2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pearrell
An anglicized form of the French surname Perreault, derived from the Latin personal name Petrellus meaning "little rock".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 108 Americans carry the last name Pearrell. That puts it at #156,608 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,173,651 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pearrell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
108
1 in 3,173,651
Census rank
#156,608
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
94
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 94 bearers of the surname Pearrell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156608th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pearrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pearrell
The surname Pearrell is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "pere" and "hyll," which together translate to "pear hill" or "pear tree hill." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near a location with an abundance of pear trees or a hill where pear trees grew.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pearrell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1188, where it appears as "William de Perehulle." These 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 period.
The Pearrell surname has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, including Perrhyll, Perrehyll, Perehyll, and Perehylle. These variations reflect the regional dialects and phonetic adaptations that occurred as the name spread across different parts of England.
One notable individual bearing the Pearrell surname was Sir John Pearrell, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. Records indicate that he held substantial estates in Oxfordshire and was a respected figure in the local community.
Another historically significant figure was William Pearrell, born in 1587 in Gloucestershire. He was a renowned scholar and clergyman who authored several influential works on theology and philosophy during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Pearrell surname gained prominence with the birth of Elizabeth Pearrell in 1721. She was a celebrated poet and writer whose works were widely acclaimed for their literary merit and insight into the societal norms of her time.
The 19th century saw the rise of James Pearrell, born in 1842 in Wiltshire. He was a pioneering engineer who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engine technology, leaving a lasting impact on the industrial revolution.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning Robert Pearrell, born in 1903 in Yorkshire. He was a highly decorated military officer who served with distinction during World War II, earning numerous honors and awards for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
While the Pearrell surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and diverse bearers have left an indelible mark across various fields, from literature and academia to engineering and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pearrell
Among Census respondents with the surname Pearrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Pearrell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Pearrell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.9% · 93
- Two or more races1.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pearrell
Pearrell appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,624 places
2020
#156,608
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 94
-14 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,076 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,624 places |
| 2020 | #156,608 | 94 | 0.03 | -14 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 5,076 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Pearrell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #156,608 | -3.3% |
| Count | 108 | 94 | -13.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -21.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pearrell bearers went from 108 to 94 (-13.0% change). The surname moved down 5,076 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #156,608.
FAQ
Pearrell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pearrell?
Name Census estimates that about 108 living Americans carry the surname Pearrell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,173,651 residents.
How common is Pearrell?
Pearrell ranks #156,608 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 94 people with the surname Pearrell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (108), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pearrell.
Has Pearrell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pearrell went from 108 recorded bearers to 94. That is a decrease of 14 (-13.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #156,608.
What does the Census say about the background of Pearrell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pearrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pearrell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.9% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pearrell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.9%), Two or More Races (1.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Pearrell (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Pearrell mean?
An anglicized form of the French surname Perreault, derived from the Latin personal name Petrellus meaning "little rock". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Pearrell (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Pearrell?
You can see how many people have the surname Pearrell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.