2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Peavie
A surname derived from the Middle English name "Peavey" meaning a pole used for guiding logs.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Peavie. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Peavie 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Peavie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Peavie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.6%. The next largest groups are White (42.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Peavie
The surname Peavie has its origins in the English language and can be traced back to the medieval period in Britain. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pēaw," which means "peacock," and the suffix "-ie," indicating diminutive or affiliation. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who kept or tended peacocks, perhaps as a profession or as part of their estate.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a survey of landholders conducted in 1279. The entry mentions a "William Peuwy" residing in the village of Toft. This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that era, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and pronunciation.
During the 16th century, the name appeared in various historical documents, including the Parish Registers of Lincolnshire. In 1582, the christening of "Johanne Peavie" was recorded in the parish of Washingborough. This entry exemplifies the transition of the name's spelling towards its modern form.
Notable individuals with the surname Peavie include John Peavie, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in the early 18th century. He played a role in the colony's governance and was involved in land disputes during his tenure. Another prominent figure was William Peavie (1805-1878), a successful merchant and landowner in South Carolina, who left a lasting impact on the local economy.
In the literary realm, the name gained recognition through the works of author and poet Henry Peavie (1892-1965). Born in Mississippi, he chronicled the rural life and culture of the American South through his poetry collections and novels, earning critical acclaim for his evocative writing style.
The Peavie surname also made its mark in the world of sports. John Peavie (1924-2003), a professional baseball player from Texas, played for several teams in the Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1940s and 1950s, contributing to the sport's growth and popularity.
While the surname Peavie may not be as widespread as some others, its rich history and diverse representations across various fields highlight its enduring legacy and cultural significance within the English-speaking world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Peavie
Among Census respondents with the surname Peavie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.6%. The next largest groups are White (42.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Peavie 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 Peavie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American49.6% · 59
- White42.9% · 51
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Peavie
Peavie 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+7 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,399 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 2,399 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 1,648 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 Peavie 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 | #141,140 | #142,788 | -1.2% |
| Count | 118 | 119 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Peavie bearers went from 118 to 119 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 1,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #142,788.
FAQ
Peavie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Peavie?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Peavie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Peavie?
Peavie ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 119 people with the surname Peavie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Peavie.
Has Peavie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Peavie went from 118 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Peavie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Peavie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.6%. The next largest groups are White (42.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Peavie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.6% (59 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Peavie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (49.6%), White (42.9%), Hispanic (4.2%). 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 Peavie (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 Peavie mean?
A surname derived from the Middle English name "Peavey" meaning a pole used for guiding logs. 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 Peavie (0.04 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 share the surname Peavie?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.