NameCensus.

UK surname

Piercey

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "percer", meaning to pierce or bore holes.

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Piercey surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 271, ranked #15,874, down from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Heston, Henley-on-Thames and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Surrey Heath and Christchurch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Piercey is 338 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.1%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

271

2016, ranked #15,874

Peak year

1901

338 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Piercey had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016, ranked #15,874.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 338 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Piercey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Piercey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Piercey 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 160 #12,347
1861 historical 142 #15,982
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 289 #11,425
1901 historical 338 #10,709
1911 historical 292 #11,674
1997 modern 310 #13,241
1998 modern 296 #13,997
1999 modern 294 #14,140
2000 modern 301 #13,873
2001 modern 288 #14,103
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 284 #14,331
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 263 #15,215
2007 modern 261 #15,444
2008 modern 251 #16,026
2009 modern 272 #15,475
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 269 #15,800
2012 modern 276 #15,427
2013 modern 291 #15,067
2014 modern 284 #15,455
2015 modern 278 #15,586
2016 modern 271 #15,874

Geography

Back to top

Where Pierceys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Heston, Henley-on-Thames, London parishes, Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Surrey Heath, Christchurch, Cotswold and Torridge. 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 Heston Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 030 Swansea
2 Surrey Heath 007 Surrey Heath
3 Christchurch 004 Christchurch
4 Cotswold 003 Cotswold
5 Torridge 008 Torridge

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Piercey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Piercey

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Piercey 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

Piercey is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Piercey falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Piercey

The surname Piercey finds its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period, specifically in the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to be a variant of the name Pearcy or Percy, derived from the Old French word "perse," meaning a person from Persia or someone with a swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Piercey surname can be traced back to the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landholders and tenants in England. The name appeared in various spellings such as Persee, Percie, and Peercy, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions during that era.

The surname gained prominence through its association with the illustrious Percy family, one of the most powerful and influential noble houses in northern England. The Percys played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and other historical events, with notable figures including Henry Percy (1364-1403), known as "Harry Hotspur," and Thomas Percy (1560-1572), one of the leaders of the Rising of the North against Queen Elizabeth I.

Throughout history, the Piercey surname has been found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Lincolnshire, where it was often associated with landowners and gentry. One notable individual bearing the Piercey name was Richard Piercey (1571-1639), an English merchant and philanthropist who endowed a charity school in London.

In the 17th century, the surname also appears in records related to the English colonization of North America. John Piercey (born around 1620) was among the early settlers in Virginia, arriving in the colony around 1635. His descendants went on to establish roots in various parts of the United States, contributing to the spread of the Piercey name across the country.

Other notable figures throughout history include Sir Henry Piercey (1742-1812), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War, and William Piercey (1819-1890), a prominent Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

It is worth noting that the Piercey surname has undergone variations in spelling over time, with alternative forms such as Piercy, Piersey, and Percey appearing in historical records. These variations reflect the influence of regional dialects, scribal errors, and personal preferences in spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Piercey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Piercey 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 61 Pierceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.31x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 61 2.31x
Buckinghamshire 36 22.53x
Berkshire 30 15.12x
Sussex 26 5.83x
Surrey 20 1.55x
Flintshire 18 25.33x
Yorkshire 17 0.65x
Oxfordshire 13 7.96x
Kent 8 0.89x
Staffordshire 8 0.90x
Cumberland 6 2.64x
Lancashire 5 0.16x
Cheshire 4 0.69x
Warwickshire 4 0.60x
Durham 3 0.38x
Hampshire 3 0.55x
Northamptonshire 3 1.21x
Royal Navy 3 9.52x
Derbyshire 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.18x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Wycombe in Buckinghamshire leads with 28 Pierceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1290.32x.

Place Total Index
West Wycombe 28 1290.32x
Brighton 22 24.47x
Heston 17 193.62x
Cookham 14 226.17x
Camberwell 9 5.33x
Hammersmith London 9 13.82x
Hawarden 9 161.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 8.45x
Twickenham 8 70.61x
Bisham 7 1093.75x
Reading St Mary 7 44.05x
Bix 6 1538.46x
Normanby In 6 85.71x
Bromley London 5 8.60x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 57.27x
Ealing 5 21.16x
Mold 5 77.52x
Seaton 5 188.68x
Hambleden 4 291.97x
Hope 4 112.99x
Nettlebed 4 666.67x
Poplar London 4 8.02x
Southwark Christchurch 4 32.28x
St Marylebone London 4 2.83x
Darlington 3 9.88x
Dewsbury 3 11.16x
Islington London 3 1.17x
North Burton 3 612.24x
North Mundham 3 681.82x
Peterborough 3 16.67x
Royal Navy 3 11.14x
Stokenchurch 3 205.48x
Upper Shuckburgh 3 7500.00x
Wycombe 3 25.19x
Chertsey 2 24.04x
Croydon 2 2.80x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 3.75x
Neswick 2 2857.14x
St Luke London 2 4.72x
Toxteth Park 2 1.88x
Aldershot 1 5.51x
Beddington 1 20.08x
Birkenhead 1 2.15x
Birmingham 1 0.45x
Breightmet 1 72.46x
Bristol Christchurch 1 133.33x
Chelsea London 1 1.26x
Chester St John Baptist 1 9.53x
Chester St Oswald 1 9.46x
Clapham 1 3.03x
Crumpsall 1 13.53x
Distington 1 85.47x
Erith 1 11.25x
Funtington 1 100.00x
Garton Cum Grimstone 1 714.29x
Hackney London 1 0.67x
Horton Kirby 1 71.94x
Hulme 1 1.53x
Lambeth 1 0.43x
Lewisham 1 2.08x
Liscard 1 9.51x
Portsea 1 0.94x
Reading St Giles 1 5.14x
Rosliston 1 238.10x
Saunderton 1 263.16x
Southampton All Sts 1 10.75x
St Pancras London 1 0.47x
Tormoham 1 4.30x
Whitchurch 1 121.95x
Whitechapel London 1 3.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 11
Jane 8
Sarah 7
Ellen 6
Ann 5
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Catherine 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Matilda 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Etho 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Joannah 2
Margaret 2
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Blanche 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Eugene 1
Eunice 1
Fichay 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Hepyepeth 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Marion 1
Maud 1
May 1
Mellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
George 11
James 8
John 8
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
Charles 6
Frederick 5
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Walter 3
Fred 2
Harry 2
Luke 2
Stephen 2
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Bruce 1
Edwin 1
Elisha 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
G. 1
Gilbert 1
Headly 1
Horace 1
Hubert 1
Jeremiah 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
P. 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Robt 1
Sackville 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Welburn 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Piercey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Piercey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Piercey surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Piercey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016. That gives Piercey a modern rank of #15,874.

What does the Piercey surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "percer", meaning to pierce or bore holes.

What does the Piercey map show?

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