NameCensus.

UK surname

Pillinger

An English surname derived from the word "pillinger" meaning a person who plunders or pillages.

In the 1881 census there were 344 people recorded with the Pillinger surname, ranking it #8,864 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 580, ranked #8,938, down from #8,864 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pillinger is 645 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.6%.

1881 census count

344

Ranked #8,864

Modern count

580

2016, ranked #8,938

Peak year

2000

645 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pillinger had 344 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,864 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016, ranked #8,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 541 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pillinger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pillinger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pillinger 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 277 #9,025
1881 historical 344 #8,864
1891 historical 412 #8,653
1901 historical 516 #7,866
1911 historical 541 #7,378
1997 modern 624 #7,925
1998 modern 636 #8,041
1999 modern 644 #8,021
2000 modern 645 #7,982
2001 modern 616 #8,128
2002 modern 631 #8,152
2003 modern 608 #8,244
2004 modern 610 #8,246
2005 modern 591 #8,363
2006 modern 593 #8,359
2007 modern 600 #8,358
2008 modern 587 #8,562
2009 modern 600 #8,598
2010 modern 598 #8,802
2011 modern 588 #8,825
2012 modern 573 #8,900
2013 modern 591 #8,837
2014 modern 593 #8,884
2015 modern 576 #9,002
2016 modern 580 #8,938

Geography

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Where Pillingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, London parishes, Brislington and Box, Ditteridge. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brislington Somerset
5 Box, Ditteridge Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset
2 South Gloucestershire 028 South Gloucestershire
3 Bristol 041 Bristol, City of
4 South Gloucestershire 032 South Gloucestershire
5 North Somerset 007 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pillinger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pillinger

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

Pillinger 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

Pillinger falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pillinger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pillinger

The surname Pillinger has its origins in England, dating back to the early medieval period. The name is believed to have originated in the southwestern region, particularly in counties such as Somerset and Devon. It is derived from the Old English elements "pyll," meaning a creek or a stream, combined with the suffix "ing," which denotes "belonging to" or "descendant of," and the agent suffix "er," meaning one who performs an action. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone living near a small body of water or a stream, or someone who worked around such features.

In historical references, variations of the name can be found in early English records and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327, where a John Pillinger is mentioned. This early documentation supports the geographical origin of the name in the southwestern part of England. The name also appears in the Register of the Freemen of the City of York in 1397, indicating that bearers of the name had migrated to other parts of England by the late 14th century.

One notable individual with the surname is Samuel Edward Pillinger, born in 1811 and passed away in 1881. He was an influential figure during the mid-19th century in Devon, known for his contributions to local agricultural practices. Another prominent figure is Charles Pillinger, born in 1850, who became a well-known figure in the wool industry in Somerset, playing a significant role in the economic development of the region during the late 19th century.

The name also appears in historical records outside of England. William Pillinger, born in 1745, is recorded to have emigrated to the American colonies before the American Revolutionary War. He settled in Virginia and became a noteworthy figure among the early colonial settlers. Additionally, James Pillinger, born in 1790, moved to Australia in the early 19th century, where his descendants became prominent in the early development of the New South Wales colony.

Lastly, Thomas Pillinger, who lived during the early 1600s, is recorded to have been a merchant involved in trade between England and the Mediterranean, highlighting the diverse economic activities associated with bearers of the name. This exemplifies the wide-ranging impact and presence of the Pillinger surname across different regions and periods.

Overall, the history of the Pillinger surname is rich with references to geographical locations, early documentation, and noteworthy individuals who have contributed to various fields, reflecting its longstanding presence and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pillinger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pillinger 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. Gloucestershire leads with 116 Pillingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.57x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 116 17.57x
Somerset 102 18.83x
Warwickshire 22 2.59x
Surrey 21 1.28x
Wiltshire 19 6.38x
Lancashire 18 0.45x
Staffordshire 9 0.79x
Worcestershire 7 1.59x
Yorkshire 6 0.18x
Derbyshire 5 0.95x
Shropshire 4 1.38x
Glamorgan 3 0.51x
Herefordshire 3 2.17x
Monmouthshire 3 1.23x
Sussex 2 0.35x
Berkshire 1 0.40x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Kent 1 0.09x
Middlesex 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 60 Pillingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 117.88x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 60 117.88x
Bitton Oldland 39 577.78x
Aston 17 7.27x
Bitton 12 208.70x
Box 12 472.44x
Walcot 12 41.59x
Mitcham 11 106.18x
Horfield 10 150.60x
Keynsham 10 257.07x
Clifton 9 26.97x
Cirencester 8 89.49x
Easton 8 3333.33x
Lechlade 8 592.59x
Kidderminster Borough 7 27.22x
Kirkdale 7 10.42x
Ardwick 6 16.66x
Bristol St George 6 19.65x
Corsham 6 138.25x
Merton 6 209.06x
Westbury On Trym 6 26.83x
Bathford 5 450.45x
Tidenham 5 490.20x
Whittington 5 68.59x
Wolverhampton 5 5.72x
Birmingham 4 1.41x
Kingswinford 4 9.70x
Ludlow St Lawrence 4 69.20x
Thornaby 4 32.10x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 4.83x
Gloucester St Nicholas 3 98.04x
Henbury 3 93.17x
Hereford St Peter 3 81.30x
Brighton 2 1.75x
Chepstow 2 48.31x
Lambeth 2 0.68x
Llanwonno 2 9.50x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 14.10x
Manchester 2 1.11x
Morden 2 246.91x
North Meols 2 5.12x
Portishead 2 49.63x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 8.76x
Brading 1 10.91x
Brislington 1 99.01x
Bristol St James In 1 10.30x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 16.64x
Edgbaston 1 3.80x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 8.28x
Greasbrough 1 22.73x
Minchinhampton 1 19.01x
Monmouth 1 15.50x
Newtown 1 20.28x
Poulshot 1 256.41x
Queen Charlton 1 769.23x
Ramsgate 1 5.34x
Reading St Mary 1 4.94x
Roath 1 3.76x
Westminster St John 1 2.44x
Weston 1 23.98x
Wigan 1 1.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 12
Emily 10
Sarah 10
Eliza 9
Ann 7
Charlotte 6
Alice 5
Caroline 5
Louisa 5
Ellen 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Selina 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Adelaide 1
Besse 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Dinah 1
Emly 1
Fannie 1
Florance 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Levina 1
Louis 1
Mabel 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
William 19
Henry 18
Alfred 13
Frederick 10
George 10
Edward 8
Albert 7
Thomas 7
James 6
Charles 5
Joseph 5
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Harry 3
Stephen 3
Aaron 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Gilbert 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Sydney 2
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.E. 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Fingal 1
Fred 1
Graham 1
Jeremiah 1
Jerimiah 1
Lawson 1
Moses 1
Percival 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Pillinger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pillinger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 344 people were recorded with the Pillinger surname. That placed it at #8,864 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pillinger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016. That gives Pillinger a modern rank of #8,938.

What does the Pillinger surname mean?

An English surname derived from the word "pillinger" meaning a person who plunders or pillages.

What does the Pillinger map show?

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