NameCensus.

UK surname

Pulfer

An occupational surname derived from the German word "pulfer" meaning someone who worked with gunpowder.

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Pulfer surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 179, ranked #21,086, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St James, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackpool, Uttlesford and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pulfer is 252 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.8%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

179

2016, ranked #21,086

Peak year

1998

252 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pulfer had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016, ranked #21,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Pulfer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pulfer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pulfer 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 190 #15,634
1911 historical 190 #15,438
1997 modern 238 #15,760
1998 modern 252 #15,584
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 224 #16,934
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 218 #17,338
2003 modern 208 #17,685
2004 modern 214 #17,435
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 205 #18,005
2007 modern 193 #18,923
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 192 #19,527
2010 modern 202 #19,322
2011 modern 197 #19,483
2012 modern 195 #19,540
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 182 #20,856
2016 modern 179 #21,086

Geography

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Where Pulfers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St James, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Luke and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackpool, Uttlesford, Birmingham, Worcester and Mid Suffolk. 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 St James Suffolk
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Luke London (Central Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackpool 003 Blackpool
2 Uttlesford 005 Uttlesford
3 Birmingham 128 Birmingham
4 Worcester 013 Worcester
5 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pulfer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pulfer

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Pulfer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Pulfer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Pulfer is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pulfer is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pulfer falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pulfer

The surname Pulfer is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the late Middle Ages in the region of Bavaria. The name is believed to be derived from the German word "pfulbe," which referred to a small stream or brook, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have resided near a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pulfer can be found in the 15th century records of the town of Augsburg, where a certain Hans Pulfer was mentioned as a respected citizen and landowner. This reference provides valuable insight into the geographical distribution of the name during that era.

In the 16th century, the Pulfer family gained prominence in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, with several members holding influential positions within the local civic administration. Notably, Jakob Pulfer (1530-1602) served as the mayor of Rothenburg and played a significant role in the town's governance during a period of political turmoil.

As the centuries passed, the Pulfer name spread across various regions of Germany, with notable individuals emerging in different fields. One such figure was Johann Pulfer (1725-1802), a renowned clockmaker from the city of Nuremberg, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy of the time.

In the realm of academia, Friedrich Pulfer (1823-1892) made significant contributions as a linguist and philologist, publishing several influential works on the Germanic languages and their evolution.

Another notable bearer of the Pulfer name was Elise Pulfer (1876-1952), a celebrated opera singer from Munich, whose soprano voice captivated audiences across Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the Pulfer surname may not have been as widely documented in historical records as some other German names, its presence can be traced through various regions and time periods, with individuals leaving their mark in diverse fields of human endeavor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pulfer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pulfer 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. Suffolk leads with 46 Pulfers recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.01x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 46 30.01x
Middlesex 27 2.15x
Surrey 16 2.61x
Norfolk 12 6.20x
Lancashire 11 0.74x
Essex 5 2.01x
Warwickshire 5 1.58x
Yorkshire 3 0.24x
Cheshire 2 0.72x
Gloucestershire 1 0.41x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury St Edmunds St James in Suffolk leads with 16 Pulfers recorded in 1881 and an index of 391.20x.

Place Total Index
Bury St Edmunds St James 16 391.20x
Shoreditch London 11 20.17x
Islington London 7 5.74x
Thetford St Peter 7 1372.55x
Camberwell 6 7.47x
Great Ashfield 6 3529.41x
Ipswich St Margaret 6 115.38x
Lambeth 6 5.47x
Royton 6 131.29x
Booton 5 5555.56x
Stanton 5 1388.89x
Braintree 4 179.37x
Mile End Old Town 4 20.14x
St Luke London 4 19.82x
Aston 3 3.43x
Little Welnetham 3 4285.71x
Newington 3 6.45x
Nowton 3 3750.00x
Saddleworth 3 31.19x
Wardleworth 3 35.17x
Gorleston 2 51.41x
Liscard 2 40.00x
Nuneaton 2 54.35x
Spotland 2 12.05x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 34.72x
Clifton 1 8.01x
Great Bentley 1 256.41x
Hampstead London 1 5.10x
Hinderclay 1 769.23x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 23.31x
Lowestoft 1 13.81x
Pembroke St Mary 1 19.42x
Rotherhithe 1 6.43x
Rushbrooke 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Ellen 7
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Mary 4
Alice 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Maria 2
Rosa 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Flora 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Levina 1
Lyda 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Phoeby 1
Rhoda 1
Rosalie 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Charles 7
Alfred 6
George 5
William 5
Henry 4
James 4
Frederick 3
Thomas 3
Alfd. 2
Harry 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Dennis 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Herbert 1
Jackson 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Pulfer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pulfer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Pulfer surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pulfer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016. That gives Pulfer a modern rank of #21,086.

What does the Pulfer surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the German word "pulfer" meaning someone who worked with gunpowder.

What does the Pulfer map show?

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