NameCensus.

UK surname

Pinch

An English surname referring to someone who was notoriously stingy or miserly.

In the 1881 census there were 501 people recorded with the Pinch surname, ranking it #6,766 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 431, ranked #11,170, down from #6,766 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Roach, London parishes and Gluvias. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Merthyr Tydfil and Ribble Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pinch is 568 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.0%.

1881 census count

501

Ranked #6,766

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

1911

568 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pinch had 501 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,766 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 568 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Pinch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pinch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pinch 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 450 #5,485
1861 historical 480 #5,436
1881 historical 501 #6,766
1891 historical 522 #7,170
1901 historical 552 #7,515
1911 historical 568 #7,120
1997 modern 515 #9,110
1998 modern 520 #9,316
1999 modern 507 #9,555
2000 modern 506 #9,541
2001 modern 493 #9,574
2002 modern 488 #9,802
2003 modern 484 #9,717
2004 modern 475 #9,871
2005 modern 450 #10,209
2006 modern 455 #10,160
2007 modern 447 #10,388
2008 modern 434 #10,756
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 442 #11,066
2011 modern 452 #10,748
2012 modern 439 #10,873
2013 modern 434 #11,158
2014 modern 434 #11,246
2015 modern 428 #11,276
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

Back to top

Where Pinchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Roach, London parishes, Gluvias, St Austell and St Kew. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Merthyr Tydfil, Ribble Valley, Caerphilly and Lancaster. 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 Roach Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gluvias Cornwall
4 St Austell Cornwall
5 St Kew Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 009 Cornwall
2 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Ribble Valley 002 Ribble Valley
4 Caerphilly 013 Caerphilly
5 Lancaster 002 Lancaster

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pinch

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pinch

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pinch, 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 Pinch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pinch 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Pinch is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Pinch is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pinch falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pinch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pinch

The surname PINCH is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle English period, approximately between the 11th and 15th centuries. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pyncan," which meant "to pinch" or "to nip." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon someone known for their habit of pinching or nipping others.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PINCH surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like document compiled in 1273. This record mentions a certain John Pynch, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 14th century, the PINCH surname appeared in various historical documents, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which listed a Robert Pynch. Additionally, the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379 recorded a John Pynche, further solidifying the presence of this surname across different regions of England.

The PINCH name has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For instance, the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest and most comprehensive records of landholdings in England, mentions a place called "Pinchun" in Gloucestershire. This place name may have influenced the development of the PINCH surname or vice versa.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the PINCH surname, one can mention:

1. Thomas Pinch (c. 1560 - 1625), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, from 1619 until his death.

2. Judith Pinch (1616 - 1692), a woman from Dorchester, Massachusetts, who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.

3. Sir Benjamin Pinch (1741 - 1821), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

4. John Pinch (1773 - 1846), an English engraver and illustrator known for his work on various literary publications and scientific texts.

5. Mary Ann Pinch (1815 - 1894), a British writer and novelist who authored several popular works, including "The Trials of a Village" and "The Rector's Daughter."

While the PINCH surname may have originated as a descriptive moniker, it has since become a well-established family name with a rich history spanning centuries across various regions of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pinch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pinch 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. Cornwall leads with 175 Pinchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.44x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 175 31.44x
Devon 43 4.20x
Middlesex 43 0.87x
Herefordshire 29 14.39x
Lancashire 22 0.38x
Surrey 19 0.79x
Somerset 18 2.27x
Glamorgan 17 1.99x
Kent 16 0.95x
Lincolnshire 16 2.04x
Pembrokeshire 14 8.96x
Shropshire 13 3.06x
Durham 12 0.82x
Westmorland 12 11.11x
Yorkshire 11 0.23x
Norfolk 10 1.32x
Cheshire 9 0.83x
Worcestershire 6 0.93x
Monmouthshire 4 1.13x
Gloucestershire 3 0.31x
Royal Navy 3 5.12x
Hampshire 2 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.32x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.48x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.30x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.15x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Austell in Cornwall leads with 26 Pinchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 136.63x.

Place Total Index
St Austell 26 136.63x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 22.83x
Roche 18 636.04x
Lancaster 17 48.98x
St Kew 17 918.92x
Pembroke St Mary 14 69.58x
St Gluvias Penryn 14 313.90x
Bethnal Green London 13 6.09x
Roath 12 30.86x
Church Stretton 11 385.96x
Bath St Michael 9 225.00x
Birkenhead 9 10.40x
Bodmin St Mabyn 9 2903.23x
Brandon Parva 9 3214.29x
Lanreath 9 947.37x
Ross 9 112.22x
St Pancras London 9 2.27x
Sutton St Mary 9 121.13x
Barbon 7 1521.74x
Bermondsey 7 4.78x
Battersea 6 3.32x
Dent 6 294.12x
St Minver 6 352.94x
St Stephen In Brannel 6 118.11x
Stoke Damerel 6 8.38x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 21.33x
Falmouth 5 25.38x
Fownhope 5 284.09x
Hackney London 5 1.81x
High Abbotside 5 602.41x
Ledbury 5 72.25x
Menheniot 5 216.45x
Nether Staveley 5 909.09x
St Breock 5 166.11x
St Dennis 5 240.38x
Winlaton 5 35.64x
Bedwellty 4 6.37x
Deptford St Paul 4 3.09x
Kings Norton 4 6.95x
Lutton 4 307.69x
Plumstead 4 7.15x
Plymstock 4 74.63x
Probus 4 175.44x
St Wenn 4 439.56x
Tormoham 4 9.24x
Whitton 4 347.83x
Bathwick 3 34.25x
Duloe 3 184.05x
East Looe 3 132.74x
Egloshayle 3 114.94x
Embleton 3 1578.95x
Luxulyan 3 162.16x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 14.48x
Mile End Old Town 3 3.87x
Minster In Sheppey 3 10.80x
Paddington London 3 1.66x
Padstow 3 81.08x
Royal Navy 3 5.99x
Southwark St Olave 3 80.00x
St Mary Magdalene 3 73.35x
St Merryn 3 326.09x
Withiel 3 434.78x
Witton 3 40.87x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.20x
Briton Ferry 2 19.59x
Cardiff St Mary 2 4.24x
East Stonehouse 2 9.92x
Gillingham 2 5.78x
Lanhydrock 2 625.00x
Lidford 2 43.48x
Linkinhorne 2 51.55x
Liverpool 2 0.56x
Pencoyd 2 606.06x
Portsea 2 1.01x
Shoreditch London 2 0.94x
South Rauceby 2 307.69x
St Clement 2 34.42x
St Columb Major 2 43.29x
St Enoder 2 105.82x
Westminster St 2 11.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 44
William 37
James 19
Thomas 17
Henry 11
Joseph 10
George 9
Richard 8
Samuel 6
Charles 5
Herbert 5
Edwin 4
Harry 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Luke 3
Stephen 3
Frederick 2
Narcissus 2
Osbertus 2
Vincent 2
Chas.Jno. 1
David 1
Edmond 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
Elisha 1
Eliza 1
Fred 1
Fred.W. 1
Freddy 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.William 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Guy 1
Jelley 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Nicholas 1
Osbertus. 1
Osborne 1
Pearse 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Wm.D. 1

FAQ

Pinch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pinch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 501 people were recorded with the Pinch surname. That placed it at #6,766 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pinch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Pinch a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Pinch surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone who was notoriously stingy or miserly.

What does the Pinch map show?

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