UK surname
An English locational surname derived from the town of Posselthwaite in Yorkshire.
In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Postlewaite surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 41, ranked #35,388, down from #17,756 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Wigan and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Postlewaite is 173 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 65.8%.
1881 census count
120
Ranked #17,756
Modern count
41
2016, ranked #35,388
Peak year
1891
173 bearers
Map years
4
1881 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Postlewaite surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Postlewaite surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 40 | #26,118 |
| 1861 | historical | 70 | #24,911 |
| 1881 | historical | 120 | #17,756 |
| 1891 | historical | 173 | #16,600 |
| 1901 | historical | 117 | #20,830 |
| 1911 | historical | 137 | #18,880 |
| 1997 | modern | 46 | #33,077 |
| 1998 | modern | 46 | #33,286 |
| 1999 | modern | 45 | #33,511 |
| 2000 | modern | 43 | #33,709 |
| 2001 | modern | 40 | #33,842 |
| 2002 | modern | 39 | #34,219 |
| 2003 | modern | 43 | #33,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 41 | #34,306 |
| 2005 | modern | 35 | #34,982 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 39 | #35,097 |
| 2008 | modern | 39 | #35,191 |
| 2009 | modern | 40 | #35,274 |
| 2010 | modern | 42 | #35,294 |
| 2011 | modern | 40 | #35,395 |
| 2012 | modern | 40 | #35,369 |
| 2013 | modern | 45 | #35,167 |
| 2014 | modern | 45 | #35,201 |
| 2015 | modern | 43 | #35,269 |
| 2016 | modern | 41 | #35,388 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Wigan, Brighton, Preston and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 3 | Brighton | Sussex |
| 4 | Preston | Lancashire |
| 5 | Leigh | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Postlewaite surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Postlewaite, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Postlewaite surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Postlewaite household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Postlewaite is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Postlewaite is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Postlewaite, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Postlewaite is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "post" meaning a small settlement or village, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. It likely originated in the northern counties of England, such as Yorkshire or Lancashire, during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Odo de Postlewayt is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 12th century.
The name Postlewaite is believed to have evolved from various place names, such asPostlethwaite in Cumbria, Postlethwaite in Lancashire, and Postlethwayte in Yorkshire. These place names all share a similar etymology, referring to a small settlement or village located in a meadow or clearing.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Postlecueit" is recorded in Yorkshire, which may be an early reference to a location associated with the surname Postlewaite.
Notable individuals with the surname Postlewaite include Sir John Postlewaite (1515-1580), an English politician who served as Sheriff of Lancashire. Another early bearer of the name was William Postlewaite (1630-1702), a Quaker from Westmorland who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs.
In the 18th century, John Postlewaite (1731-1798) was a prominent English churchman and author, known for his work "The Travels of the Patriarchs" published in 1767.
Samson Postlewaite (1823-1892) was an English architect who designed several notable buildings in Lancashire, including the Chorley Town Hall and the Blackburn Infirmary.
More recently, the name has been associated with the English actor, Pete Postlethwaite (1945-2011), who appeared in numerous films such as "In the Name of the Father" and "The Usual Suspects."
While the surname Postlewaite may have variations in spelling over time, its roots can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it originated as a locational name describing a small village or settlement in a meadow or clearing.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Postlewaite surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 62 Postlewaites recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.25x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 62 | 4.25x |
| Sussex | 25 | 12.07x |
| Cumberland | 8 | 7.56x |
| Durham | 6 | 1.64x |
| Isle of Man | 6 | 26.29x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.49x |
| Kent | 4 | 0.95x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 0.65x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 1.08x |
| Flintshire | 1 | 3.03x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 1.98x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.73x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.60x |
| Westmorland | 1 | 3.70x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 22 Postlewaites recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.62x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 22 | 52.62x |
| Pennington In Leigh | 14 | 500.00x |
| Bedford | 12 | 393.44x |
| Preston Quarter | 8 | 269.36x |
| Orrell | 7 | 386.74x |
| Gateshead | 6 | 21.91x |
| Moss Side | 6 | 78.23x |
| Onchan | 6 | 91.32x |
| Wigan | 6 | 29.44x |
| Newton In Makerfield | 5 | 111.86x |
| Rusholme | 5 | 128.53x |
| Deptford St Paul | 4 | 12.37x |
| Shoreditch London | 4 | 7.51x |
| Birmingham | 2 | 1.94x |
| Everton | 2 | 4.30x |
| Hove | 2 | 22.00x |
| Ince In Makerfield | 2 | 29.46x |
| Gamston | 1 | 909.09x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 3.30x |
| Hastings St Mary | 1 | 19.38x |
| Hereford St Nicholas | 1 | 144.93x |
| Langdale | 1 | 322.58x |
| Leicester St Mary | 1 | 9.08x |
| Llanasa | 1 | 86.96x |
| Much Woolton | 1 | 50.51x |
| Salford | 1 | 2.33x |
| St Bartholomew Less | 1 | 158.73x |
| Wantage | 1 | 68.03x |
| Westleigh | 1 | 30.21x |
| York St Mary | 1 | 19.84x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Postlewaite surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 10 |
| Elizabeth | 5 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Harriett | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Christain | 1 |
| Cicly | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Helery | 1 |
| J. | 1 |
| Lavina | 1 |
| Louise | 1 |
| Marion | 1 |
| Maud | 1 |
| May | 1 |
| Polly | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
| Susanah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Postlewaite surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Postlewaite households.
FAQ
In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Postlewaite surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 41 in 2016. That gives Postlewaite a modern rank of #35,388.
An English locational surname derived from the town of Posselthwaite in Yorkshire.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Postlewaite bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.