NameCensus.

UK surname

Pymm

A variant spelling of the English surname Pym, derived from a medieval personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 167 people recorded with the Pymm surname, ranking it #14,443 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, down from #14,443 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Willesden and St James and St Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, Charnwood and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pymm is 274 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.3%.

1881 census count

167

Ranked #14,443

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

1999

274 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pymm had 167 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,443 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 243 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Pymm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pymm surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pymm 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 118 #15,362
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 167 #14,443
1891 historical 162 #17,390
1901 historical 192 #15,518
1911 historical 243 #13,163
1997 modern 267 #14,623
1998 modern 263 #15,161
1999 modern 274 #14,826
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 272 #14,654
2002 modern 264 #15,236
2003 modern 253 #15,493
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 256 #15,407
2006 modern 258 #15,402
2007 modern 260 #15,476
2008 modern 271 #15,182
2009 modern 264 #15,798
2010 modern 248 #16,886
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 248 #16,618
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 251 #16,865
2015 modern 253 #16,669
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Pymms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Willesden, St James and St Paul, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, Charnwood, South Gloucestershire, North Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 St James and St Paul Gloucestershire
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 002 Melton
2 Charnwood 007 Charnwood
3 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire
4 North Lincolnshire 002 North Lincolnshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pymm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pymm

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pymm, 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 Pymm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pymm 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Pymm is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Pymm is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pymm falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pymm

The surname Pymm originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pynning," which referred to a pen or enclosure for livestock. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Pymyng," which appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275.

The name was most prevalent in the southwest counties of England, particularly in Somerset and Wiltshire. This suggests that the Pymms may have been associated with livestock farming or land ownership in these areas. There are also records of the name in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several landholders with variations of the spelling, such as "Pimenor" and "Pymenar."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Pymm surname was John Pymm, who was born in Taunton, Somerset, in 1585. He was a prominent merchant and served as the Mayor of Taunton in 1623. Another notable figure was Robert Pymm (1576-1643), who was a member of the Long Parliament and a vocal critic of King Charles I during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the name Pymm was also found in the parish records of Wiltshire, particularly in the villages of Corsham and Melksham. One of the earliest recorded examples from this area was Thomas Pymm (1610-1678), who was a landowner and farmer in Corsham.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Pymm surname spread to other parts of England and even to the American colonies. One noteworthy individual from this period was Samuel Pymm (1732-1804), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later rose to the rank of Vice Admiral.

Another significant figure was John Pymm (1807-1875), who was born in Somerset and later became a successful businessman and philanthropist in Birmingham. He was instrumental in establishing several schools and hospitals in the city.

While the Pymm surname is not as common today as it once was, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England. The name's origins are closely tied to the agricultural and land-owning traditions of the southwest counties, and it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pymm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pymm 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. Gloucestershire leads with 34 Pymms recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.77x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 34 10.77x
Nottinghamshire 25 11.52x
Staffordshire 21 3.87x
Middlesex 17 1.06x
Buckinghamshire 15 15.42x
Leicestershire 12 6.72x
Surrey 10 1.28x
Sussex 8 2.95x
Somerset 6 2.32x
Devon 5 1.49x
Yorkshire 4 0.25x
Oxfordshire 3 3.02x
Lancashire 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.49x
Norfolk 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St James In in Gloucestershire leads with 24 Pymms recorded in 1881 and an index of 517.24x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St James In 24 517.24x
Wednesbury 20 147.28x
Wycombe 11 151.72x
Basford 10 100.00x
Nottingham St Mary 9 16.04x
Wigston Magna 9 379.75x
Brighton 8 14.61x
St George Hanover 7 33.32x
Battersea 5 8.44x
Shoreditch London 5 7.17x
Wookey 5 877.19x
Newington 4 6.73x
Radford Lenton 4 740.74x
Taplow 4 677.97x
Bristol St George 3 20.55x
Edmonton 3 23.13x
Horfield 3 94.34x
Studley 3 10000.00x
Tormoham 3 21.17x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 19.01x
Holcombe Rogus 2 500.00x
Holy Trinity 2 5.21x
Snenton 2 23.47x
Ab Kettleby 1 769.23x
Bristol St Paul In 1 11.89x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 3.36x
Dewsbury 1 6.11x
Didsbury 1 39.37x
Handsworth 1 7.47x
Heigham 1 7.53x
Hornby 1 500.00x
Kensington London 1 1.12x
Kirby Bellars 1 666.67x
Leeds 1 1.11x
Newbold Pacey 1 476.19x
Old Stratford 1 43.48x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 62.11x
Waltham On The Wolds 1 303.03x
Wandsworth 1 6.46x
Yatton 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 7
Charlotte 5
Eliza 5
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Anne 3
Harriet 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Charlottee 1
Clara 1
Elizebth 1
Ermine 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Francias 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Madeline 1
Marian 1
Maude 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1
Rosetta 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
John 10
Thomas 9
William 7
James 4
David 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Frand 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Jeremiah 1
Matthew 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Willm 1

FAQ

Pymm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pymm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 167 people were recorded with the Pymm surname. That placed it at #14,443 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pymm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Pymm a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Pymm surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Pym, derived from a medieval personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Pymm map show?

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