NameCensus.

UK surname

Postlethwaite

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a pool of water or marshy area.

In the 1881 census there were 1,127 people recorded with the Postlethwaite surname, ranking it #3,534 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,529, ranked #4,051, down from #3,534 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Millom, Muncaster and Aldingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Postlethwaite is 1,683 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

1,127

Ranked #3,534

Modern count

1,529

2016, ranked #4,051

Peak year

2000

1,683 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Postlethwaite had 1,127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,534 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,529 in 2016, ranked #4,051.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,460 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Postlethwaite surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Postlethwaite surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Postlethwaite 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 678 #3,834
1861 historical 784 #3,516
1881 historical 1,127 #3,534
1891 historical 1,259 #3,427
1901 historical 1,437 #3,534
1911 historical 1,460 #3,303
1997 modern 1,598 #3,705
1998 modern 1,631 #3,767
1999 modern 1,663 #3,737
2000 modern 1,683 #3,671
2001 modern 1,624 #3,721
2002 modern 1,651 #3,732
2003 modern 1,609 #3,740
2004 modern 1,594 #3,800
2005 modern 1,566 #3,807
2006 modern 1,538 #3,865
2007 modern 1,544 #3,890
2008 modern 1,573 #3,843
2009 modern 1,590 #3,903
2010 modern 1,617 #3,918
2011 modern 1,560 #4,007
2012 modern 1,506 #4,073
2013 modern 1,553 #4,020
2014 modern 1,564 #4,015
2015 modern 1,540 #4,028
2016 modern 1,529 #4,051

Geography

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Where Postlethwaites are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Millom, Muncaster, Aldingham, Brighton and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Millom, Muncaster Cumberland
3 Aldingham Lancashire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 005 South Lakeland
2 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness
3 South Lakeland 014 South Lakeland
4 Barrow-in-Furness 002 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Barrow-in-Furness 003 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Postlethwaite

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Postlethwaite

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Postlethwaite is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Postlethwaite 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

Postlethwaite 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 Postlethwaite is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Postlethwaite

The surname Postlethwaite originates from the northern English counties of Lancashire and Westmorland, now part of Cumbria. It is derived from the Old English words "post" meaning a post or stake, and "læt" meaning a barn or outhouse, combined with the Old Norse word "thveit" meaning a meadow or clearing. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a barn or outbuilding in a meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Postelthwayt in the Lancashire Inquisitions of 1311. Other early spellings include Postillwhate in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1486, and Postilwhaytt in the Lancashire Wills records of 1554. The name is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, listed as Postelcveit in the lands of the Count of Mortain.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Adam de Postlethwaite, who was recorded as holding lands in Kendal, Westmorland in 1275. Another early figure was John Postlethwaite, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived from around 1420 to 1485.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain James Postlethwaite fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was killed in action at the Battle of Naseby in 1645. In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was James Postlethwaite (1731-1799), a renowned architect and engineer who worked on projects such as the Eddystone Lighthouse and the Bridgewater Canal.

In the literary world, the English poet and writer Thomas Postlethwaite (1833-1913) was a respected figure in his time, known for works such as "Haunted Hearts" and "The Kingdom of the Mind." Additionally, the English actor Pete Postlethwaite (1945-2011) gained international acclaim for his performances in films like "In the Name of the Father" and "The Usual Suspects."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Postlethwaite families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Postlethwaite 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 625 Postlethwaites recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 625 4.75x
Cumberland 178 18.64x
Middlesex 65 0.59x
Yorkshire 55 0.50x
Cheshire 41 1.67x
Westmorland 25 10.26x
Leicestershire 24 1.95x
Warwickshire 23 0.82x
Staffordshire 17 0.45x
Derbyshire 16 0.92x
Gloucestershire 16 0.74x
Sussex 12 0.64x
Surrey 11 0.20x
Isle of Man 10 4.86x
Kent 6 0.16x
Durham 2 0.06x
Flintshire 2 0.67x
Hampshire 2 0.09x
Northumberland 2 0.12x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Herefordshire 1 0.22x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Shropshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barrow In Furness in Lancashire leads with 123 Postlethwaites recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.72x.

Place Total Index
Barrow In Furness 123 68.72x
Kirkby Ireleth 84 1280.49x
Ulverston 38 99.14x
Aldingham 32 727.27x
Keswick 28 229.32x
Dalton In Furness 25 49.21x
Shoreditch London 23 4.78x
Toxteth Park 23 5.16x
Urswick 23 470.35x
West Derby 23 5.97x
Macclesfield 22 20.22x
Millom 22 75.19x
Everton 18 4.29x
Liverpool 17 2.13x
Stroud 16 37.80x
Muncaster 15 738.92x
Ashton Under Lyne 14 4.87x
Aston 14 1.82x
Preston 14 3.98x
West Bromwich 14 6.53x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 13 283.22x
Kendal 13 29.13x
Brighton 12 3.18x
Leicester St Mary 11 11.07x
Middleton In Lancaster 11 1833.33x
Arlecdon 10 39.37x
Caldewgate 10 19.11x
Pennington In Ulverston 10 152.67x
West Broughton 10 224.72x
Gosforth 9 193.55x
Marown 9 239.36x
Skerton 9 83.26x
Todmorden Walsden 9 25.52x
Tranmere 9 10.00x
Wigan 9 4.89x
East Broughton 8 213.33x
Hensingham 8 102.56x
Islington London 8 0.74x
Weston On Trent 8 720.72x
Bingley 7 10.00x
Bootle 7 226.54x
Lambeth 7 0.72x
Middletonby Wirksworth 7 409.36x
Oldham 7 1.65x
Rawcliffe In York 7 2058.82x
St George Hanover 7 4.84x
Waberthwaite 7 945.95x
Whinfell 7 1590.91x
Batley 6 5.74x
Birkby 6 1538.46x
Colton 6 87.46x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 6 101.69x
Leicester Newarke 6 93.60x
Misson 6 231.66x
Poulton Barre 6 40.08x
Scarisbrick 6 39.27x
St Bees 6 135.75x
Staveley 6 387.10x
Thornton In Fylde 6 20.84x
Underskiddaw 6 294.12x
Wreay 6 857.14x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.32x
Broughton In Salford 5 4.15x
Clitheroe 5 12.91x
Crosthwaite 5 423.73x
Deptford St Nicholas 5 16.65x
Egremont 5 21.96x
Hammersmith London 5 1.83x
Irton With Santon 5 210.97x
Kensington London 5 0.81x
Lancaster 5 6.38x
Manchester 5 0.84x
Acton 4 6.15x
Hackney London 4 0.64x
Heaton With Oxcliffe 4 769.23x
Litherland 4 14.53x
Manningham 4 2.95x
Soothill 4 10.08x
Subberthwaite 4 701.75x
Warwick St Mary 4 16.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 88
Elizabeth 54
Sarah 42
Jane 40
Margaret 26
Annie 24
Ann 23
Agnes 21
Hannah 16
Isabella 14
Eliza 12
Ellen 12
Alice 11
Eleanor 11
Martha 11
Edith 10
Emma 8
Frances 7
Louisa 7
Elizth. 6
Emily 6
Esther 6
Anne 5
Florence 5
Ada 4
Catherine 4
Fanny 4
Amelia 3
Bridget 3
Clara 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Betty 2
Christian 2
Dora 2
Dorothy 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Infant 2
Isabel 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lillian 2
Lillie 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Mart. 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Selina 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 91
William 82
James 58
Thomas 57
George 36
Robert 26
Joseph 19
Charles 14
Henry 11
Richard 10
Frank 9
Harry 9
Isaac 8
Wm. 8
Roger 7
Arthur 6
Frederick 5
Edward 4
Francis 4
Jonathan 4
Thos. 4
Alfred 3
Herbert 3
Jas. 3
Richd. 3
Samuel 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Lawrence 2
Matthew 2
Plato 2
Walter 2
Allen 1
Archibald 1
Bouskill 1
Braithwaite 1
Christopher 1
Daye 1
Deason 1
Derwent 1
Edgar 1
Elijah 1
Ferdinand 1
Frederic 1
Jane 1
Jos.B. 1
Josh. 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Postlethwaite surname: questions and answers

How common was the Postlethwaite surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,127 people were recorded with the Postlethwaite surname. That placed it at #3,534 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Postlethwaite surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,529 in 2016. That gives Postlethwaite a modern rank of #4,051.

What does the Postlethwaite surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a pool of water or marshy area.

What does the Postlethwaite map show?

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