NameCensus.

UK surname

Pilling

A surname derived from a location near a pile or mound.

In the 1881 census there were 3,614 people recorded with the Pilling surname, ranking it #1,250 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,828, ranked #2,387, down from #1,250 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Winwick and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Wigan and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pilling is 4,368 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.7%.

1881 census count

3,614

Ranked #1,250

Modern count

2,828

2016, ranked #2,387

Peak year

1911

4,368 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pilling had 3,614 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,250 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,828 in 2016, ranked #2,387.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,368 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Pilling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pilling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pilling 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 2,368 #1,260
1861 historical 2,234 #1,318
1881 historical 3,614 #1,250
1891 historical 3,664 #1,306
1901 historical 4,175 #1,351
1911 historical 4,368 #1,180
1997 modern 3,008 #2,145
1998 modern 3,085 #2,178
1999 modern 3,128 #2,168
2000 modern 3,072 #2,196
2001 modern 3,033 #2,171
2002 modern 3,083 #2,183
2003 modern 3,021 #2,172
2004 modern 2,982 #2,198
2005 modern 2,898 #2,233
2006 modern 2,905 #2,227
2007 modern 2,943 #2,226
2008 modern 2,936 #2,243
2009 modern 3,010 #2,242
2010 modern 3,066 #2,251
2011 modern 3,004 #2,275
2012 modern 2,898 #2,307
2013 modern 2,913 #2,332
2014 modern 2,909 #2,346
2015 modern 2,860 #2,366
2016 modern 2,828 #2,387

Geography

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Where Pillings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Winwick, Halifax, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Wigan and St. Helens. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Winwick Lancashire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
3 Wigan 036 Wigan
4 St. Helens 005 St. Helens
5 Wigan 032 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pilling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pilling

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pilling, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Pilling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pilling household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Pilling is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pilling 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

Pilling falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pilling is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Pilling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pilling

The surname Pilling is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pylling," which means a stream or brook. The name was initially used as a topographic surname, given to individuals who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest known record of the surname Pilling dates back to the 13th century in Lancashire, England. It is believed that the name originated in the village of Pilling, located in the Fylde area of Lancashire, which was named after the small stream that ran through the village.

The Domesday Book of 1086, one of the oldest surviving public records in England, does not contain any mention of the surname Pilling. However, it does reference several place names that are thought to be related to the name, such as "Pilingas" and "Pillinga," which were villages or settlements located near streams or brooks.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Pilling was John Pilling, who was born around 1490 in Lancashire, England. Another notable figure was Richard Pilling, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century and owned several properties in Lancashire.

In the 17th century, the surname Pilling began to spread beyond Lancashire as families migrated to other parts of England and even to the American colonies. One notable figure from this period was William Pilling, born in 1620 in Lancashire, who later settled in Virginia and became a successful plantation owner.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the surname Pilling made significant contributions to various fields. For example, John Pilling (1719-1789) was a renowned Anglican priest and author, while Thomas Pilling (1769-1845) was a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in Lancashire.

Another notable figure was James Pilling (1846-1920), an English linguist and ethnologist who specialized in the study of Native American languages and cultures. He published several influential works on the subject, including the "Bibliography of the Iroquoian Languages" and the "Bibliography of the Siouan Languages."

Throughout history, the surname Pilling has been associated with various occupations, including farming, trade, and professions such as law, medicine, and academia. While the name originated in a specific region of England, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing the surname found in numerous countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pilling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pilling 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. Lancashire leads with 2,642 Pillings recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,642 6.32x
Yorkshire 624 1.79x
Cheshire 137 1.76x
Middlesex 41 0.12x
Warwickshire 23 0.26x
Staffordshire 21 0.18x
Westmorland 17 2.19x
Gloucestershire 13 0.19x
Norfolk 12 0.22x
Surrey 10 0.06x
Kent 9 0.07x
Durham 8 0.08x
Hertfordshire 8 0.33x
Lanarkshire 8 0.07x
Devon 5 0.07x
Monmouthshire 5 0.20x
Sussex 5 0.08x
Somerset 4 0.07x
Isle of Man 3 0.46x
Rutland 3 1.16x
Worcestershire 3 0.07x
Bedfordshire 2 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.07x
Leicestershire 2 0.05x
Essex 1 0.01x
Flintshire 1 0.11x
Hampshire 1 0.01x
Herefordshire 1 0.07x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.02x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newchurch in Lancashire leads with 336 Pillings recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.18x.

Place Total Index
Newchurch 336 98.18x
Spotland 224 48.16x
Ashton In Makerfield 132 110.81x
Bury 109 22.81x
Little Bolton 109 20.27x
Longwood 85 150.95x
Castleton 71 16.99x
Salford 65 5.28x
Langfield 58 94.90x
Haslingden 53 30.60x
Elton 50 34.59x
Oldham 50 3.70x
Manchester 49 2.60x
Colne 48 38.52x
Halliwell 48 31.53x
Elland Cum Greetland 47 29.87x
Tottington Lower End 46 23.14x
Accrington 45 11.83x
Great Bolton 45 8.12x
Trawden 44 168.13x
Great Little Marsden 43 22.44x
Todmorden Walsden 42 37.48x
Hulme 36 4.12x
Wardleworth 35 14.64x
Little Lever 34 63.55x
Dukinfield 33 9.18x
Higher Booths 32 42.43x
Saddleworth 32 11.88x
Haydock 31 43.01x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 31 35.18x
Lower Booths 31 41.36x
Sharples 31 68.33x
Leeds 30 1.52x
Stansfield 30 23.34x
Habergham Eaves 26 6.80x
Hipperholme Cum 25 16.29x
Farnworth 24 9.58x
Huddersfield 24 4.72x
Halifax 21 4.09x
Church 20 33.86x
Everton 20 1.50x
Stretford 20 8.69x
Warrington 20 4.03x
Newton 19 5.89x
Rastrick 19 19.58x
Tottington Higher End 19 39.90x
North Meols 18 4.40x
Westleigh 18 18.95x
Ashton Under Lyne 17 1.86x
Gomersal 17 10.43x
Horton In Bradford 17 3.12x
Walmersley Cum 17 25.43x
Ardwick 16 4.24x
Bradford 16 8.17x
Ince In Makerfield 16 8.22x
Ovenden 16 10.29x
Rumworth 16 26.76x
Harwood 15 68.65x
Padiham 15 14.84x
Preston 15 1.34x
Burnley 14 3.97x
Musbury 14 114.38x
Stainland Cum Old 14 23.42x
Barton Upon Irwell 13 4.13x
Birmingham 13 0.44x
Cheetham 13 4.17x
Northowram 13 5.31x
Birkdale 12 11.34x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 1.81x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 12 26.85x
Widnes 12 3.98x
Hunslet 11 2.02x
Newton In Makerfield 11 8.59x
Radcliffe 11 5.46x
Worsthorne Cum 11 82.71x
Aston 10 0.41x
Blatchinworth 10 10.50x
Heap 10 4.51x
Pendleton In Salford 10 2.01x
Sowerby In Halifax 10 8.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 321
Sarah 166
Elizabeth 159
Alice 110
Ann 83
Ellen 68
Jane 67
Hannah 57
Martha 54
Annie 41
Margaret 41
Emma 38
Eliza 34
Betsy 28
Betty 28
Emily 23
Ada 22
Esther 19
Catherine 18
Nancy 18
Clara 17
Agnes 16
Harriet 15
Edith 14
Susannah 14
Isabella 13
Maria 12
Ruth 11
Amelia 10
Anne 10
Frances 10
Grace 10
Louisa 10
Fanny 9
Rachel 9
Susan 9
Florence 8
Minnie 7
Bertha 6
Caroline 5
Eleanor 5
Betsey 4
Elizth. 4
Julia 4
Kate 4
Lizzie 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Sophia 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 272
James 213
William 177
Thomas 123
George 75
Joseph 72
Richard 45
Samuel 40
Henry 36
Charles 33
Abraham 30
Arthur 29
Robert 28
Walter 27
Alfred 22
David 21
Edmund 21
Frederick 20
Fred 19
Edward 17
Albert 16
Herbert 13
Frank 11
Harry 11
Benjamin 10
Edwin 10
Tom 10
Wm. 10
Geo. 9
Peter 9
Francis 7
Jonathan 7
Andrew 6
Ernest 6
Hartley 6
Isaac 6
Jesse 6
Jno. 6
Stephen 6
Willie 6
Eli 5
Ralph 5
Roger 5
Thos. 5
Daniel 4
Josiah 4
Squire 4
Jas. 3
Miles 3
Percy 3

FAQ

Pilling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pilling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,614 people were recorded with the Pilling surname. That placed it at #1,250 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pilling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,828 in 2016. That gives Pilling a modern rank of #2,387.

What does the Pilling surname mean?

A surname derived from a location near a pile or mound.

What does the Pilling map show?

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