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

Pancake, 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 Pancake surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pancake in America

Pancake is the 24702nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pancake surname appeared 1,010 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pancake.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pancake 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 Pancake

The surname "Pancake" is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "pancake," which referred to a flat cake made from batter and fried in a pan. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who baked or sold pancakes, or perhaps had a fondness for them.

The earliest recorded use of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a person named Reginald Pancake, residing in the county of Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already in use as a surname during that time period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Pancake is listed as a resident of Yorkshire. This document provides valuable insight into the geographical distribution of the name during that era.

One of the earliest and most notable bearers of the surname was Sir William Pancake, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was born in 1325 and died in 1389. Sir William Pancake was known for his bravery and military prowess, participating in several campaigns against the French.

Another historically significant figure with this surname was Elizabeth Pancake, a prominent writer and poet of the Elizabethan era. Born in 1560, she published a collection of sonnets titled "The Sweet Delights of Pan" in 1587, which gained her recognition among literary circles of the time.

In the 17th century, the surname appeared in various parish records, such as those of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire, where the baptism of Thomas Pancake was recorded in 1632. This suggests that the name had spread across different regions of England by that time.

The surname also has connections to place names, as evidenced by the village of Pancake Green in Hertfordshire, which likely derived its name from a family or individual bearing the Pancake surname residing in the area.

Throughout history, the surname Pancake has undergone various spelling variations, including Pankake, Pancok, and Pankoke, reflecting the evolving nature of the English language and local dialects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pancake

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

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

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

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