NameCensus.

UK surname

Poxon

A surname possibly derived from an Old English name meaning "badger stream."

In the 1881 census there were 551 people recorded with the Poxon surname, ranking it #6,263 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,219, ranked #4,882, up from #6,263 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Packington, Ravenstone, Wolverhampton and Lockington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Poxon is 1,313 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 121.2%.

1881 census count

551

Ranked #6,263

Modern count

1,219

2016, ranked #4,882

Peak year

2000

1,313 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Poxon had 551 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,263 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,219 in 2016, ranked #4,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,041 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Poxon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Poxon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Poxon 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 247 #8,868
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 551 #6,263
1891 historical 652 #5,956
1901 historical 848 #5,369
1911 historical 1,041 #4,409
1997 modern 1,260 #4,519
1998 modern 1,297 #4,577
1999 modern 1,303 #4,592
2000 modern 1,313 #4,530
2001 modern 1,296 #4,497
2002 modern 1,310 #4,541
2003 modern 1,271 #4,572
2004 modern 1,250 #4,641
2005 modern 1,253 #4,593
2006 modern 1,258 #4,572
2007 modern 1,244 #4,676
2008 modern 1,249 #4,680
2009 modern 1,282 #4,673
2010 modern 1,300 #4,702
2011 modern 1,299 #4,648
2012 modern 1,241 #4,776
2013 modern 1,266 #4,775
2014 modern 1,269 #4,788
2015 modern 1,244 #4,827
2016 modern 1,219 #4,882

Geography

Back to top

Where Poxons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Packington, Ravenstone, Wolverhampton, Lockington, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire, Broxtowe and Derby. 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 Packington, Ravenstone Leicestershire
2 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
3 Lockington Derbyshire
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 013 South Derbyshire
2 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
3 Broxtowe 003 Broxtowe
4 Derby 031 Derby
5 Derby 030 Derby

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Poxon

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Poxon

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Poxon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Poxon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Poxon is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Poxon 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

Poxon falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Poxon

The surname Poxon has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pohha," meaning a small sack or bag. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a maker or seller of bags or pouches.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Cambridgeshire from the year 1273, where it appears as "Poghun." The spelling variations during this time period were quite common, with other early forms including "Poghen," "Poghon," and "Poghun."

The Poxon surname is also closely linked to several place names in England, such as Poxwell in Dorset and Poxon in Yorkshire. These locations likely took their names from individuals bearing the Poxon surname, or vice versa, as was common practice during the Middle Ages.

A notable early bearer of the name was John Poxon, who was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1317. Another prominent figure was Robert Poxon, a landowner mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1451.

During the 16th century, the name continued to appear in various records across England. William Poxon was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1545, while a Thomas Poxon was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1594.

In the 17th century, the Poxon surname gained further recognition with the birth of James Poxon (1633-1703), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Kilkhampton in Cornwall. Another notable figure from this era was John Poxon (1655-1723), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire.

As the centuries progressed, the Poxon name continued to be represented by individuals from various walks of life. In the 18th century, Thomas Poxon (1733-1811) was a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Yorkshire, while in the 19th century, William Poxon (1819-1892) was a respected architect and surveyor from Nottinghamshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Poxon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Poxon 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. Staffordshire leads with 174 Poxons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.61x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 174 9.61x
Leicestershire 143 24.04x
Derbyshire 88 10.48x
Nottinghamshire 73 10.09x
Yorkshire 27 0.51x
Kent 11 0.60x
Middlesex 8 0.15x
Lancashire 7 0.11x
Norfolk 7 0.85x
Warwickshire 6 0.44x
Lincolnshire 2 0.23x
Surrey 2 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 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. Packington in Leicestershire leads with 36 Poxons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1698.11x.

Place Total Index
Packington 36 1698.11x
Castle Donnington 35 709.94x
Ogley Hay 30 797.87x
Walsall Foreign 24 25.65x
Norton Canes 22 333.33x
Burton Upon Trent 19 44.84x
Lockington 18 5625.00x
Greasley 17 104.17x
West Bromwich 16 15.43x
Long Eaton 15 135.26x
Rushall 13 121.95x
Hemington 12 1714.29x
Derby St Peter 10 37.38x
Diseworth 10 1315.79x
Tipton 10 18.03x
Ardsley 9 146.82x
Denaby 9 299.00x
Heather 8 975.61x
Hucknall Torkard 8 43.62x
Kensington London 8 2.68x
Pelsall 8 148.70x
Wilford 8 394.09x
Breaston 7 472.97x
Great Yarmouth 7 10.24x
Melbourne 7 121.95x
Nottingham St Mary 7 3.74x
Radford 7 19.05x
Ravenstone 7 843.37x
Alfreton 6 23.51x
Alvaston 6 251.05x
Brewood 6 114.94x
Ibstock 6 138.89x
Newton Solney 6 697.67x
Repton 6 188.68x
Snenton 6 21.12x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 42.67x
Annesley 5 183.82x
Brasted 5 210.97x
Darlaston 5 19.98x
Nottingham St Peter 5 62.03x
Pembury 5 193.05x
Wednesbury 5 11.05x
Great Barr 4 193.24x
Hucknall Under 4 107.24x
Openshaw 4 13.41x
Ryton On Dunsmore 4 476.19x
Stanton By Bridge 4 1379.31x
Swepstone 4 412.37x
Wilne 4 208.33x
Barrow In Furness 3 3.46x
Hemsworth 3 98.36x
Horninglow 3 35.17x
Newtown Linford 3 337.08x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.56x
Walsall Borough 3 21.34x
Ashby De La Zouch 2 14.50x
Basford 2 6.00x
Chellaston 2 219.78x
Derby All Sts 2 28.49x
Eastwood 2 30.91x
Glossop Dale 2 5.08x
Great Grimsby 2 3.67x
Staveley 2 13.41x
Trentham 2 12.99x
Weston On Trent 2 370.37x
Carisbrooke 1 6.55x
Caterham 1 8.65x
Claylane 1 8.56x
Derby St Werburgh 1 2.06x
Lambeth 1 0.21x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.69x
Lenton 1 5.87x
Mickleover 1 38.61x
Normanton 1 14.10x
Nuneaton 1 6.38x
Sutton Coldfield 1 7.03x
Swarkeston 1 263.16x
Wallsend 1 3.95x
Winshill 1 18.66x
Wolverhampton 1 0.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Sarah 33
Elizabeth 18
Hannah 15
Eliza 12
Ann 11
Emma 11
Jane 9
Alice 6
Anne 6
Harriet 6
Martha 5
Annie 4
Fanny 4
Frances 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Emily 3
Gertrude 3
Julia 3
Selina 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Helena 2
Kate 2
Lender 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
May 2
Angeline 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Elezbeth 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Jessie 1
Jos. 1
Lilley 1
Lisianne 1
Luisa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
Thomas 31
William 30
Joseph 20
George 19
James 18
Henry 17
Samuel 11
Arthur 8
Francis 7
Albert 6
Charles 6
Thos. 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Edward 3
Jabez 3
Levi 3
Benjamin 2
Eli 2
Enoch 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Job 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Saml. 2
Silas 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alf. 1
Arnold 1
Christopher 1
Ebenezer 1
Fred 1
Gervase 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hyla 1
Joshua 1
Mager 1
Mark 1
Michal 1
Richd. 1
Sam 1
Samson 1
Sarah 1
Tom 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Poxon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Poxon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 551 people were recorded with the Poxon surname. That placed it at #6,263 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Poxon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,219 in 2016. That gives Poxon a modern rank of #4,882.

What does the Poxon surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from an Old English name meaning "badger stream."

What does the Poxon map show?

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