NameCensus.

UK surname

Pimm

An English surname referring to a person who was small or petite in stature.

In the 1881 census there were 577 people recorded with the Pimm surname, ranking it #6,036 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 689, ranked #7,798, down from #6,036 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ensham, London parishes and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Oxfordshire, Sedgemoor and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pimm is 910 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.4%.

1881 census count

577

Ranked #6,036

Modern count

689

2016, ranked #7,798

Peak year

1911

910 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pimm had 577 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,036 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 689 in 2016, ranked #7,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 910 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pimm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pimm surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pimm 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 396 #6,083
1861 historical 262 #9,458
1881 historical 577 #6,036
1891 historical 552 #6,859
1901 historical 774 #5,796
1911 historical 910 #4,905
1997 modern 660 #7,584
1998 modern 736 #7,212
1999 modern 739 #7,230
2000 modern 718 #7,364
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 701 #7,501
2003 modern 695 #7,421
2004 modern 691 #7,490
2005 modern 681 #7,508
2006 modern 693 #7,413
2007 modern 696 #7,455
2008 modern 712 #7,380
2009 modern 723 #7,443
2010 modern 747 #7,402
2011 modern 736 #7,424
2012 modern 714 #7,493
2013 modern 718 #7,593
2014 modern 706 #7,720
2015 modern 695 #7,756
2016 modern 689 #7,798

Geography

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Where Pimms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ensham, London parishes, St Werburgh and Stanton Harcourt, South Leigh, Northmoor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Oxfordshire, Sedgemoor, The Vale of Glamorgan and Denbighshire. 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 Ensham Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Stanton Harcourt, South Leigh, Northmoor Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Oxfordshire 010 West Oxfordshire
2 Sedgemoor 012 Sedgemoor
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Denbighshire 004 Denbighshire
5 West Oxfordshire 008 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pimm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pimm

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Pimm is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pimm is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Pimm

The surname Pimm is believed to have originated from the Old English word "pimpillan" which means "to bubble or pimple." This name likely referred to an occupation or personal characteristic associated with the production of alcoholic beverages or perhaps someone with a pocked or pimpled complexion.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Pimm dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pimpillan" in Buckinghamshire, England. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in the southern regions of England.

During the Middle Ages, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Pymme, Pyme, and Pympel, as documented in medieval records and tax rolls. One notable early bearer of the name was John Pymme, a landowner in Oxfordshire, England, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1230.

In the 16th century, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex in southern England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling "Pimm" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Lambeth, London, where Thomas Pimm was baptized in 1589.

James Pimm (1791-1866), a farmer's son from Kent, is perhaps the most famous bearer of the Pimm surname. In 1823, he opened an oyster bar in London's City Road and created the Pimm's No. 1 Cup, a gin-based fruit cup that became immensely popular and is still produced today.

Other notable individuals with the surname Pimm throughout history include:

1. John Pimm (c.1570-1638), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Canterbury in the early 17th century. 2. Richard Pimm (1730-1808), a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed parts of the Pacific Ocean and the coast of Australia. 3. Sarah Pimm (1792-1859), an English philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for the education and welfare of poor children in London. 4. Henry Pimm (1819-1892), a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 5. William Pimm (1851-1914), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

While the Pimm surname has roots in southern England, bearers of this name can be found across the United Kingdom and in various parts of the world due to migration and the spread of the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pimm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pimm 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. Middlesex leads with 105 Pimms recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 105 1.88x
Oxfordshire 87 25.16x
Somerset 63 6.99x
Surrey 53 1.94x
Warwickshire 50 3.54x
Gloucestershire 40 3.64x
Lancashire 27 0.41x
Derbyshire 25 2.85x
Buckinghamshire 15 4.43x
Staffordshire 14 0.74x
Kent 12 0.63x
Berkshire 11 2.62x
Glamorgan 11 1.13x
Hampshire 10 0.87x
Essex 7 0.63x
Hertfordshire 6 1.55x
Norfolk 6 0.70x
Sussex 6 0.64x
Cheshire 5 0.40x
Leicestershire 4 0.64x
Yorkshire 4 0.07x
Lincolnshire 3 0.34x
Shropshire 3 0.62x
Cumberland 2 0.41x
Devon 2 0.17x
Ayrshire 1 0.24x
Radnorshire 1 2.21x
Rutland 1 2.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 34 Pimms recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.22x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 34 7.22x
Stanton Harcourt 23 2190.48x
Eynsham 18 821.92x
Derby St Werburgh 16 31.61x
Camberwell 13 3.63x
Mile End New Town 13 169.93x
Mile End Old Town 13 14.71x
Coggs 12 902.26x
Aston 11 2.83x
Lancaster 11 27.83x
Staines 11 124.01x
Wedmore 10 170.65x
Bedminster 9 10.63x
Cardiff St Mary 9 16.76x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 8 476.19x
Islington London 8 1.47x
Kensington London 8 2.57x
St Pancras London 8 1.78x
Tottenham 8 8.97x
Bristol St Paul In 7 23.93x
Huish Episcopi 7 546.88x
Shabbington 7 1029.41x
Sunbury 7 104.01x
Wandsworth 7 12.99x
West Ham 7 2.87x
Winscombe 7 288.07x
Gloucester St Aldate 6 441.18x
Gloucester St John Baptist 6 84.63x
Gorton 6 9.61x
Lympsham 6 689.66x
Norwich St Benedict 6 156.25x
Shoreditch London 6 2.47x
Wigginton 6 375.00x
Wookey 6 301.51x
Abingdon St Helen 5 40.68x
Alverstoke 5 12.04x
Burford 5 166.67x
Harborne 5 8.25x
North Hincksey 5 1063.83x
West Derby 5 2.57x
Weston Super Mare 5 21.97x
Wotton St Mary 5 87.72x
Birkenhead 4 4.06x
Brighton 4 2.10x
Bushey 4 43.53x
Ensham 4 223.46x
Fulham London 4 4.93x
Guildford Holy Trinity 4 76.92x
Headley 4 615.38x
Newington 4 1.93x
Preston 4 2.25x
Rochester St Margaret 4 19.85x
Upton Cum Chalvey 4 29.65x
Witney 4 69.20x
Bermondsey 3 1.80x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.23x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 8.19x
Burrington 3 344.83x
Carshalton 3 28.74x
Chellaston 3 315.79x
Clapham 3 4.29x
Cleckheaton 3 14.68x
Cowley 3 27.80x
Edgbaston 3 6.85x
Handsworth 3 6.44x
Lambeth 3 0.61x
Loughborough 3 10.65x
New Sleaford 3 52.26x
Oxford St Clement 3 34.36x
Rotherhithe 3 4.34x
Shrewsbury St Julian 3 25.06x
South Brent 3 197.37x
St Luke London 3 3.34x
Stoke St Gregory 3 109.49x
Tupton 3 113.64x
Wilmington 3 112.36x
Chertsey 2 11.34x
Greenwich 2 2.24x
Shotover 2 512.82x
Stapleton 2 9.60x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 28
George 26
James 23
Charles 21
Henry 19
Alfred 9
Joseph 9
Frederick 8
Robert 7
Thomas 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Edward 4
Harry 4
Samuel 4
Christopher 3
Frank 3
Wm. 3
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Benjamin 1
Chas.W. 1
Clement 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Egburt 1
Emanuel 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Gains 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Mehael 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Roland 1
Ruben 1
Silvester 1
Th.Charles 1
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Pimm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pimm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 577 people were recorded with the Pimm surname. That placed it at #6,036 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pimm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 689 in 2016. That gives Pimm a modern rank of #7,798.

What does the Pimm surname mean?

An English surname referring to a person who was small or petite in stature.

What does the Pimm map show?

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