NameCensus.

UK surname

Pounder

A surname likely derived from an occupational name for someone who worked as a pounder or packer.

In the 1881 census there were 984 people recorded with the Pounder surname, ranking it #3,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,363, ranked #4,422, down from #3,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Hartlepool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Burnley and Richmondshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pounder is 1,466 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.5%.

1881 census count

984

Ranked #3,955

Modern count

1,363

2016, ranked #4,422

Peak year

2010

1,466 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pounder had 984 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,363 in 2016, ranked #4,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,360 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Pounder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pounder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pounder 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 622 #4,153
1861 historical 619 #4,312
1881 historical 984 #3,955
1891 historical 1,061 #3,958
1901 historical 1,232 #4,020
1911 historical 1,360 #3,528
1997 modern 1,376 #4,196
1998 modern 1,423 #4,220
1999 modern 1,437 #4,214
2000 modern 1,427 #4,228
2001 modern 1,395 #4,233
2002 modern 1,430 #4,219
2003 modern 1,390 #4,243
2004 modern 1,404 #4,206
2005 modern 1,380 #4,238
2006 modern 1,373 #4,263
2007 modern 1,395 #4,242
2008 modern 1,414 #4,226
2009 modern 1,455 #4,215
2010 modern 1,466 #4,259
2011 modern 1,449 #4,252
2012 modern 1,381 #4,348
2013 modern 1,407 #4,351
2014 modern 1,403 #4,388
2015 modern 1,369 #4,431
2016 modern 1,363 #4,422

Geography

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Where Pounders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Hartlepool, Stranton and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Burnley and Richmondshire. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Hartlepool Durham
4 Stranton Durham
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
2 Burnley 014 Burnley
3 Hartlepool 001 Hartlepool
4 Hartlepool 003 Hartlepool
5 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pounder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pounder

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pounder, 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 Pounder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pounder 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pounder is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pounder 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

Pounder 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 Pounder is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pounder

The surname Pounder is of English origin, derived from the occupation of a pounder or worker who operated a fulling mill, where cloth was pounded and cleaned. The name is believed to have originated in the 14th century, during the height of the wool trade in England.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1379, when a William le Poundere was mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns. This indicates that the name was already established in the northern counties of England during that time period.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Punder, Pondar, and Pownder, reflecting the different spellings and pronunciations used in different regions. The Pounder surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire, which were centers of the wool and textile industries.

One notable figure bearing this name was John Pounder, a wealthy merchant from York who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's guild system and served as the Mayor of York in 1586.

Another historical reference to the Pounder name can be found in the parish records of Wigan, Lancashire, where a Thomas Pounder was recorded as a churchwarden in 1641.

In the 17th century, the Pounder family established themselves in the village of Kettleshulme, Cheshire. A notable member of this branch was William Pounder (1635-1716), a successful yeoman farmer and landowner.

As the industrial revolution took hold in the 18th and 19th centuries, many Pounders became involved in the textile mills and factories of northern England. One such individual was James Pounder (1776-1854), a mill owner and businessman from Bradford, Yorkshire.

Another prominent figure was John Pounder (1821-1902), a civil engineer and surveyor from Lancashire who was involved in the construction of several railway lines and public works projects in the north of England.

Over time, the Pounder name spread beyond its traditional strongholds in northern England, with family members migrating to other parts of the country and even abroad, particularly to the United States and Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pounder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pounder 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. Durham leads with 385 Pounders recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.56x.

County Total Index
Durham 385 13.56x
Yorkshire 283 2.99x
Lancashire 167 1.48x
Nottinghamshire 55 4.28x
Derbyshire 45 3.01x
Middlesex 13 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 10 3.30x
Brecknockshire 7 3.67x
Cumberland 3 0.37x
Kent 3 0.09x
Northumberland 2 0.14x
Westmorland 2 0.95x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Somerset 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hartlepool in Durham leads with 157 Pounders recorded in 1881 and an index of 389.19x.

Place Total Index
Hartlepool 157 389.19x
Stranton 62 64.89x
Habergham Eaves 47 45.42x
Nottingham St Mary 46 13.83x
Leeds 39 7.31x
Burnley 30 31.47x
Ilkeston 22 52.54x
Middlesbrough 22 17.87x
Manchester 18 3.54x
Sunderland 17 33.92x
High Low Bishopside 16 190.70x
Southcoates 15 28.58x
West Auckland 15 144.51x
Gorton 14 13.16x
Shildon 12 52.61x
Shipley 12 508.47x
Darlington 11 10.04x
Newington 11 42.26x
Gilling 10 352.11x
Little Bolton 10 6.87x
Pembroke St Mary 10 25.61x
Poplar London 10 5.55x
Witton Gilbert 10 89.29x
Muker 9 329.67x
Tottington Higher End 9 69.82x
Appletreewick 8 1025.64x
Haswell 8 39.33x
Hunslet 8 5.43x
Shotton 8 113.96x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 8 18.21x
Whalley 8 48.48x
Whitby 8 25.11x
Almondbury 7 15.31x
Bewerley 7 179.95x
Coundon 7 60.87x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 7 57.85x
Crook Billy Row 7 19.26x
East Thickley 7 121.74x
Huddersfield 7 5.08x
Kirkby Moorside 7 116.28x
Llanigon 7 593.22x
Marske In Guisbrough 7 41.69x
Ormesby 7 27.55x
Dalton In Richmond 6 869.57x
Hart 6 86.83x
Salford 6 1.80x
Stansfield 6 17.25x
Tunstall In Richmond 6 750.00x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 5 14.56x
Bishopwearmouth 5 2.05x
Bulwell 5 17.88x
Byers Green 5 62.42x
Cliviger 5 78.49x
Cloughton 5 280.90x
Codnor Loscoe 5 42.27x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 9.03x
Trawden 5 70.62x
Whashton 5 1470.59x
Billingham 4 81.80x
Durham St Nicholas 4 57.39x
Long Newton 4 421.05x
Tankersley 4 56.74x
Usworth 4 26.54x
Wortley In Bramley 4 5.34x
Appleton Wiske 3 277.78x
Bishop Auckland 3 7.88x
Bradford 3 1.31x
Easington 3 72.82x
Esh 3 14.53x
Framwellgate 3 17.85x
Haslingden 3 6.40x
Horton In Bradford 3 2.03x
Ravensworth 3 340.91x
Redcar 3 40.00x
St Cuthbert W O Harraby 3 270.27x
Stockton On Tees 3 2.19x
Thornaby 3 8.49x
Thornthwaite Cum 3 370.37x
Wolviston 3 151.52x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 2.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 90
Elizabeth 45
Jane 45
Sarah 40
Margaret 23
Ann 22
Annie 19
Alice 18
Isabella 11
Hannah 10
Martha 10
Ellen 6
Grace 6
Ada 5
Dorothy 5
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Harriett 5
Maria 5
Dinah 4
Eleanor 4
Emma 4
Lucy 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Isabell 3
Kate 3
M. 3
Matilda 3
Nancy 3
Agnes 2
Alberta 2
Anna 2
Barbara 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Elizh. 2
Faith 2
Isabel 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Margret 2
Minnie 2
Selina 2
Bridget 1
Eliz. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
Thomas 58
William 47
James 37
Robert 35
George 21
Joseph 18
Richard 11
Henry 9
Albert 8
Arthur 6
Edward 5
Francis 5
Samuel 5
Benjamin 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Mark 4
Thos. 4
Allan 3
Cuthbert 3
Daniel 3
Eden 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Jesse 3
Matthew 3
Ralph 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Allen 2
Eli 2
Emmanuel 2
Enoch 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Hartley 2
Jacob 2
Jno. 2
Jonathon 2
Mathew 2
Robinson 2
Robt. 2
Wallace 2
Wm. 2

FAQ

Pounder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pounder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 984 people were recorded with the Pounder surname. That placed it at #3,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pounder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,363 in 2016. That gives Pounder a modern rank of #4,422.

What does the Pounder surname mean?

A surname likely derived from an occupational name for someone who worked as a pounder or packer.

What does the Pounder map show?

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