Pinckney
From an English surname derived from a place name meaning "estate surrounded by pines".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Pinckney. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Pinckney today is around 93 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pinckney births was 1922 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pinckney. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Pinckney is about 93 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pinckneys were born before 1943.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pinckney. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1922
8 babies that year
Average age
93
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,144
Tracked since 1907
Popularity
Pinckney: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pinckney from the 1900s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 19 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Pinckney remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pinckney by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Pinckney during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pinckneys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Pinckney
The name Pinckney has its origins in the Old English language and is derived from the word "pincerna," which means "butler" or "cup-bearer." The name's roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD, when it was primarily used in England.
During the Middle Ages, the name Pinckney gained popularity among the English aristocracy and gentry. It was often associated with those who held positions of service in noble households, such as butlers and stewards. As a result, the name carried a sense of prestige and loyalty.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pinckney can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Pincenat and Pincernatus.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in literary works, such as the Ancrene Wisse, a renowned guide for anchoresses (religious recluses). This text includes references to a character named Pinckney, further solidifying the name's presence in medieval English society.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Pinckney. One of the most prominent was Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1746-1825), an American Founding Father, lawyer, and politician from South Carolina. He served as the 37th Governor of South Carolina and was a signer of the United States Constitution.
Another significant figure was Thomas Pinckney (1750-1828), an American statesman and diplomat who served as the 4th United States Minister to Great Britain and played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of San Lorenzo (also known as Pinckney's Treaty) with Spain in 1795.
In the literary realm, Charles Pinckney (1789-1865), an English poet and clergyman, gained recognition for his works, including "Poems" published in 1813 and "The Prairies," a narrative poem published in 1833.
Sir Robert Pinckney (1562-1636), an English lawyer and politician, served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1623 to 1625 during the reign of King James I.
Lastly, Sir Thomas Pinckney (1505-1573), an English merchant and politician, became the Lord Mayor of London in 1562 and was known for his significant contributions to the city's trade and commerce.
The name Pinckney has a rich history rooted in the English language and culture, reflecting its association with service, loyalty, and prestige. Its presence throughout the centuries can be traced through various historical records, literary works, and the accomplishments of notable individuals who carried this distinctive name.
People
Pinckney + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pinckney as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pinckney: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pinckney?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pinckney going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Pinckney a common name?
We classify Pinckney as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 42 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pinckney most popular?
The single biggest year for Pinckney was 1922, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pinckney is about 93 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pinckney a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pinckney in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.