NameCensus.

UK surname

Pountney

In the 1881 census there were 582 people recorded with the Pountney surname, ranking it #5,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,076, ranked #5,428, up from #5,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Staffordshire, Shropshire and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pountney is 1,128 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.9%.

1881 census count

582

Ranked #5,992

Modern count

1,076

2016, ranked #5,428

Peak year

1999

1,128 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pountney had 582 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,076 in 2016, ranked #5,428.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 980 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pountney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pountney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pountney 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 433 #5,664
1861 historical 389 #6,580
1881 historical 582 #5,992
1891 historical 726 #5,450
1901 historical 767 #5,836
1911 historical 980 #4,616
1997 modern 1,072 #5,188
1998 modern 1,112 #5,212
1999 modern 1,128 #5,187
2000 modern 1,112 #5,223
2001 modern 1,117 #5,104
2002 modern 1,120 #5,211
2003 modern 1,106 #5,158
2004 modern 1,082 #5,271
2005 modern 1,042 #5,364
2006 modern 1,043 #5,385
2007 modern 1,042 #5,435
2008 modern 1,027 #5,527
2009 modern 1,035 #5,618
2010 modern 1,057 #5,619
2011 modern 1,067 #5,514
2012 modern 1,078 #5,378
2013 modern 1,089 #5,420
2014 modern 1,087 #5,460
2015 modern 1,082 #5,423
2016 modern 1,076 #5,428

Geography

Back to top

Where Pountneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Staffordshire, Shropshire, Dudley, Lichfield and Birmingham. 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 Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
2 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
3 Dudley 007 Dudley
4 Lichfield 003 Lichfield
5 Birmingham 003 Birmingham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pountney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pountney

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pountney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Pountney 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pountney 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 Pountney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pountney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pountney 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. Worcestershire leads with 160 Pountneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.58x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 160 21.58x
Warwickshire 135 9.43x
Staffordshire 112 5.84x
Shropshire 41 8.36x
Middlesex 39 0.69x
Essex 18 1.61x
Denbighshire 16 7.46x
Yorkshire 14 0.25x
Lancashire 11 0.16x
Surrey 10 0.36x
Lincolnshire 7 0.77x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 4.87x
Cheshire 3 0.24x
Gloucestershire 3 0.27x
Kent 3 0.15x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.29x
Hertfordshire 1 0.26x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.77x
Oxfordshire 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 1.48x

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 66 Pountneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.83x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 66 13.83x
Aston 57 14.46x
Ribbesford 44 713.13x
Kidderminster Borough 24 55.31x
Wolverhampton 23 15.61x
Gresford Gwersyllt 16 240.60x
Kidderminster Foreign 15 143.13x
Sedgley 15 21.07x
Kinlet 14 1666.67x
Broseley 13 149.08x
Willenhall 13 36.22x
Hartlebury 11 249.43x
Handsworth 9 19.06x
Ratcliffe London 9 28.71x
Upper Mitton 9 542.17x
West Ham 9 3.64x
Wolverley 8 122.89x
Barkstone 7 721.65x
Burton Extra 7 63.69x
Islington London 7 1.27x
Kings Norton 7 10.53x
Newington 7 3.34x
Wollaston 7 148.94x
Worcester St Clement 7 148.62x
Alvechurch 6 190.48x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 11.45x
Edgbaston 6 13.52x
Great Baddow 6 150.38x
Little Bolton 6 6.93x
Lower Mitton 6 91.88x
Mancetter 6 145.63x
Mile End Old Town 6 6.70x
St Pancras London 6 1.31x
Alveley 5 256.41x
Enville 5 333.33x
Penkridge 5 101.21x
Upper Penn 5 104.17x
Wednesfield 5 17.73x
Wortley In Bramley 5 11.22x
Bromsgrove 4 16.03x
Colvend 4 160.64x
Harborne 4 6.51x
Kingswinford 4 5.75x
Trysull 4 360.36x
Whistones 4 74.49x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.22x
Bradford 3 2.20x
Burton Upon Trent 3 6.69x
Cleobury Mortimer 3 97.09x
Halstead 3 22.95x
Lambeth 3 0.61x
Lytham 3 29.18x
Powick 3 58.48x
Wellington 3 10.88x
Clifton 2 3.55x
Great Barr 2 91.32x
Halesowen 2 30.72x
Halliwell 2 8.16x
Horninglow 2 22.15x
Rock 2 67.57x
St George Hanover 2 2.70x
Stockport 2 3.10x
Upper Arley 2 140.85x
Wombourn 2 56.18x
Worfield 2 58.82x
Amblecote 1 18.32x
Chatham 1 1.88x
Hackney London 1 0.31x
Kensington London 1 0.32x
Lower Penn 1 151.52x
New Windsor 1 6.98x
Oxford St Ebbe 1 9.69x
Pool 1 10.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.73x
St George Bloomsbury 1 3.07x
Teddington London 1 7.78x
Towerof London London 1 55.56x
Upton In Chester 1 71.43x
Westminster St John 1 1.45x
Wolverton 1 14.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Ann 20
Elizabeth 17
Emma 17
Sarah 16
Emily 11
Annie 9
Eliza 9
Jane 9
Ellen 8
Hannah 8
Harriet 8
Alice 7
Martha 7
Charlotte 6
Ada 5
Kate 5
Agnes 4
Caroline 4
Edith 4
Esther 4
Gertrude 4
Maria 4
Elizth. 3
Jessie 3
Maude 3
Priscilla 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Clorinda 2
Elizebeth 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Margaret 2
Maud 2
Christianna 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Florry 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Valentina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 36
William 34
John 31
Charles 16
George 14
Samuel 12
Henry 10
James 10
Alfred 9
Edward 8
Harry 8
Joseph 7
Arthur 5
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
David 4
Richard 4
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Thos. 3
Christopher 2
Elijah 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Josiah 2
Osman 2
Tom 2
Abel 1
Albt.J. 1
Chas. 1
Dennis 1
Emanuel 1
Fridrick 1
Frncis 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Reuben 1
Robt.Wm. 1
Russell 1
S. 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Pountney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pountney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 582 people were recorded with the Pountney surname. That placed it at #5,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pountney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,076 in 2016. That gives Pountney a modern rank of #5,428.

What does the Pountney map show?

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