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

Peabody, 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 Peabody surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peabody in America

Peabody is the 6367th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peabody surname appeared 5,345 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Peabody.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peabody 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 Peabody

The surname Peabody has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Peabody, which is believed to come from the Old English words "pea" and "bodhi," meaning a dwelling by a pea patch or field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, where a person named William de Peabody is mentioned. The presence of the "de" prefix indicates that the name referred to someone from the area known as Peabody at that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Pebodi, Pebedye, and Pebedee, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that period. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain references to individuals named Adam de Pebedye and William de Pebedye, further solidifying the name's roots in that region.

During the 16th century, the name Peabody began to spread beyond its original geographical bounds. One notable individual from this era was John Peabody (c. 1545-1611), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Ely Cathedral and was known for his theological writings.

The 17th century witnessed the emergence of several notable figures bearing the Peabody name. One such individual was Francis Peabody (1618-1705), a successful merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London in the late 1600s.

As the Peabody family continued to prosper, they left their mark on various aspects of society. In the 19th century, George Peabody (1795-1869), an American businessman and philanthropist, became renowned for his significant contributions to education and social welfare. His legacy includes the establishment of the Peabody Trust, which funded housing and schools for the underprivileged in London.

Another prominent figure from the same era was Josephine Preston Peabody (1869-1922), an American poet and dramatist who gained recognition for her works, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning lyric drama "The Piper."

In the field of education, Endicott Peabody (1857-1944), an American educator and philanthropist, made significant contributions as the founder of the prestigious Groton School in Massachusetts and the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, which later became part of Johns Hopkins University.

These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse accomplishments associated with the surname Peabody, which has endured through the centuries and left an indelible mark across various domains.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peabody

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

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

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

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