NameCensus.

UK surname

Pitcher

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of earthenware drinking and pouring vessels.

In the 1881 census there were 2,307 people recorded with the Pitcher surname, ranking it #1,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,027, ranked #2,222, down from #1,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Melbury Osmond. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Dover and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pitcher is 3,725 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.2%.

1881 census count

2,307

Ranked #1,935

Modern count

3,027

2016, ranked #2,222

Peak year

1911

3,725 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pitcher had 2,307 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,027 in 2016, ranked #2,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,725 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pitcher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pitcher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pitcher 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 1,700 #1,698
1861 historical 1,783 #1,625
1881 historical 2,307 #1,935
1891 historical 2,759 #1,712
1901 historical 2,838 #1,963
1911 historical 3,725 #1,393
1997 modern 3,245 #1,981
1998 modern 3,320 #2,015
1999 modern 3,314 #2,046
2000 modern 3,334 #2,022
2001 modern 3,235 #2,037
2002 modern 3,307 #2,040
2003 modern 3,176 #2,069
2004 modern 3,138 #2,090
2005 modern 3,049 #2,122
2006 modern 3,010 #2,155
2007 modern 3,038 #2,155
2008 modern 3,028 #2,170
2009 modern 3,100 #2,178
2010 modern 3,163 #2,186
2011 modern 3,066 #2,218
2012 modern 2,995 #2,225
2013 modern 3,066 #2,211
2014 modern 3,077 #2,224
2015 modern 3,068 #2,203
2016 modern 3,027 #2,222

Geography

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Where Pitchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Melbury Osmond and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Dover and Cotswold. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Melbury Osmond Dorset
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 006 West Dorset
2 Dover 003 Dover
3 West Dorset 008 West Dorset
4 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
5 Dover 011 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pitcher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pitcher

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

London Fringe

Within London, Pitcher is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Pitcher is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pitcher falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pitcher 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 Pitcher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pitcher

The surname Pitcher is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "pycere," which referred to a maker or seller of pitch, a sticky substance obtained from the residue of tar distillation. Pitch was widely used for waterproofing and caulking ships, barrels, and roofs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a William le Pychere. The name is also present in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where it appears as Reginald le Pychur.

The Pitcher surname is believed to have originated in areas with a strong shipbuilding or woodworking industry, where pitch was in high demand. Places like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Kent were likely the initial strongholds of the name.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Picher, Pychere, and Pytchour, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Pitcher, a merchant from London who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir Edward Pitcher, a Member of Parliament for Sandwich, Kent, in the early 17th century.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a certain Robert Pitcher served as a captain in the Parliamentary forces under Oliver Cromwell. His exploits are recorded in several contemporary accounts of the conflict.

In the 18th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Nathaniel Pitcher (1777-1836), a prominent British writer and satirist known for his biting political commentary.

Another individual of note was Henry Pitcher (1824-1895), a successful businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of his hometown of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.

As the centuries progressed, the Pitcher surname spread across various parts of the British Isles and eventually to other regions of the world through migration and colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pitcher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pitcher 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. Norfolk leads with 423 Pitchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.14x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 423 12.14x
Middlesex 333 1.47x
Dorset 233 15.67x
Kent 218 2.82x
Surrey 190 1.72x
Gloucestershire 108 2.43x
Sussex 107 2.80x
Warwickshire 100 1.75x
Somerset 82 2.25x
Buckinghamshire 76 5.55x
Suffolk 54 1.96x
Yorkshire 53 0.24x
Devon 52 1.10x
Worcestershire 40 1.35x
Oxfordshire 33 2.36x
Essex 30 0.67x
Leicestershire 26 1.03x
Durham 23 0.34x
Lancashire 23 0.09x
Glamorgan 22 0.56x
Hampshire 21 0.45x
Lincolnshire 16 0.44x
Channel Islands 12 1.79x
Northamptonshire 12 0.56x
Staffordshire 9 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.28x
Cornwall 4 0.16x
Berkshire 3 0.18x
Royal Navy 3 1.11x
Shropshire 3 0.15x
Wiltshire 3 0.15x
Northumberland 2 0.06x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 65 Pitchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 65 3.29x
St Pancras London 42 2.30x
Shernborne 36 2903.23x
Stoke Damerel 36 10.90x
Islington London 35 1.59x
Melbury Osmond 35 1155.12x
Camberwell 33 2.28x
Ramsgate 33 26.15x
Eastbourne 28 15.93x
Aston 25 1.59x
Docking 24 218.98x
St Marylebone London 24 1.98x
Kirkley 21 90.95x
Shipdham 21 177.51x
Thornbury 21 69.12x
Erith 18 23.63x
Lopen 18 654.55x
Swaffham 18 63.51x
Birmingham 17 0.89x
Deal 17 25.78x
Paddington London 17 2.04x
Woolwich 17 5.95x
Canterbury St Mary 16 30.83x
Clerkenwell London 16 2.99x
Hammersmith London 16 2.87x
Newington 16 1.91x
Bethnal Green London 15 1.52x
Chelsea London 15 2.20x
Hailsham 15 64.88x
Neithrop 15 31.89x
Heigham 14 7.49x
Lowestoft 14 10.74x
Hackney London 13 1.02x
Hellingly 13 101.64x
Mile End Old Town 13 3.63x
Rotherhithe 13 4.64x
Abbotsbury 12 158.10x
Ashwellthorpe 12 418.12x
Brancaster 12 201.01x
Crayford 12 35.53x
Croydon 12 1.96x
Evershot 12 309.28x
Great Yarmouth 12 4.16x
Weybourne 12 659.34x
Willingdon 12 123.71x
Alveston 11 146.67x
Barlestone 11 200.36x
Bowling 11 4.95x
Greenwich 11 3.05x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 3.03x
Poplar London 11 2.57x
Preston 11 1.53x
Radnage 11 332.33x
Uley 11 135.64x
Wellesbourne Mountford 11 201.83x
Wigan 11 2.93x
Bridport 10 32.66x
Eynsham 10 112.87x
Fordington 10 31.21x
Plumstead 10 3.88x
St Bartholomew Great 10 48.50x
Walpole St Andrew 10 183.82x
West Ham 10 1.01x
Weymouth 10 35.50x
Aylsham 9 43.39x
Barnham Broom 9 260.87x
Bere Regis 9 90.36x
Bradpole 9 73.83x
Chedgrave 9 313.59x
East Coker 9 112.78x
Fulham London 9 2.74x
Great Kimble 9 281.25x
Hewelsfield 9 288.46x
Neath 9 11.21x
Powerstock 9 141.29x
Saunderton 9 273.56x
Shoreditch London 9 0.92x
Stonehouse 9 35.63x
Turville 9 278.64x
West Wycombe 9 48.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 124
Elizabeth 96
Sarah 62
Jane 53
Ann 43
Ellen 43
Eliza 39
Emma 39
Emily 32
Alice 29
Annie 24
Louisa 21
Martha 21
Hannah 19
Maria 19
Fanny 18
Caroline 17
Charlotte 17
Florence 17
Susan 16
Edith 15
Margaret 15
Rose 14
Kate 13
Ada 12
Harriett 11
Julia 10
Amelia 9
Anne 9
Harriet 9
Matilda 9
Sophia 8
Clara 7
Gertrude 7
Jessie 7
Laura 7
Lucy 7
Susannah 7
Agnes 6
Anna 6
Ethel 6
Frances 6
Minnie 6
Ruth 6
Eleanor 5
Phoebe 5
Rhoda 5
Bessie 4
Lydia 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 164
John 123
George 97
Thomas 71
James 69
Henry 59
Charles 56
Arthur 33
Robert 31
Alfred 28
Frederick 27
Walter 27
Edward 20
Albert 16
Joseph 16
Ernest 13
Francis 11
Frank 11
Harry 11
Herbert 11
Richard 11
Benjamin 8
Daniel 8
David 8
Edwin 8
Samuel 8
Fredk. 6
Thos. 6
Fred 5
Isaac 5
Christopher 4
Stephen 4
Earnest 3
Philip 3
Rowland 3
Amos 2
Chas. 2
Duncan 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Ellis 2
Ephraim 2
Horace 2
Jesse 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Montague 2
Sedwin 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Pitcher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pitcher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,307 people were recorded with the Pitcher surname. That placed it at #1,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pitcher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,027 in 2016. That gives Pitcher a modern rank of #2,222.

What does the Pitcher surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of earthenware drinking and pouring vessels.

What does the Pitcher map show?

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