NameCensus.

UK surname

Pinchbeck

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the Pinchbeck area of England.

In the 1881 census there were 340 people recorded with the Pinchbeck surname, ranking it #8,934 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 456, ranked #10,705, down from #8,934 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Clee and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston, Redcar and Cleveland and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pinchbeck is 514 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

340

Ranked #8,934

Modern count

456

2016, ranked #10,705

Peak year

1911

514 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pinchbeck had 340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,934 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 456 in 2016, ranked #10,705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 514 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pinchbeck surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pinchbeck surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pinchbeck 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 166 #14,039
1881 historical 340 #8,934
1891 historical 336 #10,158
1901 historical 421 #9,141
1911 historical 514 #7,669
1997 modern 474 #9,693
1998 modern 482 #9,878
1999 modern 491 #9,797
2000 modern 484 #9,873
2001 modern 463 #10,009
2002 modern 470 #10,094
2003 modern 463 #10,026
2004 modern 461 #10,107
2005 modern 457 #10,100
2006 modern 450 #10,237
2007 modern 444 #10,445
2008 modern 443 #10,559
2009 modern 463 #10,428
2010 modern 477 #10,410
2011 modern 471 #10,418
2012 modern 470 #10,332
2013 modern 465 #10,569
2014 modern 467 #10,596
2015 modern 464 #10,586
2016 modern 456 #10,705

Geography

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Where Pinchbecks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Clee, St Werburgh, Friskney and Sibsey, Carrington, West Ville, Thornton-le-Fen, Langrick Ville, Silt Pits, Frith Ville, Rowlands Ma. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston, Redcar and Cleveland and Test Valley. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Clee Lincolnshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Friskney Lincolnshire
5 Sibsey, Carrington, West Ville, Thornton-le-Fen, Langrick Ville, Silt Pits, Frith Ville, Rowlands Ma Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 001 Boston
2 Redcar and Cleveland 009 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Redcar and Cleveland 011 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Test Valley 009 Test Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pinchbeck

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pinchbeck

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Pinchbeck is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pinchbeck 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

Pinchbeck falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pinchbeck is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pinchbeck

The surname "PINCHBECK" originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pinc" and "bæc," which translate to "finch" and "stream" or "brook," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a stream or brook frequented by finches.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1349, where a Robert Pynchebek is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already well-established in the Lincolnshire region by the mid-14th century.

The Pinchbeck family was particularly prominent in the village of Pinchbeck, near Spalding in Lincolnshire. This village likely took its name from the family, and its earliest recorded spelling dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Pincebec."

A notable early bearer of the name was William Pinchbeck (c. 1400-1477), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He is recorded as having held significant estates in the county and served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in 1437.

Another prominent figure was Edward Pinchbeck (1639-1719), a clockmaker and inventor from Clerkenwell, London. He is credited with developing a brass alloy known as "Pinchbeck's metal," which was used as a cheaper alternative to gold in the production of watches and jewelry.

In the 18th century, Christopher Pinchbeck (1670-1733) was a renowned English clockmaker and watchmaker who worked in London. He was a member of the Clockmakers' Company and is known for his contributions to the development of watch design and manufacturing techniques.

During the 19th century, Sir Christopher Pinchbeck (1814-1895) was a notable British politician and lawyer. He served as a Member of Parliament for Lymington and was appointed as a Queen's Counsel in 1866.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Pinchbeck (1812-1880), an English architect and surveyor who was responsible for the design and construction of several churches and public buildings in Lincolnshire and surrounding areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pinchbeck families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pinchbeck 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. Lincolnshire leads with 132 Pinchbecks recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.89x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 132 24.89x
Yorkshire 97 2.95x
Middlesex 23 0.69x
Warwickshire 23 2.75x
Derbyshire 14 2.70x
Lancashire 14 0.36x
Surrey 10 0.62x
Leicestershire 8 2.18x
Staffordshire 8 0.71x
Kent 5 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.43x
Hampshire 2 0.29x
Durham 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clee With Weelsby in Lincolnshire leads with 24 Pinchbecks recorded in 1881 and an index of 206.72x.

Place Total Index
Clee With Weelsby 24 206.72x
Brightside Bierlow 17 26.37x
Great Grimsby 17 50.51x
Grantham 16 231.55x
Sculcoates 16 30.70x
Tottenham 14 26.51x
Brantingham 12 3870.97x
Holy Trinity 12 15.18x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 11 261.28x
Litchurch 11 52.63x
Aston 10 4.34x
Friskney 10 595.24x
Newington 9 7.35x
Wrangle 9 681.82x
Coleby 8 1632.65x
Elloughton Cum Brough 7 693.07x
Erringden 7 330.19x
Coventry St Michael 6 22.33x
Tamworth 6 100.17x
Clerkenwell London 5 6.39x
Coningsby 5 328.95x
Leicester St Margaret 5 5.58x
Lewisham 5 8.29x
Marton In Middlesbrough 5 416.67x
Sibsey 5 416.67x
Soothill 5 42.12x
Weston 5 520.83x
Atherstone 4 93.68x
Newington 4 44.20x
Thornton Le Fen 4 1000.00x
Alvaston 3 202.70x
Eagle 3 576.92x
Gosberton 3 127.12x
Market Bosworth 3 225.56x
Skirbeck 3 101.01x
Southcoates 3 16.44x
Birmingham 2 0.72x
Boston 2 12.43x
Branstone 2 176.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.99x
Great Steeping 2 666.67x
Hammersmith London 2 2.45x
Horncastle 2 36.56x
Manchester 2 1.13x
Stickford 2 363.64x
Thorpe St Peter 2 307.69x
Ventnor 2 30.91x
Bassingbourn 1 32.36x
Blankney 1 133.33x
Bridlington 1 13.30x
Bulkington 1 55.25x
Cleethorpes 1 32.05x
Dringhoe Upton Brough 1 555.56x
Fishtoft 1 96.15x
Fleet 1 66.23x
Goodmanham 1 285.71x
Hurworth 1 57.80x
Kensington London 1 0.54x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 17.12x
New Village 1 101.01x
Newball 1 714.29x
Paddington London 1 0.82x
Rotherhithe 1 2.44x
Skellingthorpe 1 121.95x
South Kyme 1 166.67x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 10.64x
Swineshead 1 57.47x
Thorney 1 42.92x
Waddington 1 103.09x
Welton Melton 1 104.17x
West Keal 1 238.10x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 13.62x
Worsley 1 4.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 15
Emma 8
Annie 7
Ann 6
Harriet 6
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Susannah 4
Betsy 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Margaretta 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Annetta 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellenor 1
Emelie 1
Esteram 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
James 1
Jennie 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
May 1
Olive 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 21
Thomas 17
George 13
Charles 10
Henry 8
James 7
Alfred 5
Isaac 5
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Abraham 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Albert 2
David 2
Fred 2
Alf. 1
Allen 1
Benjamin 1
Dan 1
Earnest 1
Edg. 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Jacob 1
Jerrold 1
Martin 1
Olave 1
Parkinson 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1
Thos.H. 1
Walter 1
Will 1
Winfred 1

FAQ

Pinchbeck surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pinchbeck surname in 1881?

In 1881, 340 people were recorded with the Pinchbeck surname. That placed it at #8,934 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pinchbeck surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 456 in 2016. That gives Pinchbeck a modern rank of #10,705.

What does the Pinchbeck surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the Pinchbeck area of England.

What does the Pinchbeck map show?

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