UK surname
A surname derived from the Middle English word "pilgrim," referring to someone who journeyed to a holy place.
In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Pilgram surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 51, ranked #34,838, down from #27,314 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pilgram is 103 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.3%.
1881 census count
45
Ranked #27,314
Modern count
51
2016, ranked #34,838
Peak year
1861
103 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Pilgram surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Pilgram surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 93 | #17,946 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 45 | #27,314 |
| 1891 | historical | 92 | #25,109 |
| 1901 | historical | 87 | #24,386 |
| 1911 | historical | 68 | #26,050 |
| 1997 | modern | 47 | #32,975 |
| 1998 | modern | 52 | #32,732 |
| 1999 | modern | 58 | #32,268 |
| 2000 | modern | 64 | #31,735 |
| 2001 | modern | 60 | #31,985 |
| 2002 | modern | 55 | #32,831 |
| 2003 | modern | 51 | #33,266 |
| 2004 | modern | 49 | #33,647 |
| 2005 | modern | 45 | #34,160 |
| 2006 | modern | 45 | #34,491 |
| 2007 | modern | 46 | #34,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 47 | #34,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 53 | #34,481 |
| 2010 | modern | 54 | #34,582 |
| 2011 | modern | 49 | #34,868 |
| 2012 | modern | 46 | #35,053 |
| 2013 | modern | 50 | #34,891 |
| 2014 | modern | 50 | #34,927 |
| 2015 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2016 | modern | 51 | #34,838 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, London parishes, St Pancras, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Downton (incl. Langley Wood). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton | Nottinghamshire |
| 5 | Downton (incl. Langley Wood) | Wiltshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Pilgram surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pilgram, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Pilgram surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Pilgram household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Pilgram is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pilgram is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Pilgram, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Pilgram originates from England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "pylgrim" or "pilgrim," which referred to a person who undertook a religious journey or pilgrimage, often to holy sites such as Canterbury or Rome. The name was likely initially given as a descriptive nickname or occupational identifier to someone who had embarked on such a pilgrimage or to their descendants.
Early recorded instances of the surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which lists a certain Willelmus Pelegrim. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also include a reference to a Ricardus Pilgrim.
The surname appears to have been most prevalent in the counties of Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire, though it was also found in other parts of England. Variations in spelling were common during this time, with forms such as Pilgrim, Pilgrym, and Pelegrim also appearing in records.
One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname was John Pilgram, a merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was William Pilgram, a clothier from Worcestershire who was active in the early 16th century and left bequests in his will dated 1532.
Later on, in the 17th century, a certain Thomas Pilgram was recorded as a churchwarden in the parish of Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, in 1635. Around the same time, a Richard Pilgram was mentioned in the Protestation Returns of 1641/42 as a resident of the parish of Beckford, Gloucestershire.
During the English Civil War, a Captain John Pilgram served in the Parliamentarian forces and was involved in the siege of Gloucester in 1643. He later became a prominent figure in the local administration of Warwickshire after the Restoration.
Another individual of note was Robert Pilgram, a lawyer and author from Worcestershire who published several legal treatises in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, including "The Common Lawiers Lamp" in 1702.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pilgram surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 12 Pilgrams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 12 | 2.73x |
| Wiltshire | 7 | 18.04x |
| Kent | 5 | 3.34x |
| Lincolnshire | 5 | 7.13x |
| Nottinghamshire | 4 | 6.76x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.92x |
| Ayrshire | 2 | 6.09x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 2.06x |
| Norfolk | 2 | 2.96x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 3.60x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 1.11x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Downton in Wiltshire leads with 7 Pilgrams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1372.55x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Downton | 7 | 1372.55x |
| Edmonton | 5 | 141.24x |
| Holbeach | 5 | 641.03x |
| Northfleet | 5 | 378.79x |
| Mirfield | 4 | 167.36x |
| Islington London | 3 | 7.05x |
| Newark Upon Trent | 3 | 140.85x |
| Ashton On Mersey | 2 | 400.00x |
| Newton On Ayr | 2 | 204.08x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 12.40x |
| Swafield | 2 | 6666.67x |
| Bramshaw | 1 | 909.09x |
| Chesterton | 1 | 116.28x |
| Gamston | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 4.10x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 4.27x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Pilgram surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Pilgram surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Pilgram households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 5 |
| General Servant | 3 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Ag Labr | 1 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Cab Driver | 1 |
| Cordwainer | 1 |
| Dealer (Gen) | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gardener & Florist | 1 |
| Gardener (Dom) | 1 |
| Lab Wife | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Lighterman | 1 |
| Police Sergt | 1 |
| Police Sergt Wife | 1 |
| Wool Weaver | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Pilgram surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 51 in 2016. That gives Pilgram a modern rank of #34,838.
A surname derived from the Middle English word "pilgrim," referring to someone who journeyed to a holy place.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pilgram bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.