NameCensus.

UK surname

Pickett

An occupational surname for someone who lived near a pointed hill or worked as a maker of picks or spears.

In the 1881 census there were 2,399 people recorded with the Pickett surname, ranking it #1,859 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,613, ranked #1,877, down from #1,859 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pickett is 4,115 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.6%.

1881 census count

2,399

Ranked #1,859

Modern count

3,613

2016, ranked #1,877

Peak year

1999

4,115 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pickett had 2,399 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,859 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,613 in 2016, ranked #1,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,620 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Pickett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pickett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pickett 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 1,437 #2,000
1861 historical 1,365 #2,101
1881 historical 2,399 #1,859
1891 historical 2,641 #1,805
1901 historical 3,376 #1,650
1911 historical 3,620 #1,442
1997 modern 3,962 #1,637
1998 modern 4,106 #1,644
1999 modern 4,115 #1,649
2000 modern 4,002 #1,689
2001 modern 3,901 #1,696
2002 modern 3,972 #1,699
2003 modern 3,857 #1,724
2004 modern 3,862 #1,721
2005 modern 3,786 #1,727
2006 modern 3,750 #1,751
2007 modern 3,743 #1,765
2008 modern 3,733 #1,777
2009 modern 3,775 #1,805
2010 modern 3,832 #1,813
2011 modern 3,798 #1,805
2012 modern 3,677 #1,834
2013 modern 3,673 #1,868
2014 modern 3,704 #1,863
2015 modern 3,625 #1,877
2016 modern 3,613 #1,877

Geography

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Where Picketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley and Forest of Dean. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 017 Dudley
2 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
3 Dudley 023 Dudley
4 Dudley 016 Dudley
5 Dudley 013 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pickett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pickett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pickett, 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 Pickett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pickett 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pickett 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

Pickett is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pickett falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pickett

The surname Pickett is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 11th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "pic," which means a sharp point or pick, and the diminutive suffix "-ett." It was likely an occupational name for someone who worked with a pick or pickaxe, perhaps in mining or construction.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pickett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pichet." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name was spelled in various ways, including "Piket," "Pyket," and "Pykett." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

The Pickett surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Pickett's Cross in Shropshire and Pickett's Hill in Hertfordshire. These place names may have been derived from the surname or vice versa.

One notable bearer of the Pickett surname was Sir John Pickett (c. 1555-1616), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Pickett (1758-1838), an American military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

George Edward Pickett (1825-1875) was a famous Confederate general during the American Civil War, best known for leading the ill-fated Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. This charge, which resulted in devastating losses for the Confederate forces, is considered one of the turning points of the war.

William Pickett (1870-1932) was a renowned American rodeo cowboy and one of the most famous individuals to bear the Pickett surname. He is credited with inventing the rodeo event known as "bulldogging," which involves wrestling a steer to the ground.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Digby Pickett (1857-1915), a British civil servant and colonial administrator who served as the Chief Secretary of Malta and the Governor of Hong Kong in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pickett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pickett 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 512 Picketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.18x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 512 2.18x
Surrey 311 2.72x
Wiltshire 215 10.35x
Kent 132 1.65x
Hampshire 107 2.22x
Berkshire 106 6.01x
Lancashire 104 0.37x
Gloucestershire 103 2.24x
Essex 92 1.98x
Sussex 85 2.15x
Hertfordshire 74 4.57x
Oxfordshire 64 4.41x
Lincolnshire 61 1.62x
Warwickshire 58 0.98x
Yorkshire 42 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 37 2.61x
Devon 31 0.63x
Somerset 25 0.66x
Glamorgan 24 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 24 0.76x
Northumberland 23 0.66x
Staffordshire 21 0.27x
Lanarkshire 18 0.24x
Norfolk 18 0.50x
Dorset 12 0.78x
Suffolk 12 0.42x
Bedfordshire 9 0.74x
Renfrewshire 9 0.49x
Shropshire 9 0.44x
Durham 8 0.11x
Isle of Man 8 1.83x
Northamptonshire 8 0.36x
Worcestershire 7 0.23x
Derbyshire 6 0.16x
Cornwall 5 0.19x
Cheshire 4 0.08x
Perthshire 4 0.38x
Leicestershire 3 0.12x
Midlothian 3 0.10x
Royal Navy 3 1.07x
Westmorland 2 0.39x
Anglesey 1 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.14x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.16x
Merionethshire 1 0.23x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wroughton in Wiltshire leads with 65 Picketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 361.31x.

Place Total Index
Wroughton 65 361.31x
Islington London 54 2.37x
Shoreditch London 43 4.22x
Bethnal Green London 38 3.73x
Camberwell 35 2.33x
St Pancras London 31 1.64x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 30 6.92x
Swindon 30 18.63x
Ashwell 28 220.30x
Chelsea London 28 3.96x
Lambeth 27 1.32x
Birmingham 25 1.27x
Egham 25 35.59x
Kensington London 24 1.84x
Mile End Old Town 24 6.48x
Barking 23 16.96x
Paddington London 23 2.66x
Lewisham 22 5.15x
Brighton 21 2.63x
Horsham 20 26.01x
Reading St Mary 20 14.17x
Hampstead London 19 5.20x
Newington 19 2.19x
Southwark St George Martyr 19 4.02x
Liverpool 18 1.06x
Enfield 17 11.03x
Hawley 16 176.41x
Llansamlet Lower 16 43.23x
Rotherhithe 16 5.52x
Stoke D Abernon 16 480.48x
Bermondsey 15 2.15x
Clerkenwell London 15 2.71x
Edmonton 15 7.93x
Kingston On Thames 15 5.46x
Tonbridge 15 5.19x
Witney 15 61.86x
Aldershot 14 8.68x
Aston 14 0.86x
Fulham London 14 4.11x
Govan 14 0.75x
Limehouse London 14 5.43x
Poplar London 14 3.16x
St Luke London 14 3.72x
Sibsey 13 153.66x
St George In East 13 8.14x
Ware 13 28.02x
Windle 13 8.29x
Bexley 12 16.94x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.94x
Leeds 12 0.91x
Southampton St Mary 12 3.97x
Southleigh 12 413.79x
Alton 11 30.33x
Millbrook 11 9.08x
Plumstead 11 4.12x
Berwick Bassett 10 925.93x
Guildford St Mary 10 71.07x
Hackney London 10 0.76x
Leatherhead 10 34.90x
West Ham 10 0.98x
Westerham 10 54.11x
Wokingham 10 24.86x
Bromley London 9 1.74x
Chertsey 9 12.17x
Dover St Mary Virgin 9 11.61x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 6.43x
Ensham 9 119.84x
Hughenden 9 62.11x
Manchester 9 0.72x
Salisbury St Martin 9 41.65x
Tidenham Beachley 9 180.72x
Walcot 9 4.47x
West Shefford 9 230.77x
Battersea 8 0.93x
Bramley 8 79.37x
Milford 8 71.94x
North Thoresby 8 132.45x
Ramsbury 8 42.53x
St Marylebone London 8 0.64x
Toxteth Park 8 0.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 133
Elizabeth 108
Sarah 60
Eliza 43
Emily 43
Ann 42
Ellen 39
Jane 39
Annie 32
Alice 31
Emma 31
Martha 28
Edith 27
Louisa 24
Charlotte 20
Lucy 18
Catherine 17
Hannah 17
Harriet 16
Julia 15
Kate 15
Ada 14
Fanny 14
Margaret 14
Anne 13
Florence 13
Caroline 12
Susan 12
Amelia 11
Clara 11
Rose 11
Maria 10
Harriett 8
Amy 7
Sophia 7
Esther 6
Isabella 6
Maud 6
Minnie 6
Susannah 6
Dinah 5
Frances 5
Jessie 5
Rebecca 5
Ruth 5
Bessie 4
Francis 4
Laura 4
Lizzie 4
Agnes 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 147
John 120
George 93
James 90
Thomas 74
Henry 73
Charles 59
Edward 36
Joseph 29
Alfred 26
Richard 24
Frederick 22
Walter 20
Robert 19
Albert 18
Arthur 18
Samuel 18
Francis 11
Frank 11
Harry 11
David 10
Ernest 10
Wm. 10
Edwin 9
Herbert 8
Isaac 7
Chas. 6
Geo. 6
Moses 6
Benjamin 5
Daniel 5
Fredrick 5
Jesse 5
Fredk. 4
Jeremiah 4
Peter 4
Stephen 4
Alexander 3
Jas. 3
Sidney 3
Archibald 2
Charlie 2
Fred 2
Jessie 2
Louis 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Oliver 2
Patrick 2

FAQ

Pickett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pickett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,399 people were recorded with the Pickett surname. That placed it at #1,859 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pickett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,613 in 2016. That gives Pickett a modern rank of #1,877.

What does the Pickett surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who lived near a pointed hill or worked as a maker of picks or spears.

What does the Pickett map show?

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