Find out how popular the last name Pack is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pack.

Pack, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pack surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pack in America

Pack is the 1932nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pack surname appeared 18,678 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Pack.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pack to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Pack

The surname PACK is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pac" or "pack," meaning a bundle or package. It likely originated as an occupational name for someone who worked as a packer or carrier of goods.

The earliest recorded instances of the PACK surname date back to the late 12th century. One of the first documented references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1198, where a person named William Pack is mentioned.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "le Pak" and "le Pakker," reflecting the occupational nature of the surname. For instance, the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273 record a Richard le Pakker.

During the medieval period, the PACK surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire, where trade and transportation routes were well-established. This suggests that many individuals with this surname may have been involved in transporting goods or working in related trades.

One notable historical figure bearing the PACK surname was Sir Christopher Pack (c. 1593-1682), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1654-1655. He was a prominent figure in the City of London during the English Civil War and the Commonwealth period.

Another significant individual was Thomas Pack (1701-1768), an English composer and organist who served as the organist at the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow in London. He composed several anthems and other sacred works that were widely performed during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, John Pack (1809-1885), a British horticulturist and nurseryman, made significant contributions to the cultivation of pears and other fruits. He introduced several new varieties and published works on fruit cultivation.

William Pack (1879-1942), an English cricketer, played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and represented the English national team in Test matches against South Africa and Australia in the early 20th century.

Lastly, Judith Pack (1943-2012) was a prominent American writer and academic. She authored several acclaimed novels, including "Among Friends" and "Candida's Choice," and served as a professor of English at Yale University.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals bearing the PACK surname throughout history, reflecting its English origins and occupational roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pack

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pack.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pack was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Pack has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pack was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pack, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!