UK surname
A surname possibly derived from the Old English "pullian" meaning to pull or draw.
In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Puller surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 27, ranked #36,189, down from #18,888 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Puller is 446 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 75.0%.
1881 census count
108
Ranked #18,888
Modern count
27
2016, ranked #36,189
Peak year
1861
446 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Puller surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Puller surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 174 | #11,590 |
| 1861 | historical | 446 | #5,796 |
| 1881 | historical | 108 | #18,888 |
| 1891 | historical | 333 | #10,223 |
| 1901 | historical | 131 | #19,552 |
| 1911 | historical | 124 | #20,023 |
| 1997 | modern | 44 | #33,275 |
| 1998 | modern | 43 | #33,557 |
| 1999 | modern | 34 | #34,528 |
| 2000 | modern | 38 | #34,146 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 29 | #35,030 |
| 2003 | modern | 24 | #35,552 |
| 2004 | modern | 25 | #35,610 |
| 2005 | modern | 26 | #35,674 |
| 2006 | modern | 27 | #35,746 |
| 2007 | modern | 27 | #35,876 |
| 2008 | modern | 29 | #35,808 |
| 2009 | modern | 30 | #35,871 |
| 2010 | modern | 31 | #35,906 |
| 2011 | modern | 27 | #36,136 |
| 2012 | modern | 22 | #36,431 |
| 2013 | modern | 24 | #36,344 |
| 2014 | modern | 27 | #36,180 |
| 2015 | modern | 27 | #36,173 |
| 2016 | modern | 27 | #36,189 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, St Pancras, St John Hackney and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dorking | Surrey |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Puller surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Puller, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Puller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Puller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Puller is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Puller is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Puller, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Puller is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pullere," which referred to a person who pulled or dragged something, such as a ploughman or someone who worked with a team of draft animals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Puller can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1197, where a person named Richard le Pullere is mentioned. This record provides evidence that the name was already in use during the late 12th century.
In the 13th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Pullur, Puller, and Pullar, suggesting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a William le Puller is listed.
During the Middle Ages, the Puller surname was particularly prevalent in counties like Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire, where agriculture and farming were significant occupations. It is likely that many individuals bearing this surname were involved in agricultural work, especially tasks related to ploughing and tilling the land.
One notable person with the surname Puller was John Puller, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the 15th century. He was born in Somerset around 1420 and held significant estates in the region. Another prominent individual was Sir Christopher Puller, a military officer who served in the English Civil War during the 17th century (1642-1651).
In the 18th century, the Puller surname gained recognition through the accomplishments of Thomas Puller, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Old Bailey courthouse (born in 1723, died in 1793).
As the centuries progressed, the Puller surname spread across England and eventually to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. Some notable bearers of the name include Rear Admiral Lewis Puller (1898-1971), a highly decorated United States Marine Corps officer who served in World War II and the Korean War, and author Michael Puller (born in 1976), an American novelist known for his military thrillers.
The surname Puller continues to be prevalent in various parts of the English-speaking world, reflecting its enduring connection to the rich agricultural heritage and occupational history of its bearers.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Puller surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 19 Pullers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.80x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 19 | 1.80x |
| Surrey | 14 | 2.73x |
| Midlothian | 10 | 7.09x |
| Northumberland | 10 | 6.38x |
| Kent | 9 | 2.50x |
| Perthshire | 9 | 19.04x |
| Lanarkshire | 7 | 2.05x |
| Worcestershire | 6 | 4.36x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 1.51x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.38x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 1.29x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 1.78x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 0.84x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.16x |
| Angus | 1 | 1.02x |
| East Lothian | 1 | 7.17x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 1.54x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 1.22x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.59x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Byker in Northumberland leads with 10 Pullers recorded in 1881 and an index of 129.03x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Byker | 10 | 129.03x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 10 | 17.61x |
| Perth East Church | 8 | 179.37x |
| Plumstead | 7 | 58.43x |
| Barony | 5 | 5.80x |
| Thursley | 5 | 1351.35x |
| Aston | 4 | 5.47x |
| Camberwell | 4 | 5.94x |
| Hackney London | 4 | 6.77x |
| St Marylebone London | 4 | 7.11x |
| Hallow | 3 | 447.76x |
| Islington London | 3 | 2.94x |
| Mile End Old Town | 3 | 18.04x |
| Poulton Cum Seacombe | 3 | 112.36x |
| Cadder | 2 | 79.37x |
| Kingswinford | 2 | 15.49x |
| Kirkleatham | 2 | 141.84x |
| Little Witley | 2 | 2500.00x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 2 | 9.43x |
| St George Hanover | 2 | 14.55x |
| Bath St Michael | 1 | 116.28x |
| Bethnal Green London | 1 | 2.19x |
| Bishopsoil | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Bradford | 1 | 3.96x |
| Callander | 1 | 128.21x |
| Cathcart | 1 | 22.62x |
| Clapham | 1 | 7.59x |
| Cowley | 1 | 49.26x |
| Dunbar | 1 | 51.02x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.75x |
| Everton | 1 | 2.51x |
| Gainsborough | 1 | 25.19x |
| Horbling | 1 | 555.56x |
| Hungerton Cum Wyville | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Martley | 1 | 256.41x |
| Oxted | 1 | 161.29x |
| Reigate Foreign | 1 | 17.99x |
| Rochester St Margaret | 1 | 26.39x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.18x |
| St Peters | 1 | 60.24x |
| Twickenham | 1 | 22.12x |
| West Bromwich | 1 | 4.91x |
| West Derby | 1 | 2.73x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Puller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Puller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Puller households.
FAQ
In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Puller surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 27 in 2016. That gives Puller a modern rank of #36,189.
A surname possibly derived from the Old English "pullian" meaning to pull or draw.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Puller bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.