NameCensus.

UK surname

Pygott

A surname likely derived from a transferred use of the word "piggot", meaning a small wooden vessel or pail.

In the 1881 census there were 54 people recorded with the Pygott surname, ranking it #26,009 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, up from #26,009 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Luddington and Gainsborough, Paddocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Barnsley and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pygott is 301 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 355.6%.

1881 census count

54

Ranked #26,009

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

1999

301 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pygott had 54 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,009 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 169 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Pygott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pygott surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pygott 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 54 #26,009
1891 historical 120 #21,292
1901 historical 144 #18,505
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 290 #13,832
1998 modern 288 #14,249
1999 modern 301 #13,926
2000 modern 295 #14,070
2001 modern 291 #14,000
2002 modern 285 #14,483
2003 modern 278 #14,540
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 274 #14,932
2008 modern 272 #15,152
2009 modern 273 #15,436
2010 modern 269 #15,935
2011 modern 264 #16,016
2012 modern 253 #16,377
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 260 #16,470
2015 modern 256 #16,524
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Pygotts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Barnsley, Doncaster and Wakefield. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Luddington Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
2 Barnsley 019 Barnsley
3 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
4 Wakefield 002 Wakefield
5 Barnsley 008 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pygott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pygott

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pygott, 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 Pygott surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Pygott 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Pygott is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Pygott is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Pygott

The surname PYGOTT has its origins in England, with the earliest known references dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "pyg," meaning a small hill or mound, and the word "geat," meaning a gap or opening. This suggests that the name likely originated as a place name, referring to a hill or mound with a gap or opening.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PYGOTT can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire, where a William Pygott was listed as a resident in 1587. The PYGOTT family seemed to have a strong presence in this area during the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the 17th century, a John Pygott (1592-1660) was a prominent figure in the English Civil War, serving as a Colonel in the Parliamentarian forces. He was also a member of the Long Parliament and played a role in the trial and execution of King Charles I.

Another notable individual with the surname PYGOTT was Robert Pygott (1663-1723), an English theologian and author. He served as the rector of Brindle in Lancashire and published several works on religious topics.

Moving into the 18th century, a Samuel Pygott (1721-1799) was a noted surveyor and cartographer. He produced detailed maps of various counties in England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

In the 19th century, a James Pygott (1806-1881) gained recognition as a prominent architect. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. James in Bermondsey.

While the surname PYGOTT has its roots in England, it is now found in various parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of English-speaking populations over the centuries. However, its origins and early history can be traced back to the small hills and mounds of central England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pygott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pygott 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. Lincolnshire leads with 19 Pygotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.56x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 19 22.56x
Yorkshire 18 3.45x
Lancashire 7 1.12x
Hertfordshire 4 11.02x
Middlesex 3 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 2 2.82x
Sussex 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gainsborough in Lincolnshire leads with 18 Pygotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 904.52x.

Place Total Index
Gainsborough 18 904.52x
Pontefract 10 892.86x
West Derby 7 38.27x
Stevenage 4 714.29x
Kensington London 3 10.25x
Crowle 2 392.16x
Garforth 2 500.00x
Allerton Bywater 1 357.14x
Beckingham 1 1250.00x
Belton 1 294.12x
Bramley In Bramley 1 50.00x
Broadwater 1 49.02x
Kimberworth 1 34.48x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 107.53x
Scrooby 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Amelia 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Julia 1
Martha 1
Nelly 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Robert 3
William 3
Charles 2
George 2
James 2
Charlie 1
Edwd. 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Spencer 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

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 Pygott households.

FAQ

Pygott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pygott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 54 people were recorded with the Pygott surname. That placed it at #26,009 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pygott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Pygott a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Pygott surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a transferred use of the word "piggot", meaning a small wooden vessel or pail.

What does the Pygott map show?

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