Richard le Fesaunt in County Somerset. Similarly, the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John Fesaunt in County Cambridgeshire.

The surname Pheasant was likely initially given to individuals who were responsible for breeding, hunting, or selling pheasants. It may also have been used as a nickname for someone who had a particular fondness for or association with these birds. Over time, the name became hereditary and was passed down through families.

One notable early bearer of the surname was William Pheasant, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Shoreham in 1395. Another historical figure was John Pheasant, who served as the Mayor of Coventry in 1515.

In the 16th century, variations of the spelling included Fesaunt, Feysaunt, and Feysant. During this period, the surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire.

Other notable individuals with the surname Pheasant include:

1. Thomas Pheasant (c. 1592-1667), an English clergyman and author from Lincolnshire. 2. Robert Pheasant (1698-1766), a British artist and engraver known for his portraits and landscapes. 3. Mary Pheasant (1738-1808), a philanthropist from Gloucestershire who founded several schools and charitable organizations. 4. William Pheasant (1790-1857), a British architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London. 5. James Pheasant (1822-1899), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pheasant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pheasant 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. Middlesex leads with 43 Pheasants recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 43 1.38x
Staffordshire 38 3.62x
Northamptonshire 29 9.91x
Surrey 26 1.71x
Yorkshire 25 0.81x
Derbyshire 21 4.31x
Lincolnshire 21 4.22x
Hertfordshire 19 8.86x
Buckinghamshire 16 8.51x
Bedfordshire 10 6.21x
Kent 10 0.94x
Warwickshire 10 1.27x
Herefordshire 9 7.05x
Norfolk 9 1.88x
Lancashire 8 0.22x
Oxfordshire 8 4.16x
Shropshire 7 2.60x
Leicestershire 3 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.72x
Worcestershire 2 0.49x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Gloucestershire 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. Tring in Hertfordshire leads with 17 Pheasants recorded in 1881 and an index of 296.68x.

Place Total Index
Tring 17 296.68x
Barnwell St Andrew 13 4814.81x
Camberwell 13 6.54x
Wednesbury 12 45.71x
Tamworth 11 195.73x
Sutton Coldfield 10 121.21x
Ilkeston 9 65.89x
Cheddington 8 1012.66x
Crowle 8 264.03x
Oxford St Giles 8 87.24x
Deptford St Paul 7 8.55x
St Marylebone London 7 4.21x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 7.43x
Billington 6 1333.33x
Hackney London 6 3.44x
Howden 6 285.71x
Stanton Lacy 6 258.62x
Hammerwich 5 335.57x
Holy Trinity 5 6.74x
Lingen 5 1612.90x
Rotherhithe 5 13.01x
St Benedict Lincoln 5 746.27x
Swaffham 5 128.53x
Tansor 5 1851.85x
Threckingham 5 3333.33x
Holy Trinity Less 4 597.01x
Kensington London 4 2.31x
Paddington London 4 3.50x
Shenstone 4 149.81x
Simpson 4 506.33x
Barton In Clay 3 265.49x
Bulwell 3 32.89x
Caythorpe 3 312.50x
Derby St Alkmund 3 20.55x
Hammersmith London 3 3.91x
Irthlingborough 3 104.53x
Litchurch 3 15.31x
Liversedge 3 21.85x
Newington 3 2.61x
Newton Blossomville 3 1071.43x
Peterborough 3 14.16x
St Bartholomew Great 3 106.01x
St Luke London 3 6.01x
St Pancras London 3 1.20x
Stanton By Dale 3 454.55x
Tichmarsh 3 303.03x
Aymestrey 2 289.86x
Battersea 2 1.75x
Berkhampstead 2 41.49x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.31x
Burton Extra 2 33.22x
Castle Donnington 2 69.93x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 23.75x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 13.93x
Manthorpe Cum Little 2 52.63x
North Kyme 2 270.27x
Shoreditch London 2 1.48x
Walsall Foreign 2 3.69x
Warmington 2 273.97x
Bradford 1 1.34x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.07x
Chiddingfold 1 70.42x
Clifton 1 3.24x
Crumpsall 1 11.49x
Folkingham 1 163.93x
Frenze 1 1250.00x
Fulbeck 1 144.93x
Great Malvern 1 11.79x
Kingsland 1 88.50x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.75x
Lee 1 6.49x
Leighton Buzzard 1 14.43x
Morton 1 106.38x
Rowley Regis 1 3.42x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 15.04x
Skillington 1 238.10x
Southwark Christchurch 1 6.86x
Ticknall 1 100.00x
West Derby 1 0.93x
Worcester St Nicholas 1 52.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 18
Emma 10
Annie 6
Ann 5
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Jane 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Ruth 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Margaret 2
Amie 1
Amy 1
Angelina 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Elizh. 1
Ellenor 1
Emely 1
Ethel 1
Eugenie 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Gurtrude 1
Harriett 1
Katey 1
Leah 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mimia 1
Mira 1
Phebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rosoamond 1
Zilpha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 21
James 15
Thomas 10
George 9
Joseph 8
Richard 8
Frederick 6
Henry 6
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Edward 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Martin 2
Thos. 2
Auther 1
Chapman 1
Chas. 1
Edmond 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
J. 1
Job 1
Joel 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Percy 1
Reubin 1
Thodnas 1
Thos.A. 1
Tom 1
W.H. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pheasant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pheasant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 319 people were recorded with the Pheasant surname. That placed it at #9,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pheasant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 354 in 2016. That gives Pheasant a modern rank of #13,054.

What does the Pheasant surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for the game bird.

What does the Pheasant map show?

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