NameCensus.

UK surname

Plaskett

Of English origin, a locational surname referring to someone from Plaistow.

In the 1881 census there were 222 people recorded with the Plaskett surname, ranking it #12,022 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 307, ranked #14,508, down from #12,022 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wilne, London parishes and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Newcastle upon Tyne and Chelmsford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Plaskett is 399 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.3%.

1881 census count

222

Ranked #12,022

Modern count

307

2016, ranked #14,508

Peak year

1911

399 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Plaskett had 222 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,022 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016, ranked #14,508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 399 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Plaskett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Plaskett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Plaskett 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 189 #10,896
1861 historical 126 #17,569
1881 historical 222 #12,022
1891 historical 346 #9,920
1901 historical 344 #10,569
1911 historical 399 #9,298
1997 modern 323 #12,888
1998 modern 346 #12,630
1999 modern 351 #12,582
2000 modern 338 #12,877
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 342 #12,837
2003 modern 336 #12,786
2004 modern 336 #12,848
2005 modern 320 #13,243
2006 modern 320 #13,289
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 323 #13,462
2009 modern 328 #13,574
2010 modern 338 #13,550
2011 modern 341 #13,341
2012 modern 321 #13,836
2013 modern 324 #13,961
2014 modern 317 #14,269
2015 modern 310 #14,402
2016 modern 307 #14,508

Geography

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Where Plasketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wilne, London parishes, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Portsmouth, Portsea and Crosthwaite. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Newcastle upon Tyne and Chelmsford. 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 Wilne Derbyshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Crosthwaite Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 004 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Chelmsford 008 Chelmsford
5 Allerdale 009 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Plaskett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Plaskett

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Plaskett is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Plaskett is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Plaskett falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Plaskett

The surname Plaskett has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Plaskett or Plaskitt, which was likely a small hamlet or village. The name itself is thought to come from the Old English words "plaes" meaning "a dwelling" or "habitation" and "cyt" meaning a "cottage" or "hut".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Plaskett can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1275, where a certain Robert de Plasset is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in that region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Plaskett name appeared in various records across different counties in England. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, a Thomas Plaskett is listed as a taxpayer. Similarly, in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1332, a John Plasket is recorded.

The Plasketts were also present in the northern parts of England during this period. In the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dated 1348, a mention is made of a certain Adam del Plasket.

One notable figure bearing the Plaskett surname was John Plaskett, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Rector of Gedney in Lincolnshire from 1560 until his death in 1592.

Another prominent individual was Richard Plaskett, a 17th-century English soldier and landowner. Born in 1629, he served as a captain in the Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War and later acquired substantial estates in Berkshire and Hampshire.

In the 18th century, the Plaskett family had a strong presence in the county of Norfolk. One of the most renowned members was William Plaskett, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived from 1720 to 1796. He was instrumental in the development of the town of Yarmouth and served as its mayor on multiple occasions.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was John Stanley Plaskett, a British astronomer born in 1865. He made significant contributions to the field of astrophysics and served as the Directer of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Canada from 1917 until his retirement in 1935.

Another distinguished individual was Sir Alfred Plaskett, a British engineer and industrialist who lived from 1856 to 1936. He founded the Plaskett Engineering Company, which played a crucial role in the development of steam turbines and other industrial machinery during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Plaskett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Plaskett 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 67 Plasketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.26x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 67 19.26x
Cumberland 44 23.49x
Lancashire 22 0.85x
Hampshire 18 4.04x
Warwickshire 15 2.73x
Nottinghamshire 11 3.75x
Middlesex 9 0.41x
Wiltshire 8 4.16x
Worcestershire 8 2.82x
Herefordshire 6 6.73x
Berkshire 5 3.06x
Surrey 5 0.47x
Essex 2 0.47x
Hertfordshire 1 0.67x
Royal Navy 1 3.86x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Workington in Cumberland leads with 13 Plasketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 121.27x.

Place Total Index
Workington 13 121.27x
Portsea 12 13.73x
Swallow 10 5555.56x
Edgbaston 9 52.91x
Borrowdale 8 2424.24x
Downton 8 317.46x
Suckley 8 1702.13x
Ashby Cum Fenby 7 3500.00x
Hemswell 7 2500.00x
Nottingham St Mary 7 9.23x
Aston 6 3.97x
Brocklesby 6 3000.00x
Conisholme 6 6000.00x
Great Clifton 6 821.92x
Laceby 6 789.47x
Linton In Bromyard 6 1538.46x
Mile End Old Town 6 17.47x
Battersea 5 6.25x
Everton 5 6.08x
Grimoldby 5 1851.85x
Reading St Giles 5 31.21x
Toxteth Park 5 5.72x
Cheetham 4 20.78x
Dovenby 4 2352.94x
Keelby 4 727.27x
Lorton 4 1333.33x
Cabourn 3 2307.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 7.32x
Cockermouth 3 76.14x
Didsbury 3 87.46x
Ruddington 3 152.28x
Thorpe On The Hill 3 1428.57x
All Hallows Barking 2 370.37x
Harrington 2 88.50x
Houghton 2 625.00x
Hulme 2 3.71x
Little Clifton 2 625.00x
Mablethorpe 2 416.67x
Seaton 2 91.74x
Southampton St Mary 2 7.13x
St Martin Lincoln 2 61.92x
St Nicholas Lincoln 2 60.24x
St Swithin Lincoln 2 36.56x
Colchester St Giles 1 23.58x
Fulstow 1 238.10x
Harby 1 384.62x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 147.06x
Hemel Hempstead 1 14.79x
Holdenhurst 1 8.55x
Portsmouth 1 9.74x
Royal Navy 1 4.51x
South Mimms 1 33.56x
Walesby 1 416.67x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Jane 8
Annie 7
Sarah 7
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Elizabeth 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Dinah 2
Helen 2
Margret 2
Rachel 2
Barbr. 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Edna 1
Elanor 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lilley 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Manilla 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Nelly 1
Rosa 1
Rosaline 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 15
Charles 8
George 8
Joseph 7
James 6
Thomas 6
Henry 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Allison 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Tom 2
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.A. 1
Hy. 1
Jesse 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Plaskett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Plaskett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 222 people were recorded with the Plaskett surname. That placed it at #12,022 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Plaskett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016. That gives Plaskett a modern rank of #14,508.

What does the Plaskett surname mean?

Of English origin, a locational surname referring to someone from Plaistow.

What does the Plaskett map show?

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