NameCensus.

UK surname

Pointing

In the 1881 census there were 259 people recorded with the Pointing surname, ranking it #10,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, down from #10,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chailey, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Isle of Wight and Mid Sussex.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pointing is 392 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.2%.

1881 census count

259

Ranked #10,808

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

1998

392 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pointing had 259 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 361 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Pointing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pointing surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pointing 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 166 #14,039
1881 historical 259 #10,808
1891 historical 281 #11,630
1901 historical 361 #10,196
1911 historical 343 #10,416
1997 modern 382 #11,377
1998 modern 392 #11,512
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 361 #12,288
2001 modern 347 #12,449
2002 modern 353 #12,512
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 346 #12,544
2005 modern 343 #12,546
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 342 #12,809
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 348 #13,020
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 350 #13,086
2012 modern 344 #13,121
2013 modern 362 #12,843
2014 modern 363 #12,908
2015 modern 359 #12,906
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Pointings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chailey, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Isle of Wight, Mid Sussex, Newark and Sherwood and South Gloucestershire. 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 Chailey Sussex
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
3 Mid Sussex 016 Mid Sussex
4 Newark and Sherwood 007 Newark and Sherwood
5 South Gloucestershire 013 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pointing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pointing

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Pointing 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

Pointing is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Pointing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pointing 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. Somerset leads with 47 Pointings recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.47x.

County Total Index
Somerset 47 11.47x
Surrey 39 3.14x
Middlesex 34 1.34x
Sussex 33 7.69x
Gloucestershire 21 4.21x
Warwickshire 15 2.34x
Kent 13 1.50x
Wiltshire 13 5.77x
Buckinghamshire 9 5.85x
Hampshire 9 1.72x
Yorkshire 9 0.36x
Durham 7 0.92x
Cornwall 2 0.69x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Royal Navy 2 6.59x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.97x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.19x
Glamorgan 1 0.23x
Monmouthshire 1 0.54x
Norfolk 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 17 Pointings recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.63x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 17 19.63x
Birmingham 15 7.01x
Walcot 15 68.71x
Finchley 11 112.70x
Newington 11 11.70x
Chailey 10 751.88x
Minster In Sheppey 10 69.49x
Little Langton 9 11250.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 17.57x
Wycombe 9 78.47x
Bishops Cannings 8 963.86x
Ouston 7 630.63x
St George Hanover 7 21.07x
Thornbury 7 205.28x
Weston 7 222.22x
Battersea 6 6.40x
Clerkenwell London 6 9.98x
Lambeth 6 2.70x
Midsomer Norton 6 155.44x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 30.03x
Radstock 5 185.87x
St John Winchester 5 454.55x
Corston 4 1176.47x
Westbury On Trym 4 23.64x
Camberwell 3 1.84x
Clifton 3 11.89x
Publow 3 638.30x
Ramsgate 3 21.16x
Rowde 3 288.46x
Tottenham 3 7.40x
Alveston 2 281.69x
Bermondsey 2 2.64x
Bruton 2 124.22x
Lewes All Sts 2 116.96x
Portsea 2 1.96x
Royal Navy 2 7.71x
South Malling 2 312.50x
St Marylebone London 2 1.47x
Westminster St James 2 7.64x
Wookey 2 222.22x
Bangor 1 10.07x
Bath St James 1 23.42x
Batheaston 1 71.43x
Bishops Waltham 1 46.08x
Chepstow 1 31.95x
Croydon 1 1.45x
Dorking 1 12.00x
Falmer 1 200.00x
Falmouth 1 9.80x
Heaton Norris 1 5.81x
Hyde 1 6.03x
Islington London 1 0.41x
Kensington London 1 0.71x
Lewes St John Southover 1 34.72x
Market Lavington 1 81.97x
Neath 1 11.09x
Norwich St George Colegate 1 70.42x
Ottery St Mary 1 28.74x
Over Kellet 1 232.56x
South Stoneham 1 8.83x
St Mabyn 1 227.27x
St Pancras London 1 0.49x
Stratton On The Fosse 1 416.67x
West Ashton 1 370.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 10
Sarah 10
Ann 9
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Jane 6
Florence 5
Ada 4
Alice 4
Clara 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Charlotte 3
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Sophia 2
Belinda 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Gulielina 1
Harriett 1
Harriott 1
Heneretta 1
Isabella 1
Kathleen 1
Lilly 1
Mabel 1
Mara 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 12
Henry 11
John 11
James 10
Alfred 8
William 8
Thomas 5
Charles 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Owen 2
Richard 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Fredy 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Laurence 1
Lawson 1
Leonard 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
T.H. 1
Uriah 1
Vernon 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Pointing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pointing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 259 people were recorded with the Pointing surname. That placed it at #10,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pointing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Pointing a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Pointing map show?

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