NameCensus.

UK surname

Pyle

Derived from a Middle English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a tidal creek or inlet.

In the 1881 census there were 1,218 people recorded with the Pyle surname, ranking it #3,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,546, ranked #4,005, down from #3,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, West Devon and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pyle is 1,822 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.9%.

1881 census count

1,218

Ranked #3,320

Modern count

1,546

2016, ranked #4,005

Peak year

1911

1,822 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pyle had 1,218 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,546 in 2016, ranked #4,005.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,822 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pyle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pyle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pyle 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 822 #3,281
1861 historical 754 #3,625
1881 historical 1,218 #3,320
1891 historical 1,291 #3,354
1901 historical 1,546 #3,334
1911 historical 1,822 #2,702
1997 modern 1,773 #3,376
1998 modern 1,802 #3,442
1999 modern 1,814 #3,448
2000 modern 1,812 #3,439
2001 modern 1,773 #3,427
2002 modern 1,787 #3,482
2003 modern 1,712 #3,558
2004 modern 1,712 #3,562
2005 modern 1,674 #3,591
2006 modern 1,631 #3,684
2007 modern 1,598 #3,774
2008 modern 1,583 #3,826
2009 modern 1,635 #3,811
2010 modern 1,655 #3,848
2011 modern 1,612 #3,896
2012 modern 1,556 #3,942
2013 modern 1,614 #3,881
2014 modern 1,590 #3,959
2015 modern 1,554 #4,001
2016 modern 1,546 #4,005

Geography

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Where Pyles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, West Devon, Newcastle upon Tyne, County Durham and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 004 East Devon
2 West Devon 001 West Devon
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 029 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 County Durham 005 County Durham
5 Basingstoke and Deane 022 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pyle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pyle

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Pyle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pyle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Pyle is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pyle 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

Pyle falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pyle

The surname Pyle originates from England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pyl," meaning a pool or creek. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a pool or stream.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England, the name appears as "de Pille" in Shropshire and Staffordshire. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to bodies of water.

The Pyle surname first appeared in Yorkshire, where the family held estates and lands. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Robert de Pyle, who lived in Yorkshire in 1273.

The name also has connections to various place names. For instance, Pyle in Somerset, England, was once known as "Pille" in the Domesday Book. This place name likely influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Pyle surname. One example is Howard Pyle (1853-1911), an American illustrator and author known for his works on chivalric tales and American history. Another is Ernie Pyle (1900-1945), a renowned American journalist and war correspondent during World War II.

Other notable Pyles include:

1. Katharine Pyle (1863-1938), an American writer and children's author. 2. Nathaniel Pyle (1677-1745), an English Quaker leader and minister. 3. Thomas Pyle (1674-1756), an English-born American Quaker minister and author. 4. John Pyle (1776-1854), an American surveyor and cartographer. 5. William Henry Pyle (1838-1920), an American inventor and manufacturer best known for developing the first flexible photographic film.

The surname Pyle has endured for centuries, with its origins rooted in Old English and its connections to various locations and notable figures throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pyle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pyle 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. Devon leads with 207 Pyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.34x.

County Total Index
Devon 207 8.34x
Durham 166 4.68x
Middlesex 159 1.33x
Northumberland 151 8.51x
Hampshire 72 2.95x
Surrey 72 1.24x
Kent 57 1.40x
Norfolk 54 2.95x
Lancashire 41 0.29x
Essex 33 1.40x
Yorkshire 27 0.23x
Glamorgan 21 1.01x
Lanarkshire 19 0.49x
Gloucestershire 17 0.73x
Wiltshire 15 1.42x
Derbyshire 13 0.70x
Lincolnshire 10 0.52x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.82x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.93x
Dumfriesshire 7 2.66x
Northamptonshire 7 0.62x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.54x
Monmouthshire 6 0.70x
Worcestershire 6 0.39x
Berkshire 5 0.56x
Somerset 5 0.26x
Argyllshire 4 1.21x
Channel Islands 4 1.13x
Warwickshire 3 0.10x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.24x
Midlothian 2 0.13x
Selkirkshire 2 1.85x
Sussex 2 0.10x
Angus 1 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.20x
Herefordshire 1 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Roxburghshire 1 0.46x
Royal Navy 1 0.70x
Rutland 1 1.14x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Stirlingshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Margate St John Baptist in Kent leads with 39 Pyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.37x.

Place Total Index
Margate St John Baptist 39 52.37x
St Pancras London 28 2.92x
Tanfield 25 59.28x
Hackney London 24 3.59x
Whickham 24 73.55x
East Budleigh 23 196.75x
West Ham 20 3.85x
Elswick 19 13.42x
Bishopwearmouth 18 5.91x
Westoe 18 8.95x
Battersea 17 3.88x
Hambledon 17 206.31x
Heigham 17 17.28x
St Marylebone London 17 2.67x
Islington London 16 1.38x
Exeter St Sidwell 15 26.39x
Stoke Damerel 15 8.64x
Chertsey 14 37.30x
Byers Green 13 129.87x
Camberwell 13 1.71x
Woodbury 13 176.63x
Buxton 12 75.95x
Cowpen 12 29.38x
Fareham 12 40.87x
Middlesbrough 12 7.80x
Paddington London 12 2.74x
Glasgow 11 1.61x
Kensington London 11 1.66x
Haslingden 10 17.07x
Monkwearmouth Shore 10 14.45x
Westgate 10 9.10x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 3.90x
Lamesley 9 47.15x
Longhurst 9 261.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 9.79x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 9 38.59x
Topsham 9 76.86x
Westminster St John 9 6.20x
Bermondsey 8 2.25x
Bracebridge 8 92.27x
Clist St George 8 733.95x
Doncaster 8 9.27x
Lympston 8 180.59x
Penarth 8 39.45x
Portsea 8 1.67x
Salcombe Regis 8 343.35x
Thornage 8 601.50x
Withycombe Rawleigh 8 61.87x
Barking 7 10.17x
Dumfries 7 26.94x
Garston 7 16.77x
Gateshead 7 2.64x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 4.56x
Horton 7 79.91x
Minster In Sheppey 7 10.39x
Ottery St Mary 7 43.00x
Pewsey 7 90.32x
Powderham 7 608.70x
Talaton 7 370.37x
Tynemouth 7 7.37x
Urmston 7 76.25x
Wisbech St Peter 7 18.49x
Auckland St Andrew 6 64.10x
Barony 6 0.62x
Birling 6 1764.71x
Great Malvern 6 18.47x
Helmington Row 6 36.32x
High Low Trewhitt 6 1500.00x
Hornsey 6 3.98x
Jesmond 6 24.04x
Kingston On Thames 6 4.30x
Lambeth 6 0.58x
Llandaff 6 8.69x
Luppitt 6 243.90x
North Seaton 6 80.65x
Shoreditch London 6 1.16x
Southwick 6 221.40x
Spitalfields London 6 6.69x
St Woollos 6 6.24x
Yaxley 6 108.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 88
John 63
George 52
Thomas 39
Henry 29
James 27
Edward 21
Robert 21
Samuel 16
Joseph 15
Alfred 14
Frederick 13
Charles 12
Richard 10
Albert 9
Walter 9
Frank 7
Arthur 6
Fred 6
Tom 6
Benjamin 5
Ralph 5
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Adam 2
Andrew 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Philip 2
Watson 2
Anthony 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Chrisr. 1
Christopher 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Elijah 1
Emon 1
Eneas 1
Ephraim 1
Harrey 1
Harrison 1
Holmes 1
Hubert 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pyle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pyle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,218 people were recorded with the Pyle surname. That placed it at #3,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pyle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,546 in 2016. That gives Pyle a modern rank of #4,005.

What does the Pyle surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a tidal creek or inlet.

What does the Pyle map show?

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