NameCensus.

UK surname

Picton

A locational surname referring to someone from Picton, a village in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

In the 1881 census there were 1,017 people recorded with the Picton surname, ranking it #3,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,993, ranked #3,233, up from #3,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary and Winwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Wigan and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Picton is 2,060 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.0%.

1881 census count

1,017

Ranked #3,855

Modern count

1,993

2016, ranked #3,233

Peak year

1999

2,060 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Picton had 1,017 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,993 in 2016, ranked #3,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,608 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Picton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Picton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Picton 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 444 #5,543
1861 historical 518 #5,049
1881 historical 1,017 #3,855
1891 historical 1,164 #3,671
1901 historical 1,464 #3,486
1911 historical 1,608 #3,021
1997 modern 1,998 #3,052
1998 modern 2,045 #3,100
1999 modern 2,060 #3,109
2000 modern 2,029 #3,131
2001 modern 2,004 #3,110
2002 modern 2,055 #3,106
2003 modern 1,993 #3,124
2004 modern 1,988 #3,132
2005 modern 1,918 #3,198
2006 modern 1,942 #3,173
2007 modern 1,969 #3,165
2008 modern 1,952 #3,201
2009 modern 1,997 #3,214
2010 modern 2,042 #3,218
2011 modern 1,995 #3,239
2012 modern 1,945 #3,256
2013 modern 2,008 #3,230
2014 modern 2,023 #3,236
2015 modern 1,993 #3,249
2016 modern 1,993 #3,233

Geography

Back to top

Where Pictons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary, Winwick, London parishes and Watford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Wigan and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St Mary Pembrokeshire
3 Winwick Lancashire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Watford Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 012 Pembrokeshire
2 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire
3 Wigan 032 Wigan
4 Pembrokeshire 009 Pembrokeshire
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 017 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Picton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Picton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Picton, 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 Picton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Picton 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

London Fringe

Within London, Picton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Picton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Picton

The surname Picton is of English origin and is thought to have derived from the place name Picton, a small village in Cheshire, England. The name itself is believed to be a combination of the Old English words "pic" meaning a hill or peak, and "tun" meaning a town or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Pitone." This suggests that the name has been in use since at least the 11th century in England. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Picton.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Picton was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire, indicating that his family held lands in the area. This provides evidence of the surname's connection to the village of Picton in Cheshire.

During the 16th century, the name Picton appeared in various records, including the Parish Registers of Prestbury, Cheshire, where the baptism of a child named Randle Picton was recorded in 1586.

One of the most famous individuals to bear the surname Picton was Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815), a British Army officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, and gained recognition for his bravery and leadership during battles such as Badajoz and Waterloo, where he was tragically killed in action.

Another notable person was Sir James Allanson Picton (1805-1889), an English architect and painter who designed several notable buildings in Liverpool, including the Picton Reading Room and the Liverpool Sailors' Home.

In the realm of literature, Sir James Picton (1836-1891) was a British author and journalist who wrote extensively on historical and literary topics. He published works such as "Memorials of Liverpool" and "Selections from the Municipal Archives of Liverpool."

Thomas Joseph Picton (1833-1915) was a prominent Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia from 1904 to 1909.

The surname Picton can also be found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of English influence. For example, there are records of individuals with the name Picton in Australia, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Picton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Picton 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. Pembrokeshire leads with 172 Pictons recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.45x.

County Total Index
Pembrokeshire 172 54.45x
Lancashire 148 1.25x
Middlesex 134 1.35x
Hertfordshire 108 15.76x
Glamorgan 106 6.12x
Carmarthenshire 54 12.89x
Buckinghamshire 52 8.65x
Kent 37 1.09x
Surrey 35 0.72x
Anglesey 21 11.92x
Cheshire 15 0.68x
Hampshire 15 0.74x
Monmouthshire 15 2.09x
Durham 14 0.47x
Gloucestershire 13 0.67x
Staffordshire 12 0.36x
Warwickshire 12 0.48x
Cumberland 10 1.17x
Yorkshire 9 0.09x
Essex 8 0.41x
Cardiganshire 6 2.47x
Somerset 6 0.38x
Caernarfonshire 5 1.24x
Leicestershire 3 0.27x
Northamptonshire 2 0.21x
Devon 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.25x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.84x
Shropshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire leads with 52 Pictons recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.45x.

Place Total Index
Hemel Hempstead 52 168.45x
Ashton In Makerfield 49 145.88x
Pembroke St Mary 43 105.70x
Watford 31 58.36x
Haydock 26 127.95x
Holyhead 21 63.93x
Aberdare 19 15.99x
St Pancras London 19 2.37x
Seer Green 18 1607.14x
St Woollos 15 18.70x
Clapham 14 11.27x
Herbrandston 14 1147.54x
Islington London 14 1.45x
Aldenham 13 208.67x
Fulham London 13 9.02x
Merthyr Tydfil 13 7.81x
Ystradyfodwg 12 7.90x
Great Missenden 11 148.65x
Llangan East 11 561.22x
St Ishmaels 11 683.23x
Tottenham 11 6.95x
Woolwich 11 8.78x
Chalfont St Giles 10 232.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 5.34x
Great Little Marsden 10 18.51x
Treleachar Bettws 10 220.75x
Ashford 9 27.25x
Caldewgate 9 19.19x
Cardiff St Mary 9 9.44x
Haverfordwest St Thomas 9 142.41x
Hubberston 9 194.38x
Llangennech 9 134.13x
Llanwonno 9 14.47x
Michaelstone Super Avon 9 48.03x
Shoreditch London 9 2.09x
Swansea Town 9 6.34x
Warrington 9 6.44x
Edgbaston 8 10.29x
Fishguard 8 116.79x
Prendergast 8 165.63x
Steynton 8 78.35x
Birkenhead 7 4.00x
Bromley London 7 3.20x
Haverfordwest St Mary 7 154.19x
Hillingdon 7 22.09x
Neath 7 19.88x
Plumstead 7 6.19x
Poplar London 7 3.73x
Bermondsey 6 2.03x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.39x
Bovingdon 6 167.13x
Church Oakley 6 594.06x
Clase 6 9.32x
Hampstead London 6 3.88x
Lewisham 6 3.32x
Litherland 6 24.33x
Liverpool 6 0.84x
Llanfihangel Ar Arth 6 89.96x
Llanstadwell 6 58.14x
Penrith 6 750.00x
Swansea Higher 6 33.28x
Walsall Foreign 6 3.46x
Warren 6 1176.47x
Bishopwearmouth 5 1.97x
Bristol St Thomas 5 225.23x
Clifton 5 5.07x
Dwygyfylchi 5 67.29x
Great Crosby 5 15.55x
Kidwelly 5 58.48x
Llanfihangel Abercowin 5 180.51x
Portishead 5 42.05x
Portsea 5 1.25x
Stella 5 197.63x
Teddington London 5 22.20x
Walthamstow 5 7.08x
West Derby 5 1.45x
Wolverhampton 5 1.94x
Conwil 4 75.76x
Ealing 4 4.50x
Rotherhithe 4 3.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 89
Elizabeth 43
Sarah 37
Jane 26
Ann 19
Martha 19
Margaret 18
Alice 16
Ellen 14
Emma 14
Annie 12
Emily 12
Eliza 11
Edith 8
Louisa 8
Maria 8
Anne 7
Florence 7
Hannah 7
Harriet 6
Ada 5
Caroline 5
Catherine 5
Fanny 5
Elizth. 4
Margret 4
Rachel 4
Amelia 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Minnie 3
Rebecca 3
Eleanor 2
Ethel 2
Jeannette 2
Jessie 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Phebe 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Anna 1
Cathrin 1
Charlotte 1
Isabella 1
James 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 66
William 60
Thomas 45
James 39
George 36
Joseph 28
Henry 21
Charles 16
David 13
Edward 13
Arthur 11
Alfred 10
Robert 7
Benjamin 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Matthew 5
Peter 5
Daniel 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Isaac 4
Owen 4
Wm. 4
Enoch 3
Harold 3
Lewis 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Phillip 2
Rhuben 2
Silas 2
Sydney 2
Walter 2
Willie 2
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
G.R. 1
G.W. 1
Geo. 1
Jonah 1
Joshua 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Picton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Picton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,017 people were recorded with the Picton surname. That placed it at #3,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Picton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,993 in 2016. That gives Picton a modern rank of #3,233.

What does the Picton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Picton, a village in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

What does the Picton map show?

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