UK surname

Pool

An occupational surname for someone who lived near or worked at a pool, pond, or small body of water.

In the 1881 census there were 3,456 people recorded with the Pool surname, ranking it #1,321 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,478, ranked #4,166, down from #1,321 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Phillack. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annan East, Lochside and Lincluden and Summerville.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pool is 4,195 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 57.2%.

1881 census count

3,456

Ranked #1,321

Modern count

1,478

2016, ranked #4,166

Peak year

1851

4,195 bearers

Map years

1851 to 2016

Key insights

• Pool had 3,456 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,321 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 1,478 in 2016, ranked #4,166.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,195 in 1851.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Map

Pool surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pool surname density by area, 1881 census.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Pool 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	4,195	#682
1861	historical	3,929	#713
1881	historical	3,456	#1,321
1891	historical	2,993	#1,571
1901	historical	2,485	#2,197
1911	historical	2,090	#2,396
1997	modern	1,443	#4,044
1998	modern	1,483	#4,096
1999	modern	1,483	#4,124
2000	modern	1,458	#4,156
2001	modern	1,436	#4,129
2002	modern	1,447	#4,186
2003	modern	1,408	#4,211
2004	modern	1,428	#4,158
2005	modern	1,417	#4,152
2006	modern	1,441	#4,104
2007	modern	1,453	#4,108
2008	modern	1,454	#4,125
2009	modern	1,507	#4,104
2010	modern	1,512	#4,168
2011	modern	1,486	#4,182
2012	modern	1,479	#4,137
2013	modern	1,520	#4,114
2014	modern	1,498	#4,181
2015	modern	1,480	#4,184
2016	modern	1,478	#4,166

Geography

Where Pools are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Phillack, Lambeth and Annan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Annan East, Lochside and Lincluden, Summerville, Ryedale and Annan West. 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	Wolverhampton	Staffordshire
2	London parishes	London 3
3	Phillack	Cornwall
4	Lambeth	London (South Districts)
5	Annan	Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Annan East	Dumfries and Galloway
2	Lochside and Lincluden	Dumfries and Galloway
3	Summerville	Dumfries and Galloway
4	Ryedale 002	Ryedale
5	Annan West	Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

First names often paired with Pool

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

Historical female names

Mary Elizabeth Sarah Ann Jane Eliza Emma Annie Margaret Emily

Historical male names

William John Thomas George James Joseph Charles Robert Henry Richard

Recent female names

Sarah Margaret Susan Rebecca Elizabeth Helen Nicola Claire Christine Mary

Recent male names

David James Richard John Stephen Christopher Robert Thomas Andrew Jonathan

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Pool

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Pool is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pool is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pool falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pool 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Pool, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Pool

The surname POOL has its origins in the English language and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pol," which referred to a small body of water or a pool. This word was also used to describe people who lived near a pool or a pond.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname POOL can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 11th century.

The surname POOL was particularly prevalent in areas of England where bodies of water, such as pools or ponds, were abundant. This included regions like Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire. Over time, the name also became associated with certain place names, such as Pooltown or Poolhampton, which further solidified its connection to bodies of water.

During the Middle Ages, the spelling of the surname varied, with forms like "Poole," "Pole," and "Poul" being common. This was due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One notable individual with the surname POOL was Sir William Pool (c. 1380-1439), a prominent English politician who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons during the reign of Henry VI. Another notable figure was John Pool (c. 1504-1558), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Mary I for his religious beliefs.

In the 17th century, the name was also associated with the Pool family of Shropshire, England. This family produced several notable figures, including Sir John Pool (1613-1685), a Royalist officer during the English Civil War, and Roger Pool (1639-1708), a lawyer and Member of Parliament.

As the centuries progressed, the surname POOL continued to spread across England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields, including literature, science, and the arts. Some notable examples include Maria Pool (1773-1839), an English author and poet, and John Pool (1826-1884), an English zoologist and paleontologist.

Overall, the surname POOL has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was closely associated with bodies of water and certain geographical locations. Despite its humble origins, the name has been carried by many notable individuals throughout history, leaving a lasting impact on various aspects of society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Pool families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pool 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. Yorkshire leads with 496 Pools recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.48x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Yorkshire	496	0.02%	1.48x
Middlesex	295	0.01%	0.87x
Staffordshire	270	0.03%	2.36x
Lancashire	232	0.01%	0.58x
Gloucestershire	163	0.03%	2.46x
Somerset	138	0.03%	2.53x
Warwickshire	129	0.02%	1.51x
Dumfriesshire	126	0.20%	16.85x
Surrey	126	0.01%	0.76x
Kent	119	0.01%	1.03x
Essex	109	0.02%	1.63x
Cheshire	108	0.02%	1.45x
Leicestershire	101	0.03%	2.69x
Cumberland	82	0.03%	2.81x
Cornwall	79	0.02%	2.06x
Lincolnshire	79	0.02%	1.46x
Worcestershire	73	0.02%	1.65x
Derbyshire	68	0.01%	1.28x
Monmouthshire	60	0.03%	2.45x
Nottinghamshire	49	0.01%	1.07x
Shropshire	46	0.02%	1.57x
Sussex	42	0.01%	0.74x
Devon	33	0.01%	0.47x
Wiltshire	33	0.01%	1.10x
Northamptonshire	32	0.01%	1.01x
Durham	31	0.00%	0.31x
Hampshire	28	0.00%	0.40x
Glamorgan	27	0.01%	0.46x
Lanarkshire	27	0.00%	0.25x
Midlothian	27	0.01%	0.60x
Suffolk	27	0.01%	0.65x
Bedfordshire	24	0.02%	1.37x
Westmorland	21	0.03%	2.82x
Channel Islands	17	0.02%	1.69x
Montgomeryshire	15	0.02%	1.93x
Oxfordshire	15	0.01%	0.72x
Cambridgeshire	13	0.01%	0.61x
Dorset	13	0.01%	0.59x
Hertfordshire	12	0.01%	0.51x
Buckinghamshire	10	0.01%	0.49x
Buteshire	10	0.06%	4.88x
Berkshire	9	0.00%	0.35x
Flintshire	8	0.01%	0.88x
Northumberland	8	0.00%	0.16x
Angus	6	0.00%	0.19x
Norfolk	6	0.00%	0.12x
Anglesey	5	0.01%	0.83x
Radnorshire	5	0.02%	1.83x
Brecknockshire	4	0.01%	0.59x
Kirkcudbrightshire	3	0.01%	0.61x
Royal Navy	3	0.01%	0.74x
Ayrshire	2	0.00%	0.08x
Huntingdonshire	2	0.00%	0.30x
Denbighshire	1	0.00%	0.08x
Herefordshire	1	0.00%	0.07x
Inverness-shire	1	0.00%	0.10x
Merionethshire	1	0.00%	0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 69 Pools recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Birmingham	69	0.03%	2.43x
Annan	60	1.08%	93.41x
Wolverhampton	43	0.06%	4.89x
Phillack	35	0.82%	70.76x
Islington London	34	0.01%	1.04x
Aston	33	0.02%	1.40x
Sculcoates	33	0.07%	6.21x
Kensington London	31	0.02%	1.65x
St Pancras London	31	0.01%	1.14x
Barking	29	0.17%	14.83x
Desford	29	3.23%	278.31x
Newington	29	0.03%	2.32x
West Derby	29	0.03%	2.47x
Wednesfield	28	0.19%	16.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts	27	0.02%	1.48x
Everton	27	0.02%	2.11x
Walsall Foreign	27	0.05%	4.57x
Haverhill	25	4.76%	411.18x
Bristol St George	23	0.09%	7.49x
Kelfield	23	6.71%	579.35x
Risca	23	0.58%	49.86x
Sedgley	23	0.06%	5.42x
Holy Trinity	22	0.03%	2.73x
Bristol St Philip Jacob	21	0.04%	3.36x
Hunslet	19	0.04%	3.63x
Leeds	19	0.01%	1.00x
Portishead	19	0.54%	46.91x
Aberystruth	18	0.10%	8.34x
Lambeth	18	0.01%	0.61x
Rowley Regis	18	0.07%	5.65x
Ashton Keynes	17	1.77%	152.74x
Caldewgate	17	0.12%	10.65x
Croydon	17	0.02%	1.86x
Haverhill	17	0.54%	46.41x
Nantwich	17	0.23%	19.58x
Stoke Upon Trent	17	0.02%	1.40x
Tottenham	16	0.03%	2.97x
Bethnal Green London	15	0.01%	1.02x
Beverley St Mary	15	0.35%	30.62x
Bitton Oldland	15	0.26%	22.10x
Derby St Alkmund	15	0.11%	9.44x
Harrow	15	0.34%	28.99x
Ingham	15	2.51%	216.45x
Bollin Fee	14	0.49%	42.25x
Brighton	14	0.01%	1.22x
Deptford St Paul	14	0.02%	1.57x
Great Driffield	14	0.24%	20.34x
Witton Cum Twambrooks	14	0.24%	21.05x
Woolwich	14	0.04%	3.28x
Bedminster	13	0.03%	2.54x
Carnforth	13	0.68%	58.93x
Dryfesdale	13	0.44%	37.72x
Greenwich	13	0.03%	2.41x
Mile End Old Town	13	0.03%	2.43x
Paddington London	13	0.01%	1.04x
St Helier	13	0.05%	3.98x
Tipton	13	0.04%	3.72x
Barnsley	12	4.35%	375.00x
Bulwell	12	0.14%	12.10x
Christchurch	12	0.18%	15.85x
Nottingham St Mary	12	0.01%	1.02x
West Ham	12	0.01%	0.81x
York St Maurice	12	0.22%	19.00x
Bradford	11	0.02%	1.35x
Carlaverock	11	1.04%	90.16x
Clapham	11	0.03%	2.60x
Gateshead	11	0.02%	1.46x
Hackney London	11	0.01%	0.58x
Liverpool	11	0.01%	0.45x
Lochmaben	11	0.39%	33.57x
Tranmere	11	0.05%	4.01x
Cheltenham	10	0.02%	1.95x
Derby St Werburgh	10	0.04%	3.27x
Great Gonerby	10	0.83%	71.74x
Huddersfield	10	0.02%	2.05x
Idle	10	0.07%	6.43x
Kilmory	10	0.39%	33.47x
Kingsthorpe	10	0.33%	28.26x
Leicester St Margaret	10	0.01%	1.09x
Newbold Verdon	10	1.34%	116.01x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Mary	208
Sarah	140
Elizabeth	127
Ann	91
Jane	76
Eliza	70
Annie	49
Alice	47
Emily	43
Emma	41
Ellen	40
Martha	32
Hannah	30
Margaret	27
Maria	25
Catherine	24
Caroline	22
Fanny	18
Louisa	17
Ada	16
Isabella	16
Lucy	16
Charlotte	15
Edith	15
Florence	14
Harriet	14
Anne	13
Clara	13
Kate	11
Matilda	11
Agnes	10
Frances	10
Rose	10
Susan	10
Harriett	9
Jessie	9
Rachel	8
Rebecca	8
Sophia	8
Elizth.	7
Grace	7
Susannah	7
Betsy	6
Laura	6
Phoebe	6
Ruth	6
Eleanor	5
Ethel	5
Lydia	5
Minnie	5

Top male names

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

Name	Count
William	229
John	202
George	118
Thomas	106
James	76
Charles	70
Joseph	69
Henry	68
Robert	49
Alfred	39
Richard	36
Walter	31
Samuel	29
Frederick	24
Edward	23
Arthur	20
Harry	20
Francis	17
Albert	15
Frank	14
David	11
Herbert	11
Thos.	11
Wm.	11
Benjamin	10
Edwin	7
Fred	7
Stephen	7
Tom	6
Daniel	5
Fredk.	5
Isaac	5
Jno.	5
Augustus	4
Chas.	4
Ernest	4
Fredrick	4
Joshua	4
Robinson	4
Abraham	3
Elijah	3
Henery	3
Matthew	3
Michael	3
Saml.	3
Andrew	2
Enoch	2
Lewis	2
Mark	2
Mathias	2

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Pool households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	646
Labourer	35
Ag Lab	33
Dressmaker	33
Coal Miner	32
Annuitant	28
Bricklayer	19
Housekeeper	19
Laundress	19
Domestic Servant	17
General Servant	17
Farm Labourer	15
Baker	13
Wife	13
Carter	12
Grocer	12
Farm Servant (Indoor)	11
Servant	10
Carpenter	9
Charwoman	9
Coalminer	9
General Labourer	9
No Occupation	9
Farmer	8
Farmers Son	8
Farmers Wife	8
General Laborer	8
Tailor	8
Cotton Weaver	7
Housemaid	7
Joiner	7
Milliner	7
Tailoress	7
Ag Labourer	6
Brickmaker	6
Butcher	6
Domestic Serv	6
Farm Servant Indoor	6
Farmers Daur	6
Fisherman	6
General Serv	6
None	6
Warehouseman	6
Agricultural Laborer	5
Engine Fitter	5
General Servant (Domestic)	5
Lead Miner	5
Plasterer	5
Servant Domestic	5
Shoe Maker	5

FAQ

Pool surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pool surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,456 people were recorded with the Pool surname. That placed it at #1,321 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pool surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,478 in 2016. That gives Pool a modern rank of #4,166.

What does the Pool surname mean?