NameCensus.

UK surname

Pollock

A Scottish locational surname referring to someone from a place called Pollock, derived from the Gaelic words poll and oc.

In the 1881 census there were 4,359 people recorded with the Pollock surname, ranking it #1,028 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,592, ranked #1,023, up from #1,028 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pollok North and East, Strathaven South and IZ03.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pollock is 6,650 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

4,359

Ranked #1,028

Modern count

6,592

2016, ranked #1,023

Peak year

2014

6,650 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pollock had 4,359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,028 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,592 in 2016, ranked #1,023.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,437 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Pollock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pollock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pollock 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 2,882 #1,009
1861 historical 3,215 #895
1881 historical 4,359 #1,028
1891 historical 4,646 #1,005
1901 historical 5,437 #1,022
1911 historical 1,719 #2,849
1997 modern 6,255 #1,049
1998 modern 6,430 #1,063
1999 modern 6,459 #1,062
2000 modern 6,447 #1,062
2001 modern 6,285 #1,063
2002 modern 6,437 #1,064
2003 modern 6,269 #1,064
2004 modern 6,241 #1,072
2005 modern 6,213 #1,060
2006 modern 6,202 #1,055
2007 modern 6,278 #1,051
2008 modern 6,370 #1,041
2009 modern 6,470 #1,049
2010 modern 6,593 #1,049
2011 modern 6,554 #1,039
2012 modern 6,402 #1,045
2013 modern 6,563 #1,037
2014 modern 6,650 #1,030
2015 modern 6,597 #1,028
2016 modern 6,592 #1,023

Geography

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Where Pollocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pollok North and East, Strathaven South, IZ03, Newmilns and IZ04. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bothwell Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pollok North and East Glasgow City
2 Strathaven South South Lanarkshire
3 IZ03 West Dunbartonshire
4 Newmilns East Ayrshire
5 IZ04 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pollock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pollock

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Pollock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pollock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pollock 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

Pollock is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pollock falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pollock

The surname Pollock has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "pol" and "loch," which together mean "a pool or small body of water." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a small lake or pond.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Pollock can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One such entry mentions John de Pollok, a landowner from the area now known as Renfrewshire.

In the 14th century, the Pollock family established themselves as a prominent clan in the area around Glasgow. The Pollok House, built in the late 18th century, served as their ancestral seat and is now a popular tourist attraction.

During the Scottish Wars of Independence, the Pollocks were known supporters of Robert the Bruce. In 1314, Sir Robert Pollock fought alongside the king at the Battle of Bannockburn, which proved to be a decisive victory for the Scots against the English.

Over the centuries, the name has been spelled in various ways, including Pollok, Pollokis, and Pollokke. The spelling "Pollock" became more standardized in the 17th century.

Noteworthy individuals with the surname Pollock include:

1. Sir John Pollock (1786-1872), a British Field Marshal who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. 2. Walter Herries Pollock (1850-1926), a Scottish sculptor best known for his statue of Queen Victoria in Kensington Gardens, London. 3. Jackson Pollock (1912-1956), an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. 4. Graeme Pollock (born 1944), a South African cricketer who was one of the finest batsmen of his era. 5. Andy Pollock (1915-2009), an American baseball player who spent his entire career with the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles.

The Pollock surname has a rich history, deeply rooted in Scotland's past, and has been carried by individuals of great significance across various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pollock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pollock 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,589 Pollocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.58x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,589 11.58x
Renfrewshire 578 17.58x
Ayrshire 412 12.97x
Middlesex 255 0.60x
Lancashire 186 0.37x
Midlothian 158 2.78x
Surrey 116 0.56x
Dunbartonshire 107 9.38x
Stirlingshire 94 6.01x
Durham 80 0.63x
Cumberland 79 2.16x
Perthshire 68 3.57x
Kent 66 0.46x
Clackmannanshire 61 17.41x
Yorkshire 60 0.14x
West Lothian 48 7.51x
Fife 43 1.71x
Wigtownshire 34 6.03x
Cheshire 32 0.34x
Essex 28 0.33x
Hampshire 25 0.29x
Northumberland 25 0.40x
Angus 18 0.46x
Warwickshire 17 0.16x
Dumfriesshire 16 1.71x
Kinross-shire 13 12.12x
Kirkcudbrightshire 13 2.12x
Gloucestershire 12 0.14x
Argyllshire 9 0.76x
Monmouthshire 9 0.29x
Sussex 9 0.13x
Northamptonshire 8 0.20x
Devon 7 0.08x
Hertfordshire 7 0.24x
Somerset 7 0.10x
Selkirkshire 6 1.56x
Bedfordshire 5 0.23x
Buteshire 5 1.94x
Lincolnshire 4 0.06x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.08x
Berkshire 3 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.11x
Dorset 3 0.11x
Norfolk 3 0.05x
Worcestershire 3 0.05x
Derbyshire 2 0.03x
Inverness-shire 2 0.16x
Leicestershire 2 0.04x
Roxburghshire 2 0.26x
Royal Navy 2 0.40x
Westmorland 2 0.21x
Berwickshire 1 0.19x
Caithness 1 0.17x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
East Lothian 1 0.18x
Isle of Man 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Peeblesshire 1 0.50x
Staffordshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 392 Pollocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.55x.

Place Total Index
Govan 392 11.55x
Barony 379 10.91x
Glasgow 210 8.62x
Bothwell 96 25.79x
Loudoun 95 124.39x
Abbey 92 18.34x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 88 3.85x
Paisley High Church 78 29.79x
Hamilton 77 20.12x
Mearns 68 118.04x
East Greenock 66 21.25x
Old Monkland 61 11.20x
Neilston 52 31.50x
New Monkland 47 11.59x
West Greenock 47 7.96x
Tillicoultry 46 59.00x
Galston 44 50.66x
Kilmarnock 42 11.11x
Cambusnethan 40 13.12x
East Kilbride 40 68.06x
Carluke 38 30.50x
Paisley Middle Church 35 18.28x
Lochwinnoch 34 69.37x
Cathcart 28 15.74x
Bathgate 27 19.46x
St Marylebone London 27 1.19x
Newington 26 1.66x
Lambeth 24 0.65x
Maryhill 24 8.93x
Auckinleck 23 23.40x
Dalserf 23 16.80x
St Pancras London 23 0.67x
Cardross 22 16.07x
Liverpool 22 0.72x
Ayr 21 14.01x
Islington London 21 0.51x
Lewisham 21 2.72x
West Ham 21 1.14x
Eastwood 20 9.88x
Everton 20 1.25x
West Derby 20 1.36x
Leeds 19 0.80x
Port Glasgow 19 11.95x
Blantyre 18 12.60x
Dalziel 18 12.19x
Bethnal Green London 17 0.92x
Hackney London 17 0.71x
Logie 17 24.88x
Toxteth Park 17 1.00x
Westoe 16 2.24x
Bonhill 15 8.19x
Kirkintilloch 15 9.68x
Paddington London 15 0.96x
Row 15 10.17x
Rutherglen 15 7.45x
Alloa 14 8.24x
Cambuslang 14 10.12x
Dundonald 14 11.96x
Shettleston 14 11.39x
West Kilbride 14 46.27x
Campsie 13 15.14x
Cleish 13 179.81x
Edgbaston 13 3.92x
Poplar London 13 1.62x
Shoreditch London 13 0.71x
Shotts 13 7.92x
Spitalfields London 13 4.07x
St Ninians 13 8.38x
Auchtertool 12 115.38x
Beith 12 12.66x
Birkenhead 12 1.61x
Inch 12 21.85x
Maybole 12 12.41x
Mochrum 12 35.67x
Oldham 12 0.74x
Paisley Low Church 12 11.53x
Penrith 12 8.89x
St George Hanover 12 2.17x
Stevenston 12 14.50x
Kirkoswald 11 42.42x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 72
John 63
James 44
Thomas 34
Robert 33
George 28
Charles 16
Henry 13
Joseph 10
Alexander 9
Arthur 9
Andrew 8
Frederick 8
Hugh 8
Samuel 8
David 7
Walter 7
Edward 6
Isaac 6
Matthew 6
Richard 5
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Alfred 3
Chas. 3
Harold 3
Jas. 3
Wm. 3
Alexr. 2
Algernon 2
Allan 2
Archibald 2
Douglas 2
Evelyn 2
Felix 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Archibold 1
Cornelius 1
Courtney 1
Cuthbert 1
Danile 1
Darran 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredk.Leslie 1
Wm.Heny. 1

FAQ

Pollock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pollock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,359 people were recorded with the Pollock surname. That placed it at #1,028 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pollock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,592 in 2016. That gives Pollock a modern rank of #1,023.

What does the Pollock surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname referring to someone from a place called Pollock, derived from the Gaelic words poll and oc.

What does the Pollock map show?

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