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

Pearl, 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 Pearl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pearl in America

Pearl is the 4687th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pearl surname appeared 7,570 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Pearl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pearl 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 Pearl

The surname PEARL is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "perle," which itself comes from the Latin word "pirula," meaning a small spherical object. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who had a particular fondness for or association with pearls.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the late 12th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is believed that the name may have initially referred to individuals involved in the pearl trade or those who worked as pearl merchants or jewelers.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are no direct references to the surname PEARL, as it had not yet emerged as a hereditary surname at that time. However, there are mentions of individuals with occupational names related to pearls, such as "Margerie le Perlere" (Margery the Pearl Worker) from Norfolk in 1273.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PEARL is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, which mention a "William Perle." Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which lists a "Robert Perle."

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname PEARL. One example is Sir Henry Pearl (1604-1680), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1665. Another is Cynthia Pearl Maus (1898-1983), an American actress and songwriter known for her roles in silent films during the 1920s.

Other individuals with the surname PEARL include:

1. Thomas Pearl (1608-1666), an English Puritan clergyman and author.
2. John Pearl (1837-1914), a British politician and member of Parliament for Woodstock.
3. Raymond Pearl (1879-1940), an American biologist and statistician known for his work on population growth and longevity.
4. James Pearl (1918-2007), an American jazz drummer and session musician.
5. Mary Pearl (1768-1825), an English writer and author of children's literature.

While the surname PEARL is not among the most common English surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and reflects the cultural significance of pearls in various contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pearl

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

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

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

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