NameCensus.

UK surname

Pickersgill

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "stream of the land of poor soil".

In the 1881 census there were 1,579 people recorded with the Pickersgill surname, ranking it #2,684 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,024, ranked #3,181, down from #2,684 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitkirk (Seacroft), Thorner (Shadwell), Halifax and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Leeds and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pickersgill is 2,269 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.2%.

1881 census count

1,579

Ranked #2,684

Modern count

2,024

2016, ranked #3,181

Peak year

2002

2,269 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pickersgill had 1,579 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,684 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,024 in 2016, ranked #3,181.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,021 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Pickersgill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pickersgill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pickersgill 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 969 #2,877
1861 historical 901 #3,076
1881 historical 1,579 #2,684
1891 historical 1,649 #2,721
1901 historical 1,913 #2,759
1911 historical 2,021 #2,465
1997 modern 2,182 #2,840
1998 modern 2,262 #2,852
1999 modern 2,250 #2,878
2000 modern 2,258 #2,862
2001 modern 2,199 #2,873
2002 modern 2,269 #2,844
2003 modern 2,186 #2,880
2004 modern 2,162 #2,914
2005 modern 2,075 #2,977
2006 modern 2,039 #3,032
2007 modern 2,063 #3,033
2008 modern 2,048 #3,087
2009 modern 2,098 #3,084
2010 modern 2,128 #3,110
2011 modern 2,084 #3,128
2012 modern 2,038 #3,143
2013 modern 2,083 #3,134
2014 modern 2,071 #3,172
2015 modern 2,039 #3,177
2016 modern 2,024 #3,181

Geography

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Where Pickersgills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitkirk (Seacroft), Thorner (Shadwell), Halifax, Batley, Wakefield and Methley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Leeds, Harrogate and Wakefield. 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 Whitkirk (Seacroft), Thorner (Shadwell) Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Methley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire
2 Leeds 057 Leeds
3 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
4 Wakefield 002 Wakefield
5 Leeds 088 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pickersgill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pickersgill

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Pickersgill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pickersgill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pickersgill 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

Pickersgill is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pickersgill 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 Pickersgill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pickersgill

The surname PICKERSGILL has its origins in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged in the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "pighte," meaning a small piece of enclosed land, and "gille," a ravine or wooded glen. It was likely originally a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked on a small enclosed plot of land near a ravine or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a Robert Pykergill is listed. The name appears with various spellings in medieval records, such as Pickeregill, Pykergyll, and Pykergyll.

In the 16th century, records show a Robert Pickersgill born in 1540 in Yorkshire, indicating the surname had solidified into its modern spelling by that time. Another notable early bearer of the name was Richard Pickersgill, born in 1612 in Lancashire, whose will is recorded in the parish records of Bury.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname spread beyond its northern English origins as families migrated to other parts of the country. One prominent individual was William Pickersgill, a successful merchant and ship owner born in 1677 in Hull, Yorkshire, who amassed a considerable fortune through maritime trade.

In the 19th century, Henry William Pickersgill (1782-1875) was a renowned English painter known for his portraits of notable figures such as Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. Another bearer of the name was Richard Pickersgill (1795-1857), an English naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a renowned maritime artist.

Other notable individuals with the surname include John Pickersgill (1825-1888), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament, and Robert Pickersgill (1891-1968), a Canadian politician and cabinet minister who served as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in the 1950s.

While the surname PICKERSGILL has its roots in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, it has since spread across the English-speaking world, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pickersgill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pickersgill 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,100 Pickersgills recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.23x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,100 7.23x
Lancashire 142 0.78x
Durham 74 1.62x
Lincolnshire 70 2.85x
Middlesex 56 0.36x
Surrey 24 0.32x
Cheshire 19 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.92x
Staffordshire 17 0.33x
Warwickshire 11 0.28x
Derbyshire 7 0.29x
Cumberland 5 0.38x
Sussex 5 0.19x
Kent 4 0.08x
Northumberland 4 0.18x
Westmorland 4 1.19x
Hampshire 3 0.10x
Berkshire 2 0.17x
Merionethshire 2 0.71x
Norfolk 2 0.08x
Bedfordshire 1 0.13x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Devon 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 170 Pickersgills recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.79x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 170 19.79x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 67 123.28x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 45 81.45x
Seacroft 37 513.18x
Methley 32 149.39x
Bradford 31 8.42x
Ripon 31 87.82x
Batley 24 16.60x
Lambeth 24 1.79x
Northowram 24 22.50x
Barwick In Elmet 23 197.26x
Everton 18 3.10x
Fulham London 18 8.08x
Azerley 17 469.61x
Knottingley 17 63.58x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 17 24.05x
Soothill 16 29.11x
Darlington 15 8.51x
Huddersfield 15 6.77x
Monk Bretton 15 97.40x
Pontefract 15 45.76x
Headingley Cum Burley 14 14.29x
Hudswell 14 1458.33x
Masham 14 248.67x
Blackburn 13 2.68x
Hunslet 13 5.48x
Pinchbeck 13 82.59x
Southwick 13 30.05x
East Ardsley 12 91.05x
Kippax 12 89.69x
Rothwell 12 39.05x
Salford 12 2.24x
Stockton On Tees 12 5.45x
Todmorden Walsden 12 24.59x
Carlton In Lindrick 11 200.00x
Croft 11 390.07x
Dewsbury 11 7.05x
Gateshead 11 3.22x
Great Bolton 11 4.56x
Over Darwen 11 7.56x
Hipswell 10 704.23x
Holy Trinity 10 2.73x
Little Bolton 10 4.27x
Normanton 10 21.87x
Swineshead 10 123.92x
Dalton In Richmond 9 810.81x
Dalton In Thirsk 9 687.02x
Eccleshill 9 24.30x
Hatfield In Thorne 9 94.84x
Hipperholme Cum 9 13.46x
Knaresborough 9 37.66x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 9 48.54x
Monks Coppenhall 9 7.04x
Sowerby In Thirsk 9 98.25x
Toxteth Park 9 1.46x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 8 15.37x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.68x
Castleford 8 14.44x
Cheadle 8 12.36x
Ellenthorpe Humburton 8 1111.11x
Middlesbrough 8 4.04x
Parr 8 12.27x
Thirsk 8 45.58x
Whitby 8 15.60x
Winteringham 8 226.63x
Withington 8 13.63x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.05x
Birmingham 7 0.54x
Bishopwearmouth 7 1.79x
Brampton Bierlow 7 35.93x
Easingwold 7 65.18x
Sculcoates 7 2.90x
Spotland 7 3.46x
St Marylebone London 7 0.85x
Winterton 7 83.04x
Byers Green 6 46.55x
Farnley In Bramley 6 31.60x
Gainsborough 6 10.37x
Manchester 6 0.73x
Wortley In Bramley 6 4.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 135
Elizabeth 72
Sarah 70
Jane 39
Annie 33
Ann 32
Eliza 30
Hannah 27
Alice 24
Emma 23
Ellen 22
Martha 22
Emily 16
Harriet 15
Ada 12
Florence 12
Margaret 10
Caroline 8
Charlotte 8
Edith 8
Maria 8
Kate 7
Esther 6
Louisa 6
Susan 6
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Clara 5
Lily 5
Beatrice 4
Betsy 4
Elizth. 4
Frances 4
Harriett 4
Polly 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Bertha 3
Fanny 3
Francis 3
Isabella 3
Lizzie 3
Matilda 3
Rachel 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
E. 2
Lillian 2
M. 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 94
William 77
George 63
Thomas 48
Joseph 37
James 31
Henry 30
Charles 25
Richard 19
Samuel 19
Arthur 18
Alfred 17
Robert 15
Fred 13
Walter 12
Albert 11
Frederick 11
Herbert 10
Benjamin 8
Harry 8
Thos. 8
Wm. 8
Christopher 7
Edward 7
Frank 6
Francis 5
Geo. 5
Tom 5
Amos 4
David 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Miles 4
Willie 4
Benjn. 3
Earnest 3
Hanley 3
Harrison 3
Isaac 3
Joshua 3
Simon 3
Daniel 2
Jno. 2
Michael 2
Reuben 2
Sam 2
Simeon 2
Vincent 2
Enos 1
Ezra 1

FAQ

Pickersgill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pickersgill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,579 people were recorded with the Pickersgill surname. That placed it at #2,684 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pickersgill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,024 in 2016. That gives Pickersgill a modern rank of #3,181.

What does the Pickersgill surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "stream of the land of poor soil".

What does the Pickersgill map show?

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