NameCensus.

UK surname

Poulston

In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Poulston surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, down from #23,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Tameside and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Poulston is 120 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.9%.

1881 census count

73

Ranked #23,220

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

2013

120 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Poulston had 73 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 96 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Poulston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Poulston surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Poulston 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 73 #23,220
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 95 #23,294
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Poulstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Tameside and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
2 Doncaster 001 Doncaster
3 Tameside 020 Tameside
4 Bath and North East Somerset 001 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Tameside 024 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Poulston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Poulston

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Poulston is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Poulston is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Poulston falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Poulston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Poulston 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. Gloucestershire leads with 21 Poulstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.04x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 21 15.04x
Staffordshire 20 8.32x
Lancashire 13 1.54x
Middlesex 9 1.26x
Cambridgeshire 2 4.44x
Dorset 2 4.28x
Hampshire 2 1.37x
Berkshire 1 1.87x
Cornwall 1 1.24x
Essex 1 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 15 Poulstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 139.28x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 15 139.28x
Bilston 9 193.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 43.34x
Stafford St Mary 6 176.47x
Bristol St James In 5 243.90x
Bury 5 51.81x
Castle Church 5 347.22x
Hammersmith London 4 22.81x
Kensington London 4 10.11x
Charmouth 2 1333.33x
Southampton St Michael 2 416.67x
Chippenham 1 625.00x
Falmouth 1 35.09x
Fulham London 1 9.68x
Old Windsor 1 161.29x
Snailwell 1 2000.00x
Stroud 1 36.76x
Sutton 1 1111.11x
Walthanstow 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Emma 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bethia 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Edna 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

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 Poulston households.

FAQ

Poulston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Poulston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Poulston surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Poulston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Poulston a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Poulston map show?

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