NameCensus.

UK surname

Pynn

A topographic surname derived from the Old English word "pynna" meaning a small field or enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Pynn surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Lewes and Reading.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pynn is 120 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 118.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1998

120 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pynn had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 119 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pynn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pynn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pynn 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 101 #23,870
1901 historical 99 #22,999
1911 historical 100 #22,717
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Pynns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Brighton, Walsall and Chatham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Lewes, Reading, Brighton and Hove and Central Bedfordshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Chatham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 001 Ashford
2 Lewes 008 Lewes
3 Reading 002 Reading
4 Brighton and Hove 017 Brighton and Hove
5 Central Bedfordshire 031 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pynn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pynn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pynn, 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 Pynn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pynn 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Pynn 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

Pynn is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pynn 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 Pynn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Pynn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pynn

The surname PYNN is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "pyn," which means "pen" or "enclosure." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to refer to someone who lived near or worked in a pen or enclosure for livestock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PYNN surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Pynne," indicating that it was likely associated with a specific location or estate.

During the 13th century, the surname PYNN began to appear more frequently in various records and documents across different regions of England. Some notable individuals with this surname from this period include John de Pynne, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1262, and Robert de Pynne, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275.

The PYNN surname has also been linked to several place names throughout England, such as Pynn Farm in Somerset and Pynn Wood in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have played a role in the name's origins or contributed to its spread across different areas.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the PYNN surname was William Pynn, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire from around 1530 to 1598. He is recorded as having been involved in various business ventures and land transactions during his lifetime.

Another individual of note was John Pynn, who was born in Dorset in 1620 and later became a prominent figure in the English colonization of Virginia in the mid-17th century. He served as a member of the House of Burgesses and played a role in the establishment of several settlements in the colony.

During the 18th century, the PYNN surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with individuals such as Thomas Pynn (1714-1788), a successful farmer from Wiltshire, and Mary Pynn (1730-1803), a notable philanthropist and benefactor from Somerset, making their mark in their respective communities.

By the 19th century, the PYNN surname had also spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of emigration from England. One notable figure from this period was James Pynn (1820-1892), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pynn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pynn 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. Lancashire leads with 16 Pynns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 16 2.77x
Kent 15 9.02x
Northamptonshire 7 15.26x
Hampshire 3 3.00x
Lincolnshire 2 2.57x
Oxfordshire 2 6.64x
Somerset 2 2.55x
Cheshire 1 0.93x
Devon 1 0.99x
Wiltshire 1 2.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chatham in Kent leads with 13 Pynns recorded in 1881 and an index of 283.84x.

Place Total Index
Chatham 13 283.84x
Gorton 12 220.59x
Weedon Beck 7 2121.21x
Ardwick 4 76.63x
Portsea 3 15.31x
Garsington 2 2000.00x
Great Grimsby 2 40.40x
Plumstead 2 36.04x
Wilton 2 1000.00x
Bromham 1 526.32x
Church Minshull 1 1666.67x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 12.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eliza 3
Emma 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Elisa 1
Elizabeth 1
Esther 1
Evelina 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

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 Pynn households.

FAQ

Pynn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pynn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Pynn surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pynn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Pynn a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Pynn surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from the Old English word "pynna" meaning a small field or enclosure.

What does the Pynn map show?

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