NameCensus.

UK surname

Pickup

An English occupational surname referring to a worker involved in picking up or collecting goods.

In the 1881 census there were 3,868 people recorded with the Pickup surname, ranking it #1,178 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,883, ranked #2,332, down from #1,178 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pickup is 4,642 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.5%.

1881 census count

3,868

Ranked #1,178

Modern count

2,883

2016, ranked #2,332

Peak year

1911

4,642 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pickup had 3,868 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,178 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,883 in 2016, ranked #2,332.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,642 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Pickup surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pickup surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pickup 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 2,524 #1,179
1861 historical 2,574 #1,139
1881 historical 3,868 #1,178
1891 historical 4,081 #1,181
1901 historical 4,327 #1,306
1911 historical 4,642 #1,117
1997 modern 3,164 #2,032
1998 modern 3,276 #2,045
1999 modern 3,286 #2,061
2000 modern 3,217 #2,089
2001 modern 3,170 #2,075
2002 modern 3,218 #2,090
2003 modern 3,140 #2,091
2004 modern 3,114 #2,105
2005 modern 3,014 #2,147
2006 modern 2,989 #2,169
2007 modern 2,973 #2,192
2008 modern 2,967 #2,216
2009 modern 3,047 #2,213
2010 modern 3,106 #2,225
2011 modern 3,024 #2,252
2012 modern 2,917 #2,294
2013 modern 2,957 #2,305
2014 modern 2,945 #2,322
2015 modern 2,918 #2,314
2016 modern 2,883 #2,332

Geography

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Where Pickups are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 008 Ribble Valley
2 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
3 Blackburn with Darwen 010 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
5 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pickup

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pickup

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Pickup surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pickup household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pickup 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

Pickup is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Pickup

The surname PICKUP is of English origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English phrase "pic up", which referred to a person who collected or gathered items, such as a scavenger or a gleaner. The name may also have been used as an occupational descriptor for someone who worked as a picker or collector of crops or other goods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PICKUP can be found in the parish records of Doncaster, Yorkshire, in 1598, where a Thomas Pickuppe is mentioned. The name was also found in other parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire during the 17th century, often spelled as "Pickup", "Pickupp", or "Pickop".

In the 1670s, a notable figure named John Pickup was a Quaker preacher and writer from Lancashire. He published several religious tracts and was a prominent voice in the Quaker community at the time.

Moving into the 18th century, a Robert Pickup was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1733. He became a successful merchant and was involved in the cotton trade, which was a significant industry in the region during that era.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname PICKUP was Sir John Pickup, 1st Baronet (1797-1876). He was a wealthy industrialist and landowner from Lancashire, who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was knighted in 1868 and became the first baronet of the Pickup family.

Another notable bearer of the name was Samuel Pickup (1878-1961), a British artist and engraver from Yorkshire. He is particularly known for his etchings and engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects, many of which depicted scenes from his native Yorkshire.

The surname PICKUP has also been found in various other parts of England, as well as in other English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, where it was carried by immigrants from Britain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pickup families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pickup 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. Lancashire leads with 3,275 Pickups recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.31x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,275 7.31x
Yorkshire 372 0.99x
Cheshire 64 0.77x
Middlesex 30 0.08x
Derbyshire 22 0.37x
Kent 16 0.12x
Northumberland 13 0.23x
Surrey 13 0.07x
Lincolnshire 12 0.20x
Denbighshire 10 0.70x
Cumberland 9 0.28x
Durham 7 0.06x
Channel Islands 5 0.45x
Montgomeryshire 5 0.58x
Staffordshire 5 0.04x
Hampshire 4 0.05x
Isle of Man 4 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.01x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 407 Pickups recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.13x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 407 34.13x
Newchurch 294 80.18x
Higher Booths 178 220.32x
Accrington 177 43.44x
Spotland 145 29.10x
Haslingden 144 77.59x
Oswaldtwistle 103 65.04x
Habergham Eaves 89 21.73x
Over Darwen 79 22.07x
Clayton Le Moors 72 82.80x
Tottington Lower End 68 31.93x
Preston 65 5.42x
Bury 54 10.55x
Wardleworth 54 21.08x
Oldham 50 3.46x
Livesey 49 62.29x
Burnley 41 10.86x
Wuerdle Wardle 41 30.14x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 40 83.52x
Tottington Higher End 38 74.48x
Lower Booths 37 46.08x
Rishton 37 70.38x
Walmersley Cum 34 47.48x
Scarborough 33 9.70x
Manchester 32 1.59x
Dukinfield 30 7.79x
Heap 30 12.62x
Layton With Warbreck 30 18.24x
Great Harwood 28 34.56x
Farnworth 27 10.05x
Kirkdale 27 3.58x
Birtle Cum Bamford 26 88.89x
Pilkington 24 14.10x
Middleton In Oldham 23 17.11x
Whalley 23 35.21x
Hapton 22 78.52x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 22 23.30x
Saddleworth 22 7.62x
Church 21 33.18x
Cliviger 21 83.20x
Tonge With Haulgh 21 24.07x
Barton Upon Irwell 20 5.93x
Barrow In Furness 19 3.12x
Rochdale 18 55.06x
Bradford 17 1.88x
Hambleton 17 247.45x
Radcliffe 17 7.87x
Chorley 16 6.36x
Colne 16 11.98x
Lower Darwen 16 27.20x
West Derby 16 1.22x
Hopwood 15 25.60x
Leeds 15 0.71x
Leyland 15 19.24x
Wiswell 15 157.07x
Bubwith 14 208.96x
Glossop Dale 14 5.06x
Newton In Makerfield 14 10.20x
Goldshaw Booth 13 283.22x
Hoghton 13 114.94x
Horton In Bradford 13 2.22x
Liverpool 13 0.48x
Salford 13 0.99x
Westhoughton 13 10.87x
York St Mary 13 8.39x
Elton 12 7.75x
North Meols 12 2.74x
Tockholes 12 188.38x
Wigan 12 1.92x
Batley 11 3.09x
Blatchinworth 11 10.78x
Great Little Marsden 11 5.36x
Hipperholme Cum 11 6.69x
South Milford 11 80.59x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 11 6.33x
Altham 10 195.69x
Barnoldswick 10 19.14x
Newcastle On Tyne St 10 3.43x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 10 7.75x
Witton 10 17.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 349
Elizabeth 181
Sarah 159
Alice 148
Ann 115
Jane 94
Ellen 80
Margaret 71
Martha 58
Hannah 49
Betty 37
Annie 36
Eliza 32
Betsy 30
Nancy 24
Susannah 24
Emma 20
Clara 19
Isabella 19
Esther 18
Catherine 16
Edith 15
Ada 14
Maria 13
Charlotte 12
Emily 12
Harriet 12
Elizth. 11
Ruth 11
Susan 11
Agnes 10
Bertha 10
Caroline 9
Amelia 8
Anne 8
Fanny 8
Margret 8
Rachel 8
Rebecca 8
Selina 7
Frances 6
Grace 6
Eleanor 5
Leah 5
Louisa 5
Lucy 5
Bridget 4
Margt. 4
Minnie 4
Rhoda 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 324
James 251
William 181
George 139
Thomas 116
Richard 69
Joseph 62
Henry 55
Robert 36
Edmund 30
Edward 24
Alfred 20
Charles 20
David 20
Samuel 20
Arthur 19
Walter 19
Edwin 16
Albert 15
Fred 15
Wm. 15
Abraham 12
Harry 12
Peter 12
Francis 9
Thos. 9
Doctor 8
Benjamin 7
Frank 7
Frederick 7
Geo. 7
Ernest 6
Herbert 6
Jno. 5
Lawrence 5
Pickup 5
Ralph 5
Willie 5
Ashworth 4
Christopher 4
Edgar 4
Michael 4
Ormerod 4
Tom 4
Daniel 3
Isaac 3
Jacob 3
Jas. 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3

FAQ

Pickup surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pickup surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,868 people were recorded with the Pickup surname. That placed it at #1,178 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pickup surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,883 in 2016. That gives Pickup a modern rank of #2,332.

What does the Pickup surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a worker involved in picking up or collecting goods.

What does the Pickup map show?

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