NameCensus.

UK surname

Pickerill

A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Pickhill, Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 339 people recorded with the Pickerill surname, ranking it #8,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 443, ranked #10,921, down from #8,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Burslem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Dudley and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pickerill is 530 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.7%.

1881 census count

339

Ranked #8,948

Modern count

443

2016, ranked #10,921

Peak year

1998

530 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pickerill had 339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 443 in 2016, ranked #10,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 529 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Pickerill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pickerill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pickerill 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 159 #12,400
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 339 #8,948
1891 historical 390 #9,058
1901 historical 478 #8,329
1911 historical 529 #7,509
1997 modern 422 #10,571
1998 modern 530 #9,179
1999 modern 517 #9,427
2000 modern 516 #9,396
2001 modern 500 #9,464
2002 modern 496 #9,697
2003 modern 494 #9,572
2004 modern 486 #9,702
2005 modern 474 #9,826
2006 modern 482 #9,737
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 482 #9,913
2009 modern 479 #10,179
2010 modern 490 #10,211
2011 modern 500 #9,952
2012 modern 454 #10,588
2013 modern 462 #10,618
2014 modern 465 #10,628
2015 modern 462 #10,619
2016 modern 443 #10,921

Geography

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Where Pickerills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Burslem, Sutton Coldfield and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Dudley and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Burslem Staffordshire
4 Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle-under-Lyme 010 Newcastle-under-Lyme
2 Newcastle-under-Lyme 012 Newcastle-under-Lyme
3 Newcastle-under-Lyme 007 Newcastle-under-Lyme
4 Dudley 004 Dudley
5 Stoke-on-Trent 014 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pickerill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pickerill

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Pickerill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Pickerill 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pickerill 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

Pickerill is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pickerill 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 Pickerill 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 Pickerill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pickerill

The surname Pickerill has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "pic" and "hyll," which together mean "pick hill" or "peak hill." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or peak.

In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared as "Pickerell," "Pickerill," and "Pyckerell" in various medieval records and documents. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where it is listed as "Ricardus Pikerell."

The Pickerill surname has a strong association with the county of Derbyshire, particularly in the areas around Matlock and Bakewell. This connection is evident in the presence of several place names that incorporate the name, such as Pickerill Farm near Bakewell and Pickerill Hill in Matlock.

While the name does not appear in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, it is mentioned in other historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable individual was John Pickerill, a landowner from Derbyshire who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Pickerill surname have achieved recognition in various fields. These include:

1. Thomas Pickerill (1757-1831), an English industrialist and entrepreneur who established the Pickerill Iron and Coal Company in Derbyshire. 2. George Pickerill (1825-1892), a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 3. William Pickerill (1838-1907), an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. 4. Mary Pickerill (1870-1949), an American educator and suffragist who campaigned for women's voting rights in the early 20th century. 5. John Pickerill (1914-2002), a British military officer who served in World War II and later became a respected author and historian.

While the Pickerill surname may not be among the most common, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its English origins in the Middle Ages. The name's connection to specific locations and its appearance in historical records contribute to its unique legacy and significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pickerill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pickerill 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. Staffordshire leads with 163 Pickerills recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.60x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 163 14.60x
Lancashire 43 1.10x
Nottinghamshire 28 6.28x
Warwickshire 28 3.36x
Worcestershire 27 6.25x
Yorkshire 13 0.40x
Norfolk 8 1.57x
Glamorgan 7 1.22x
Herefordshire 5 3.69x
Shropshire 5 1.75x
Leicestershire 3 0.82x
Brecknockshire 2 3.02x
Cheshire 2 0.27x
Gloucestershire 2 0.31x
Lincolnshire 1 0.19x
Middlesex 1 0.03x
Surrey 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. Newcastle Under Lyme in Staffordshire leads with 44 Pickerills recorded in 1881 and an index of 222.78x.

Place Total Index
Newcastle Under Lyme 44 222.78x
Nottingham St Mary 26 22.55x
Oldbury 16 75.29x
Wolverhampton 16 18.64x
Sutton Coldfield 15 171.04x
Tipton 13 38.03x
Burslem 12 37.54x
Birmingham 11 3.96x
Sedgley 11 26.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 9.29x
Wednesfield 11 66.95x
Darlaston 10 64.81x
Dudley 9 17.14x
Farnworth 9 38.28x
Normanby In 8 91.32x
Barrow In Furness 7 13.12x
Blaenhonddan 7 261.19x
Cannock 7 35.93x
Droylsden 7 54.69x
Swaffham 7 169.08x
West Derby 7 6.10x
Wolstanton 7 20.65x
Manchester 6 3.40x
Norton In Moors 6 101.52x
Claverley 5 259.07x
Featherstone 5 135.87x
Hereford St Owen 5 111.61x
Keele 4 336.13x
Newton 3 9.92x
Norton Canes 3 73.71x
Reddish 3 55.56x
Walsall Foreign 3 5.20x
Aston 2 0.87x
Lenton 2 19.05x
Llanelly 2 25.28x
Macclesfield 2 6.17x
Oakthorpe Donsthorpe 2 204.08x
Shenstone 2 70.42x
Wednesbury 2 7.17x
Bushbury 1 50.00x
Croydon 1 1.12x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 6.55x
Kings Norton 1 2.58x
Loughborough 1 6.01x
Marshfield 1 57.80x
Pilkington 1 6.71x
St John Lincoln 1 175.44x
St Marylebone London 1 0.57x
Winchcomb 1 31.06x
Yardley 1 9.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 12
Ann 10
Jane 9
Hannah 8
Emma 7
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Harriett 5
Ada 4
Alice 4
Fanny 3
Margaret 3
Clara 2
Esther 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Amanda 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Azana 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Era 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
James 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lovena 1
Lucy 1
M.E. 1
Maud 1
Mercy 1
Pemelia 1
Pheobe 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1
Rosannah 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 23
James 15
George 12
Thomas 12
Henry 9
Joseph 8
Richard 6
Samuel 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Enoch 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Wm. 3
Abel 2
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Walter 2
Wm 2
Bowyer 1
Daniel 1
Elijah 1
Francis 1
Geo.Jnr. 1
Heny. 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Oliver 1
Stephen 1
Thorp 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Pickerill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pickerill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 339 people were recorded with the Pickerill surname. That placed it at #8,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pickerill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 443 in 2016. That gives Pickerill a modern rank of #10,921.

What does the Pickerill surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Pickhill, Yorkshire.

What does the Pickerill map show?

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