NameCensus.

UK surname

Pownall

A locational surname derived from a place named Pownall in Cheshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,292 people recorded with the Pownall surname, ranking it #3,171 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,700, ranked #3,673, down from #3,171 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Cheshire East and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pownall is 1,867 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.6%.

1881 census count

1,292

Ranked #3,171

Modern count

1,700

2016, ranked #3,673

Peak year

2000

1,867 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pownall had 1,292 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,171 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,700 in 2016, ranked #3,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,862 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Pownall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pownall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pownall 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 948 #2,927
1861 historical 834 #3,307
1881 historical 1,292 #3,171
1891 historical 1,388 #3,133
1901 historical 1,667 #3,091
1911 historical 1,862 #2,658
1997 modern 1,755 #3,407
1998 modern 1,829 #3,407
1999 modern 1,854 #3,389
2000 modern 1,867 #3,349
2001 modern 1,808 #3,382
2002 modern 1,843 #3,391
2003 modern 1,806 #3,387
2004 modern 1,823 #3,359
2005 modern 1,760 #3,440
2006 modern 1,738 #3,482
2007 modern 1,738 #3,515
2008 modern 1,713 #3,573
2009 modern 1,737 #3,605
2010 modern 1,763 #3,625
2011 modern 1,740 #3,626
2012 modern 1,705 #3,637
2013 modern 1,726 #3,653
2014 modern 1,721 #3,683
2015 modern 1,691 #3,704
2016 modern 1,700 #3,673

Geography

Back to top

Where Pownalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Cheadle. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Cheshire East, County Durham and Warrington. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Cheadle Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 017 Flintshire
2 Cheshire East 007 Cheshire East
3 County Durham 018 County Durham
4 Warrington 017 Warrington
5 Cheshire East 016 Cheshire East

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pownall

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pownall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pownall, 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 Pownall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pownall 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Pownall is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Pownall 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

Pownall 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 Pownall 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 Pownall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pownall

The surname Pownall is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name "Pownall" or "Pownall Fee" in Cheshire, England. This place name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words "poln" meaning "pool" or "stream" and "halh" meaning "nook" or "recess."

The earliest recorded mention of the surname Pownall can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Polenehale." This historic record provides valuable insight into the name's origins and early usage.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Pouenhal, who was likely from the area of Pownall in Cheshire. This early reference highlights the surname's evolution from its locational roots.

During the 16th century, the surname Pownall appeared in various spellings, such as Pownall, Pownoll, and Pownell, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling practices of the time.

One notable bearer of the Pownall surname was Captain Nathaniel Pownall (1720-1805), a British naval officer and hydrographer who surveyed and charted the coasts of North America and the West Indies.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Pownall (1722-1805), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1757 to 1760. He later became a Member of Parliament and an author, publishing several works on colonial affairs.

In the 18th century, the Reverend Robert Pownall (1712-1768) was a respected Anglican clergyman and educator who served as the Headmaster of Bene't College in Cambridge.

The 19th century saw the emergence of George Henry Pownall (1825-1905), a noted English landscape painter and etcher known for his depictions of rural scenes.

Additionally, John Pownall (1858-1932) was a British architect and designer who made significant contributions to the Arts and Crafts movement in England during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

These examples illustrate the diverse individuals who have carried the Pownall surname throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence in various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pownall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pownall 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 583 Pownalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.90x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 583 3.90x
Cheshire 413 14.84x
Middlesex 60 0.48x
Staffordshire 30 0.71x
Yorkshire 26 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 23 1.35x
Derbyshire 22 1.12x
Flintshire 18 5.31x
Leicestershire 18 1.29x
Surrey 17 0.28x
Sussex 15 0.71x
Worcestershire 15 0.91x
Shropshire 10 0.92x
Denbighshire 8 1.68x
Warwickshire 8 0.25x
Kent 7 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.78x
Norfolk 3 0.15x
Northamptonshire 3 0.25x
Berkshire 2 0.21x
Somerset 2 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.36x
Essex 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Macclesfield in Cheshire leads with 84 Pownalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.93x.

Place Total Index
Macclesfield 84 67.93x
Hulme 41 13.13x
Toxteth Park 30 5.92x
Manchester 29 4.31x
Chorlton On Medlock 26 10.94x
Warrington 26 14.67x
Bosden 24 281.03x
Stockport 24 16.76x
Heaton Norris 20 23.50x
Ashton Under Lyne 19 5.81x
Garston 19 43.04x
Preston 19 4.75x
West Kirby 17 351.24x
Castleton 16 10.71x
Cheadle 15 28.23x
Kings Norton 15 10.16x
Leicester St Margaret 15 4.40x
Moss Side 15 19.06x
Hollingworth 14 122.06x
Little Bolton 14 7.28x
Upton By Birkenhead 14 522.39x
Gorton 13 9.25x
Liverpool 13 1.43x
Runcorn 13 20.27x
Sutton In Macclesfield 13 45.03x
Altrincham 12 24.69x
Everton 12 2.52x
Nottingham St Mary 12 2.73x
Oldham 12 2.49x
Prescot 12 44.36x
Thurstaston 12 1818.18x
Middleton In Oldham 11 24.53x
Norley 11 350.32x
Penketh 11 204.46x
Shoreditch London 11 2.01x
Sutton 11 21.93x
Eastbourne 10 10.23x
Glossop Dale 10 10.82x
Great Meolse 10 574.71x
Mile End Old Town 10 5.03x
Rostherne 10 606.06x
Salford 10 2.27x
Bollington In 9 36.35x
Bramhall 9 78.13x
Chapel En Le Frith 9 49.94x
Huddersfield 9 4.95x
Hurdsfield 9 52.57x
Leek Lowe 9 15.90x
Pilkington 9 15.84x
Tranmere 9 8.80x
Birkenhead 8 3.61x
Birmingham 8 0.76x
Great Bolton 8 4.04x
Lambeth 8 0.73x
Tarleton 8 97.32x
Burslem 7 5.74x
Culcheth 7 71.43x
Grange 7 1489.36x
Hindley 7 10.98x
Ince In Makerfield 7 10.06x
Kensington London 7 1.00x
Mold 7 22.78x
Pemberton 7 11.74x
Pendleton In Salford 7 3.93x
Spurstow 7 358.97x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 1.55x
Tonge 7 22.31x
Wombridge 7 52.08x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.95x
Broughton In Salford 6 4.39x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 7.99x
Halewood 6 74.91x
Monks Coppenhall 6 5.72x
Newton With Larton 6 2068.97x
Royton 6 13.11x
Windle 6 7.13x
Hatfield In Thorne 5 64.18x
Isleworth 5 8.92x
Pudsey 5 7.49x
West Derby 5 1.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 94
William 80
Thomas 63
James 58
Joseph 38
George 28
Charles 25
Samuel 19
Henry 17
Peter 13
Walter 13
Arthur 10
Alfred 9
Robert 9
Edwin 8
Richard 8
Edward 7
Albert 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Daniel 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
David 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Adam 2
Alexander 2
Edgar 2
Elijah 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
H. 2
Jonathan 2
Mathew 2
Moses 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Wilfred 2
Charlie 1
Charlotte 1
Ellis 1
Evan 1
Ezra 1
Fletcher 1
Jn. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Pownall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pownall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,292 people were recorded with the Pownall surname. That placed it at #3,171 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pownall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,700 in 2016. That gives Pownall a modern rank of #3,673.

What does the Pownall surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place named Pownall in Cheshire, England.

What does the Pownall map show?

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