NameCensus.

UK surname

Pile

A surname derived from a location with a pile or stack of objects nearby.

In the 1881 census there were 1,378 people recorded with the Pile surname, ranking it #2,988 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,084, ranked #5,393, down from #2,988 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Pluckley with Pevington and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Test Valley and Lewes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pile is 1,728 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.3%.

1881 census count

1,378

Ranked #2,988

Modern count

1,084

2016, ranked #5,393

Peak year

1911

1,728 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pile had 1,378 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,988 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,084 in 2016, ranked #5,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,728 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pile surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pile surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pile 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 1,171 #2,413
1861 historical 1,096 #2,563
1881 historical 1,378 #2,988
1891 historical 1,365 #3,179
1901 historical 1,531 #3,365
1911 historical 1,728 #2,837
1997 modern 1,258 #4,526
1998 modern 1,290 #4,610
1999 modern 1,286 #4,644
2000 modern 1,266 #4,691
2001 modern 1,228 #4,710
2002 modern 1,226 #4,810
2003 modern 1,196 #4,820
2004 modern 1,191 #4,840
2005 modern 1,146 #4,960
2006 modern 1,118 #5,066
2007 modern 1,115 #5,125
2008 modern 1,095 #5,239
2009 modern 1,100 #5,316
2010 modern 1,151 #5,237
2011 modern 1,151 #5,175
2012 modern 1,112 #5,249
2013 modern 1,130 #5,258
2014 modern 1,110 #5,355
2015 modern 1,099 #5,356
2016 modern 1,084 #5,393

Geography

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Where Piles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Pluckley with Pevington, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Test Valley and Lewes. 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 Pluckley with Pevington Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 013 Dover
2 Test Valley 011 Test Valley
3 Dover 014 Dover
4 Dover 011 Dover
5 Lewes 004 Lewes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pile

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pile

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

Pile is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pile falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pile

The surname Pile is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "pyl," meaning a pool or stream, suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a body of water.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England compiled by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the name Pile or similar spellings, such as Pyle or Piele. This indicates that the name was well-established in various parts of the country during the Norman period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pile can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1199, which mention a Roger Pile. The Pipe Rolls were administrative records used to document financial transactions during the reign of King Richard I.

Another notable early reference to the name is in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list landowners and their holdings in various counties. These rolls include entries for individuals with the surname Pile in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, the Pile family appeared to have been concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, with some branches also present in Somerset and Wiltshire.

One prominent individual with the surname Pile was Sir Thomas Pile (1517-1589), a Member of Parliament and prominent landowner in Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, a notable figure was John Pile (1614-1679), an English Protestant minister and author who wrote several religious works and served as the rector of Whitechurch in Shropshire.

Another individual of note was Ambrose Pile (1684-1748), a successful merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, who made significant contributions to the city's infrastructure and charitable organizations.

In the 18th century, William Pile (1737-1808) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. George's in Bloomsbury.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was George Pile (1808-1883), a British civil engineer and pioneer in the field of railway construction, who was involved in several major projects, including the construction of the London Underground.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pile families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pile 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. Devon leads with 407 Piles recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.50x.

County Total Index
Devon 407 14.50x
Middlesex 207 1.54x
Kent 153 3.33x
Wiltshire 80 6.71x
Surrey 77 1.17x
Somerset 58 2.67x
Glamorgan 41 1.75x
Northumberland 40 1.99x
Hampshire 37 1.34x
Durham 31 0.77x
Norfolk 31 1.50x
Gloucestershire 30 1.13x
Lancashire 25 0.16x
Dorset 21 2.37x
Sussex 21 0.92x
Warwickshire 21 0.62x
Yorkshire 15 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 14 1.64x
Staffordshire 9 0.20x
Lincolnshire 8 0.37x
Carmarthenshire 7 1.23x
Cornwall 7 0.46x
Berkshire 5 0.49x
Monmouthshire 5 0.51x
Cheshire 4 0.13x
Derbyshire 4 0.19x
Essex 4 0.15x
Lanarkshire 4 0.09x
Royal Navy 4 2.49x
Suffolk 3 0.18x
Worcestershire 3 0.17x
Oxfordshire 2 0.24x
Renfrewshire 2 0.19x
Bedfordshire 1 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Otterton in Devon leads with 41 Piles recorded in 1881 and an index of 909.09x.

Place Total Index
Otterton 41 909.09x
Ilfracombe 39 134.99x
Pluckley 39 915.49x
Branscombe 31 807.29x
St Marylebone London 29 4.03x
Sidmouth 25 155.67x
Barnstaple 23 52.21x
Bishops Tawton 20 228.57x
Paddington London 20 4.03x
Bermondsey 19 4.73x
Islington London 18 1.38x
Kensington London 18 2.40x
Hammersmith London 16 4.82x
Stoke Damerel 16 8.15x
Aston 15 1.60x
Newington 14 2.81x
St Pancras London 14 1.29x
Chivelstone 13 659.90x
Bedminster 12 5.88x
Bishopwearmouth 12 3.49x
Brendon 11 964.91x
East Meon 11 152.57x
Plymstock 11 74.88x
Preshute 11 150.07x
West Overton 11 353.70x
Axmouth 10 317.46x
East Budleigh 10 75.64x
Leeds 10 1.33x
Lynton 10 178.57x
Maidstone 10 7.30x
Stoke 10 88.03x
Aylesbeare 9 221.67x
Britford 9 114.36x
Cardiff St Mary 9 6.96x
Devizes St John 9 100.56x
Great Yarmouth 9 5.24x
Swansea Town 9 4.68x
Tonbridge 9 5.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 3.21x
Bromley London 8 2.70x
Byker 8 8.07x
Combmartin 8 131.36x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 12.45x
Hackney London 8 1.06x
Hornsey 8 4.69x
Manea 8 148.42x
Old Cleeve 8 103.23x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 3.70x
Stroud 8 15.55x
Symondsbury 8 142.10x
Wellingham 8 1311.48x
Battersea 7 1.41x
Bexley 7 17.22x
Carmarthen St Peter 7 14.41x
Cerne Abbas 7 163.17x
Edmonton 7 6.44x
Fulham London 7 3.58x
Greenwich 7 3.26x
Hackington St Stephen 7 237.29x
Langley 7 409.36x
Lee 7 10.48x
Little Chart 7 551.18x
Littlehampton 7 38.57x
Putney 7 11.39x
Ryton Woodside 7 140.00x
Shoreditch London 7 1.20x
Wellington 7 23.79x
Woodbury 7 84.13x
Batheaston 6 80.75x
Beeston With Bittering 6 258.62x
Branton 6 1538.46x
Cardiff St John 6 7.83x
East Kennet 6 1538.46x
Llandaff 6 7.68x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 10.56x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 5.77x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.21x
Thornley 6 41.35x
Tottenham 6 2.79x
Westbury 6 21.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 101
John 83
George 65
Thomas 48
James 35
Henry 33
Edward 22
Charles 21
Samuel 20
Frederick 17
Alfred 16
Robert 15
Walter 15
Arthur 13
Joseph 11
Frank 9
Ernest 8
Harry 8
Philip 8
Richard 8
David 7
Herbert 6
Francis 5
Benjamin 4
Horace 4
Adam 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Matthew 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Jesse 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Alan 1
Allen 1
Benjn. 1
Bertie 1
Bertrand 1
Birchall 1
Eli 1
Emmanuel 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Wm.L. 1

FAQ

Pile surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pile surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,378 people were recorded with the Pile surname. That placed it at #2,988 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pile surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,084 in 2016. That gives Pile a modern rank of #5,393.

What does the Pile surname mean?

A surname derived from a location with a pile or stack of objects nearby.

What does the Pile map show?

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