UK surname
A French occupational surname for a plunderer or looter.
In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Pillard surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #31,170 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Cerney, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pillard is 103 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 76.5%.
1881 census count
17
Ranked #31,170
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1861
103 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Pillard surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Pillard 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 | 20 | #29,743 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 17 | #31,170 |
| 1891 | historical | 29 | #31,963 |
| 1901 | historical | 16 | #32,260 |
| 1911 | historical | 12 | #32,302 |
| 1997 | modern | 3 | #38,317 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 10 | #37,072 |
| 2000 | modern | 10 | #37,001 |
| 2001 | modern | 8 | #37,124 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 11 | #36,842 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 8 | #37,422 |
| 2006 | modern | 7 | #37,634 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 6 | #37,883 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 6 | #38,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 6 | #38,016 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Cerney, South, Buxted and Llandaff (incl. Canton), Leckwith. 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 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 3 | Cerney, South | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Buxted | Sussex |
| 5 | Llandaff (incl. Canton), Leckwith | Glamorganshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Pillard 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 Pillard, 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 Pillard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Pillard 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, Pillard 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 Pillard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Pillard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname PILLARD originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "pillard," which means "plunderer" or "pillager." This name likely arose as a descriptive nickname for someone who engaged in looting or pillaging activities, perhaps as a soldier or during times of conflict.
The earliest recorded instances of the PILLARD surname can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where a Robert Pillard is mentioned. Additionally, a Walter Pillard is documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
During the 14th century, the PILLARD surname was particularly prevalent in the southeastern counties of England, such as Sussex, Kent, and Surrey. This suggests that the name may have originated in this region before spreading to other parts of the country.
One notable historical figure bearing the PILLARD name was John Pillard, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in London during the 15th century. Records indicate that he was born around 1420 and served as an alderman for the City of London in the late 1400s.
Another individual of note was William Pillard, a landowner and local official who lived in the village of Peasmarsh, Sussex, during the 16th century. He is mentioned in various parish records and court documents from the mid-1500s.
In the 17th century, the PILLARD surname can be found in the records of the Port Books of Southampton, which documented the names of merchants and sailors involved in maritime trade. This suggests that some members of the PILLARD family were involved in seafaring and coastal commerce during this period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PILLARD surname in North America dates back to the late 17th century. Thomas Pillard, born in 1665 in England, is documented as having immigrated to Virginia Colony in the 1680s.
Another notable figure was Sir Richard Pillard, a wealthy English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived during the 18th century. He was born in 1720 and represented the borough of Hastings in the House of Commons from 1768 until his death in 1792.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pillard 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. Devon leads with 5 Pillards recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.50x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 5 | 14.50x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 2.41x |
| Somerset | 4 | 15.00x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 9.23x |
| Kent | 1 | 1.77x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnstaple in Devon leads with 4 Pillards recorded in 1881 and an index of 740.74x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstaple | 4 | 740.74x |
| Stoke Under Hambdon | 4 | 4444.44x |
| Cheltenham | 3 | 119.52x |
| Limehouse London | 2 | 109.89x |
| Gillingham | 1 | 85.47x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 24.51x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 1 | 65.79x |
| St Martin In Fields | 1 | 101.01x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Pillard 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 Pillard 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 Pillard households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Glove Cutter | 2 |
| B A Housemaster And Classical Master At Cheltenham College | 1 |
| Companion | 1 |
| Convict | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Draper (Tally Man) | 1 |
| Genl Servt | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Housemasters Wife | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Sailmaker | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Pillard surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Pillard a modern rank of #38,419.
A French occupational surname for a plunderer or looter.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pillard 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.