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

Peal, 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 Peal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peal in America

Peal is the 20780th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peal surname appeared 1,271 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 Peal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peal 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 Peal

The surname PEAL is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "peal," which referred to a palisade or fortified fence. This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name or topographic name, describing someone who lived near a palisaded area or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PEAL can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire, dated 1199, which mention a Hugo de Peal. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of individuals during that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as PELE, PELL, and PEELE, reflecting the spelling variations common in that era. These variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain references to individuals with the surname PEAL, including Robert de la Pele in Oxfordshire and Willelmus de la Pele in Cambridgeshire. These rolls were a series of administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable information about landowners and their holdings.

One notable individual bearing the surname PEAL was Richard Peale (1577-1660), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1628 to 1629. He was born in Walthamstow, Essex, and played a significant role in the academic and religious life of his time.

Another prominent figure was Charles Wilson Peale (1741-1827), an American painter, soldier, naturalist, and inventor. He is best known for his portraits of prominent figures from the American Revolution, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Peale was born in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, and his surname is believed to be derived from the English PEAL.

In the 18th century, the PEAL surname appeared in various records, such as parish registers and census records, indicating its continued presence in England and other parts of the British Isles.

One notable bearer of the name was Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860), an American artist and museum keeper. He was the son of Charles Wilson Peale and is renowned for his portraits of prominent American figures, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Marshall.

The surname PEAL has also been associated with place names, such as Peel Island in Queensland, Australia, and Peel River in New South Wales, Australia. These place names may have been derived from the surname or vice versa, reflecting the interconnectedness of names and locations throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peal

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

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

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

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