NameCensus.

UK surname

Pilson

A surname derived from a place name, possibly a locational surname referring to someone from Pilton, England.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Pilson surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Long Benton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Sefton and Harlow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pilson is 135 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

2000

135 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pilson had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Pilson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pilson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pilson 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 84 #23,058
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 86 #25,951
1901 historical 80 #25,251
1911 historical 109 #21,611
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 135 #23,250
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 126 #25,686
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 120 #26,930
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

Back to top

Where Pilsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Long Benton, Liverpool and Cambridge: St Giles and St Peter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Sefton, Harlow and Dover. 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 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Long Benton Northumberland
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Cambridge: St Giles and St Peter Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 029 Wiltshire
2 Sefton 023 Sefton
3 Sefton 035 Sefton
4 Harlow 003 Harlow
5 Dover 002 Dover

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pilson

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pilson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Pilson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pilson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pilson is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pilson is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pilson 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 Pilson 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 Pilson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pilson

The surname Pilson is of English origin, deriving from the Old English personal name Pylsun, which was composed of the elements "pyl" meaning "pool" or "creek" and "sun" meaning "son." This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a pool or creek.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Pilson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pylsune." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in England.

During the Middle Ages, the name Pilson was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in northern England. This is likely due to the presence of numerous pools and creeks in these regions, making the name a descriptive one for inhabitants living near such bodies of water.

Over time, the name Pilson underwent various spelling variations, including Pylson, Pilsonne, and Pilsun, before the modern spelling became standardized.

One notable figure bearing the Pilson surname was Sir Robert Pilson (1563-1639), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the early 17th century.

Another individual of historical significance was John Pilson (1677-1753), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Yorkshire, known for his religious writings and advocacy of pacifism.

In the 19th century, William Pilson (1822-1899) was a renowned Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the Olympia Theatre and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Mary Pilson (1887-1962), an American botanist and ecologist, made significant contributions to the study of plant ecology and succession, particularly in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Another notable figure was James Pilson (1901-1975), a British journalist and war correspondent who covered major conflicts such as World War II and the Korean War for various news organizations.

While the Pilson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with notable individuals bearing the name across various fields and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pilson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pilson 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 34 Pilsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 34 3.30x
Shropshire 11 14.67x
Surrey 10 2.36x
Middlesex 8 0.92x
Northumberland 6 4.65x
Somerset 6 4.29x
Worcestershire 5 4.41x
Cambridgeshire 4 7.28x
Staffordshire 4 1.37x
Cornwall 1 1.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 12 Pilsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 146.70x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 12 146.70x
West Derby 11 36.51x
Ludlow St Lawrence 10 671.14x
Kirkdale 8 46.16x
Hackney London 6 12.33x
Longbenton 6 109.69x
Birtsmorton 5 5555.56x
Lambeth 5 6.61x
Walcot 4 53.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 17.17x
Walsall Foreign 3 19.83x
Batcombe 2 1111.11x
Liverpool 2 3.20x
St Botolph Cambridge 2 1428.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 6.11x
Islington London 1 1.19x
Kingston On Thames 1 9.84x
Madron Penzance 1 28.01x
Newington 1 3.12x
St Giles Cambridge 1 140.85x
St Luke London 1 7.18x
St Marythe Great 1 555.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 3.22x
Wrockwardine 1 60.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Mary 6
Amelia 3
Catherine 3
Alice 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Ann 1
Anne 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Julian 1
Kathleen 1
Lettetia 1
Margt. 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
William 5
Henry 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
James 3
Alfred 2
Samuel 2
Edward 1
Francis 1
George 1
Joseph 1
Mathew 1
Oscar 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pilson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pilson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Pilson surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pilson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Pilson a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Pilson surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly a locational surname referring to someone from Pilton, England.

What does the Pilson map show?

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