NameCensus.

UK surname

Piggott

An occupational surname deriving from someone who dealt with pigs.

In the 1881 census there were 2,172 people recorded with the Piggott surname, ranking it #2,043 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,795, ranked #2,415, down from #2,043 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Haddenham and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hertfordshire, South Cambridgeshire and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Piggott is 3,033 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.7%.

1881 census count

2,172

Ranked #2,043

Modern count

2,795

2016, ranked #2,415

Peak year

1999

3,033 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Piggott had 2,172 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,043 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,795 in 2016, ranked #2,415.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Piggott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Piggott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Piggott 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 1,307 #2,195
1861 historical 1,173 #2,410
1881 historical 2,172 #2,043
1891 historical 2,380 #1,974
1901 historical 2,830 #1,969
1911 historical 2,866 #1,813
1997 modern 2,869 #2,248
1998 modern 3,005 #2,244
1999 modern 3,033 #2,238
2000 modern 2,971 #2,266
2001 modern 2,907 #2,268
2002 modern 2,984 #2,252
2003 modern 2,916 #2,250
2004 modern 2,854 #2,307
2005 modern 2,797 #2,322
2006 modern 2,791 #2,328
2007 modern 2,793 #2,344
2008 modern 2,769 #2,384
2009 modern 2,840 #2,381
2010 modern 2,864 #2,406
2011 modern 2,835 #2,395
2012 modern 2,798 #2,384
2013 modern 2,825 #2,404
2014 modern 2,822 #2,421
2015 modern 2,793 #2,421
2016 modern 2,795 #2,415

Geography

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Where Piggotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Haddenham, St Pancras and Cottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hertfordshire, South Cambridgeshire and Rother. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Haddenham Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Cottenham Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hertfordshire 002 East Hertfordshire
2 South Cambridgeshire 019 South Cambridgeshire
3 Rother 002 Rother
4 East Hertfordshire 001 East Hertfordshire
5 Rother 004 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Piggott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Piggott

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Piggott 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

Piggott is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Piggott falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Piggott

The surname Piggott is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to medieval England. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "picga" meaning a small piece of land or enclosure, and "hotte" meaning a dwelling or shelter. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a small hut or cottage on a small plot of land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pichet" and "Pichot". Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms such as Pigot, Pigott, and eventually Piggott.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Piggott, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1199. Another early record comes from the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, which listed a John Pygot.

In the 14th century, the name was associated with several prominent individuals, such as Sir John Piggott, a member of the English Parliament who represented Wiltshire in 1358. Additionally, there was a William Piggott who served as the Mayor of Coventry in 1382.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Piggott family established themselves as landowners and gentry in various parts of England, particularly in Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire. Notable figures from this period include Sir Robert Piggott (1513-1585), a member of the English gentry, and Sir Thomas Piggott (1592-1668), a politician and member of Parliament.

In the 18th century, the name gained further prominence with individuals like Sir Arthur Piggott (1718-1793), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War, and Sir George Piggott (1766-1831), a British army officer and politician who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.

Other notable individuals with the surname Piggott include Sir Francis Taylor Piggott (1852-1925), a British lawyer and politician who served as Chief Justice of Hong Kong, and Sir Gerard Piggott (1928-2018), a celebrated English flat racing jockey and author who was named Champion Jockey eleven times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Piggott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Piggott 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 404 Piggotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 404 1.90x
Surrey 258 2.49x
Lancashire 169 0.67x
Hertfordshire 131 8.95x
Essex 115 2.74x
Buckinghamshire 107 8.34x
Cheshire 88 1.88x
Kent 84 1.16x
Staffordshire 84 1.17x
Cambridgeshire 76 5.65x
Bedfordshire 70 6.37x
Yorkshire 65 0.31x
Berkshire 48 3.01x
Huntingdonshire 45 10.68x
Sussex 42 1.17x
Warwickshire 42 0.78x
Derbyshire 40 1.20x
Northamptonshire 36 1.80x
Norfolk 31 0.95x
Gloucestershire 28 0.67x
Hampshire 27 0.62x
Worcestershire 27 0.97x
Lincolnshire 25 0.74x
Oxfordshire 21 1.60x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.66x
Devon 13 0.29x
Cumberland 8 0.44x
Lanarkshire 8 0.12x
Leicestershire 8 0.34x
Monmouthshire 8 0.52x
Suffolk 8 0.31x
Wiltshire 8 0.43x
Isle of Man 7 1.78x
Glamorgan 5 0.14x
Somerset 4 0.12x
Angus 3 0.15x
Clackmannanshire 3 1.71x
Flintshire 3 0.53x
Denbighshire 2 0.25x
Royal Navy 2 0.79x
Shropshire 2 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.07x
Durham 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 46 Piggotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 46 2.24x
Stevenage 37 163.14x
Cottenham 33 184.67x
Clavering 29 382.08x
St Pancras London 29 1.70x
West Bromwich 28 6.83x
Haddenham 27 256.17x
Bermondsey 25 3.96x
Liverpool 25 1.63x
Lambeth 24 1.30x
Langley Marish 24 152.38x
Shoreditch London 23 2.50x
St Marylebone London 23 2.03x
Camberwell 22 1.62x
Hammersmith London 21 4.02x
St Albans St Peter 21 42.54x
Mile End Old Town 20 5.97x
Potton 20 137.08x
Kensington London 19 1.61x
Luton 19 9.99x
Wandsworth 19 9.30x
Guilden Morden 17 237.76x
Warham All Sts 17 960.45x
Croydon 16 2.79x
St George Hanover 16 5.77x
Grantchester 15 179.43x
West Ham 15 1.62x
Westminster St John 15 5.80x
Kings Walden 14 169.08x
Langley 14 481.10x
Brighton 13 1.80x
Hillingdon 13 19.21x
Lewisham 13 3.37x
Oldbury 13 9.53x
Penge 13 9.59x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 3.04x
Acton 12 9.64x
Aston 12 0.81x
Hornsey 12 4.47x
Newington 12 1.53x
Richmond 12 8.28x
Salford 12 1.62x
Stone 12 13.09x
Castleton 11 4.37x
Egham 11 17.32x
Hayes 11 50.78x
Hulme 11 2.09x
St Neots 11 48.01x
Toxteth Park 11 1.29x
Wycombe 11 11.50x
Ash Normandy 10 71.17x
Blatchinworth 10 17.44x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.79x
Ealing 10 5.27x
Bledlow 9 115.83x
Broadwater 9 10.96x
Caterham 9 19.69x
Chelsea London 9 1.41x
Coventry St Michael 9 5.23x
Derby St Alkmund 9 9.04x
Dudley 9 2.67x
Great Marlow 9 25.98x
Hampstead London 9 2.72x
Kingston On Thames 9 3.62x
Mortlake 9 19.52x
Nantwich 9 16.53x
Reedness 9 250.00x
St Peters 9 26.87x
Stoke Bardolph 9 697.67x
Streatham 9 5.71x
Ugley 9 306.12x
Westbury On Trym 9 6.38x
Bow London 8 2.96x
Church Coppenhall 8 38.19x
Derby St Peter 8 7.56x
Finedon 8 45.74x
Hackney London 8 0.67x
South Weald 8 22.29x
Staines 8 23.80x
Stretford 8 5.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 132
Elizabeth 77
Sarah 76
Emma 46
Ellen 44
Ann 41
Eliza 38
Emily 33
Alice 30
Jane 29
Annie 26
Martha 20
Florence 19
Fanny 18
Louisa 18
Charlotte 16
Maria 15
Edith 14
Hannah 13
Susan 13
Ada 12
Catherine 12
Kate 12
Frances 11
Lucy 11
Caroline 10
Isabella 10
Margaret 10
Harriet 9
Harriett 9
Jessie 9
Clara 8
Rose 8
Amelia 7
Esther 7
Rebecca 7
Susannah 7
Agnes 6
Amy 6
Elizth. 6
Matilda 6
Maud 6
Minnie 6
Anne 5
Eleanor 5
Gertrude 5
Julia 5
Lizzie 5
Lydia 5
Rachel 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 124
John 120
George 88
James 63
Charles 61
Henry 55
Thomas 51
Joseph 43
Arthur 26
Albert 21
Alfred 21
Frederick 20
Edward 18
Walter 18
Robert 17
Samuel 17
Harry 15
Richard 15
David 14
Francis 13
Frank 12
Benjamin 10
Ernest 8
Herbert 8
Christopher 6
Daniel 6
Fred 5
Thos. 5
Edwin 4
Fredrick 4
Jas. 4
Josiah 4
Moses 4
Percy 4
Edmund 3
Ellis 3
Geo. 3
Jonathan 3
Michael 3
Reuben 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Andrew 2
Elijah 2
Jesse 2
Levi 2
Luke 2
Owen 2
Patrick 2
Solomon 2

FAQ

Piggott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Piggott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,172 people were recorded with the Piggott surname. That placed it at #2,043 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Piggott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,795 in 2016. That gives Piggott a modern rank of #2,415.

What does the Piggott surname mean?

An occupational surname deriving from someone who dealt with pigs.

What does the Piggott map show?

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