NameCensus.

UK surname

Pixton

An English locational surname derived from a place name that refers to a settlement near a piked fence or enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Pixton surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Bury and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockport, Conwy and Fylde.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pixton is 271 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.7%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

1911

271 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pixton had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 271 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Pixton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pixton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pixton 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 226 #13,668
1901 historical 205 #14,884
1911 historical 271 #12,237
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 159 #21,030
2000 modern 146 #22,170
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 152 #21,723
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Pixtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Bury, Manchester, West Derby and Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockport, Conwy, Fylde, Wyre and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockport 004 Stockport
2 Conwy 009 Conwy
3 Fylde 001 Fylde
4 Wyre 014 Wyre
5 Stockton-on-Tees 004 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pixton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pixton

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Pixton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pixton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pixton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Pixton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Pixton

The surname PIXTON is believed to have originated in England, possibly during the late medieval period or early modern era. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name or settlement. One theory suggests that it may be linked to the village of Pixton in Somerset, which was recorded as Pycestone in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Another possibility is that PIXTON stems from a combination of the Old English words "pic" meaning a peak or pointed hill, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. This would suggest that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or peak. Alternatively, it could be a variant spelling of the name Pickston, which follows a similar etymology.

Early recorded instances of the PIXTON surname can be found in various historical documents and records. One of the earliest known examples is John de Pyxton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230. Another early bearer of the name was William Pyxton, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the PIXTON surname can be found in various parish records and registers across England. Notable individuals with this surname include Richard Pixton, who was born in Warwickshire in 1585, and Thomas Pixton, a merchant from London, who was born in 1610 and died in 1672.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was John Pixton, a landowner and farmer from Gloucestershire, who was born in 1712 and died in 1789. Another person of note was Sarah Pixton, born in 1735 in Oxfordshire, who was a pioneering educator and established one of the first schools for girls in the region.

During the 19th century, the PIXTON surname gained further prominence with individuals like William Pixton, a renowned architect from Yorkshire, who was born in 1812 and designed several notable buildings in the region. Additionally, there was Henry Pixton, a writer and poet from Lincolnshire, who was born in 1844 and published several collections of poetry and essays.

Throughout history, the PIXTON surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, ranging from farmers and merchants to architects and writers. While the exact origins of the name remain uncertain, its enduring presence in historical records reflects its deep-rooted heritage in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pixton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pixton 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 143 Pixtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 143 6.30x
Cheshire 35 8.29x
Yorkshire 7 0.37x
Renfrewshire 4 2.70x
Essex 3 0.80x
Cornwall 1 0.46x
Derbyshire 1 0.33x
Warwickshire 1 0.21x
Wiltshire 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury in Lancashire leads with 23 Pixtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 88.77x.

Place Total Index
Bury 23 88.77x
Openshaw 18 169.49x
East Broughton 11 1692.31x
Stretford 11 88.14x
Ardwick 9 43.99x
Chester St Oswald 9 117.80x
Elton 9 114.80x
Salford 9 13.49x
Farington 8 606.06x
Cheadle 7 86.85x
Tranmere 7 45.13x
Wavertree 7 96.42x
West Derby 7 10.55x
Withington 7 95.76x
Manchester 5 4.90x
Toxteth Park 5 6.51x
York St Martin Mklgt W 5 1162.79x
Didsbury 4 132.89x
Oldham 4 5.46x
Paisley Middle Church 4 46.35x
Whitby 4 412.37x
Chester St John Baptist 3 39.53x
Walthamstow 3 22.09x
Cheetham 2 11.82x
Horton In Bradford 2 6.76x
Sale 2 38.61x
Allington In Almesbury 1 2000.00x
Clitheroe 1 14.97x
Falmouth 1 13.05x
Golborne Bellow 1 2000.00x
Gorton 1 4.69x
Killamarsh 1 53.76x
Leamington Priors 1 8.43x
Little Budworth 1 285.71x
Runcorn 1 10.28x
Wardleworth 1 7.72x
Widnes 1 6.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 8
Annie 6
Hannah 5
Ann 4
Harriet 4
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Alfreda 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Anny 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Clara 1
Elaine 1
Eliz.Rose 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Ida 1
James 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
May 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 15
Thomas 7
James 6
Joseph 6
Edward 4
Charles 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Job 2
Reginald 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Aubrey 1
Bertram 1
David 1
Dudley 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Johm 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pixton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pixton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Pixton surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pixton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Pixton a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Pixton surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name that refers to a settlement near a piked fence or enclosure.

What does the Pixton map show?

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