NameCensus.

UK surname

Pigney

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Pigney surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ellingham, Gillingham All Saints and St Mary and South Weald. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, South Norfolk and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pigney is 148 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

1997

148 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pigney had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 135 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pigney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pigney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pigney 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 118 #20,721
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 145 #22,305
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 114 #28,608
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

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Where Pigneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ellingham, Gillingham All Saints and St Mary, South Weald, Burgh St Peter and Great Yarmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, South Norfolk, Eden and Bracknell Forest. 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 Ellingham Norfolk
2 Gillingham All Saints and St Mary Norfolk
3 South Weald Essex
4 Burgh St Peter Norfolk
5 Great Yarmouth Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 010 Waveney
2 South Norfolk 010 South Norfolk
3 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
4 Eden 006 Eden
5 Bracknell Forest 006 Bracknell Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pigney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pigney

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pigney 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

Pigney 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

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

1881 census detail

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Pigney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pigney 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 53 Pigneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.00x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 53 38.00x
Suffolk 17 15.39x
Middlesex 9 0.99x
Westmorland 4 20.06x
Yorkshire 4 0.45x
Essex 3 1.68x
Cornwall 1 0.97x
Kent 1 0.32x
Northumberland 1 0.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ellingham in Norfolk leads with 13 Pigneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11818.18x.

Place Total Index
Ellingham 13 11818.18x
Great Yarmouth 12 103.90x
Fulham London 7 53.19x
Gorleston 6 213.52x
Lowestoft 6 114.94x
Norwich St John Timberhill 6 1578.95x
Gissing 5 3571.43x
Burgh St Peter 4 3636.36x
Kings Meaburn 4 6666.67x
Norton Subcourse 4 3636.36x
Clayton 3 136.36x
Tendring 3 1153.85x
Chelsea London 2 7.32x
Claxton 2 2857.14x
Kirby Cane 2 1538.46x
Kirkley 2 217.39x
Aylsham 1 120.48x
Belton 1 526.32x
Boulmer Seaton House 1 1428.57x
Clifton In York 1 53.19x
Ditchingham 1 303.03x
Geldeston 1 1111.11x
Greenwich 1 6.93x
Heigham 1 13.35x
Madron Penzance 1 26.81x
Oulton 1 270.27x
Ringsfield 1 1111.11x
Trowse Cum Newton 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Edward 5
James 5
Robert 5
William 5
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Henry 3
John 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Nicholas 2
Ernest 1
Florence 1
George 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hiram 1
Isaac 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pigney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pigney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Pigney surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pigney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Pigney a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Pigney map show?

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