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

Pease, 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 Pease surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pease in America

Pease is the 2790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pease surname appeared 12,937 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Pease.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pease 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 Pease

The surname Pease originated in England, derived from the Old English word "pese," meaning pea. It likely referred to someone who cultivated peas or lived near a pea field. The name first appeared in historical records in the late 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pease can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208, where a William Pese is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also lists a Roger Pese in Norfolk.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled Pese or Pease. Over time, it evolved into various spellings, including Peas, Peaze, and Pease. The surname Pease was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Pease. However, it does mention several place names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as Peasenhall in Suffolk and Peasmarsh in Sussex.

One notable individual with the surname Pease was Henry Pease (1807-1881), a prominent English industrialist and railway entrepreneur. He played a significant role in the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Another famous bearer of the name was Sir Joseph Pease (1772-1846), a wealthy Quaker industrialist and philanthropist from Darlington, England. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Edward Pease (1767-1858), a Quaker wool manufacturer and abolitionist from Darlington, was a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement in Britain. He was also involved in the establishment of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Sir Alfred Edward Pease (1857-1939) was a British Liberal politician and industrialist from Darlington. He served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies and held various positions in the government.

Thomas Pease (1795-1873), a Quaker industrialist and railway promoter from Darlington, played a significant role in the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the West Durham coal industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pease

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

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

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

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