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

Palmer, 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 Palmer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Palmer in America

Palmer is the 172nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Palmer surname appeared 156,601 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 53 people would have the surname Palmer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Palmer 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 Palmer

The surname Palmer originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word 'palmier', meaning a pilgrim who carried a palm leaf upon returning from the Holy Land. The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Palmerus'.

In the 12th century, the surname Palmer was found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. It was often associated with families who lived near churches dedicated to St. John the Baptist, whose symbol was a palm branch.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is William Palmer, a monk who lived in the town of Crowland, Lincolnshire, in the late 12th century. He is mentioned in the Crowland Chronicle, a medieval manuscript detailing the history of the local abbey.

Another notable Palmer was John Palmer, a wealthy merchant from Leicestershire who was born in 1445. He made a fortune in the wool trade and became a prominent figure in Leicester, serving as the town's mayor in 1485.

In the 16th century, the Palmer surname was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled 'Palmeir' or 'Palmair'. One famous bearer of the name was Robert Palmer, a Scottish clergyman who lived from 1545 to 1619 and was known for his sermons and writings on theology.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a family of Palmers lived in the village of Wingham, Kent. One member, Sir Thomas Palmer, was born in 1540 and served as a member of Parliament and a justice of the peace.

In the 17th century, the Palmer name was associated with several notable figures in the English Civil War. One such individual was Roger Palmer, born in 1615, who fought on the Royalist side and was later appointed as a member of the Privy Council by King Charles II.

The surname Palmer has a rich history spanning centuries in England and Scotland. It has been borne by monks, merchants, clergymen, politicians, and soldiers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carried this name throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Palmer

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

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 Palmer 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 Palmer 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 Palmer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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