NameCensus.

UK surname

Pickrell

An English surname derived from a nickname for someone of small stature.

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Pickrell surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pickrell is 146 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.1%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1911

146 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pickrell had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Pickrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pickrell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pickrell 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 81 #26,632
1901 historical 82 #25,019
1911 historical 146 #18,179
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 106 #26,848
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Pickrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Dudley, Barking and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot and Wolverhampton. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Barking Essex
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 008 Neath Port Talbot
2 Wolverhampton 022 Wolverhampton
3 Neath Port Talbot 007 Neath Port Talbot
4 Neath Port Talbot 005 Neath Port Talbot
5 Neath Port Talbot 012 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pickrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pickrell

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Pickrell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pickrell 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

Pickrell falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pickrell 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pickrell

The surname Pickrell is of English origin, deriving from a locational name associated with the region of Pickhill in North Yorkshire. The name is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century.

The Old English root of the name, "Pic," refers to a pointed hill or peak, while the suffix "-hill" denotes a hill or elevated land. Together, the elements suggest that the surname originated from a place name meaning "the peaked hill."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, dated around 1273, where it is spelled as "Pykyll." This document was a survey of landholdings and population, providing valuable insight into the distribution of surnames during that period.

In the 14th century, the spelling evolved to "Pykhill" and "Pikehill," reflecting the regional dialect and variations in pronunciation. These forms can be found in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379.

Notably, the surname Pickrell is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, though not in its modern spelling. The entry refers to a place called "Pichhil" in the North Riding of Yorkshire, further substantiating the locational origin of the name.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Pickrell surname throughout history are:

1. John Pickrell (c. 1550 - 1628), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of St. John's College, Cambridge. 2. Richard Pickrell (1603 - 1678), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire during the English Civil War. 3. Thomas Pickrell (1732 - 1805), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in the American Revolutionary War. 4. William Pickrell (1808 - 1873), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Mark's Church in Regent's Park. 5. Alice Pickrell (1855 - 1938), a British author and playwright known for her works on social reform and women's suffrage.

The Pickrell surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Pickrell Green in Hertfordshire and Pickrell Meadows in Cambridgeshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pickrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pickrell 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. Norfolk leads with 12 Pickrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.77x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 12 11.77x
Staffordshire 8 3.57x
Worcestershire 8 9.24x
Sussex 7 6.26x
Essex 6 4.58x
Lancashire 6 0.76x
Middlesex 5 0.75x
Bedfordshire 4 11.65x
Glamorgan 4 3.46x
Devon 3 2.17x
Cheshire 2 1.37x
Warwickshire 2 1.20x
Surrey 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 8 Pickrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.97x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 8 75.97x
Hastings St Leonards 7 426.83x
Kingswinford 7 86.10x
Barking 6 156.66x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 48.00x
Kensington London 5 13.56x
Wiggenhall St Mary 5 3125.00x
Bedford St Mary 4 454.55x
Aberdare 3 37.83x
Bridgerule East 3 7500.00x
Aston 2 4.34x
Brancaster 2 1176.47x
Claughton With Grange 2 298.51x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 65.36x
Snettisham 2 714.29x
Battersea 1 4.10x
Docking 1 312.50x
Llantwit Vairdre 1 76.92x
Tipton 1 14.60x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 5
George 3
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Authur 1
Benjamin 1
Benjn. 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Mather 1
Mathew 1
Sleeman 1

FAQ

Pickrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pickrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Pickrell surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pickrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Pickrell a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Pickrell surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for someone of small stature.

What does the Pickrell map show?

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