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

Peavey, 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 Peavey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peavey in America

Peavey is the 14617th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peavey surname appeared 2,036 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Peavey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peavey 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 Peavey

The surname Peavey has its origins in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pēafoc," which means "peacock." This suggests that the name may have been originally given as a nickname to someone who had a flamboyant or colorful personality, similar to the majestic bird.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Peavey can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it appeared as "Pevey." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that era, as they were often subject to changes based on local dialects and the preferences of scribes.

In the 14th century, the name Peavey was documented in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 and the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire in 1379. These records provide insight into the geographic distribution of the name during that time period.

One notable bearer of the Peavey surname was John Peavey, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1562. He was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, and his name appears in several municipal records from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another individual of historical significance was Reverend Thomas Peavey (1684-1758), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Burnham, Norfolk. He published several theological works during his lifetime, including a treatise on the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England.

In the 18th century, the Peavey surname made its way across the Atlantic to the American colonies. One early bearer was Samuel Peavey (1723-1792), a farmer and militiaman from Massachusetts who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

The Peavey name has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Peavey Hill in Wiltshire and Peavey Farm in Gloucestershire. These place names may have been derived from the surname itself or vice versa, further emphasizing the connection between the name and its geographical origins.

Other notable individuals with the surname Peavey include George Peavey (1815-1888), a businessman and politician from Maine who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, and Hartley Peavey (born 1942), the founder of Peavey Electronics, a leading manufacturer of musical instruments and audio equipment.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peavey

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!