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

Peckham, 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 Peckham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peckham in America

Peckham is the 6882nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peckham surname appeared 4,885 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Peckham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peckham 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 Peckham

The surname Peckham has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "pec" and "ham," which together translate to "the homestead or village by the hill or peak." This suggests that the name originated from a place name, likely referring to a settlement situated near a prominent hill or elevated terrain.

One of the earliest mentions of the Peckham name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry lists a landowner named Radulfus de Peckham, indicating the presence of the surname in medieval England.

During the Middle Ages, the Peckham family rose to prominence, particularly in the county of Kent. Records from the 13th century mention a Sir John Peckham, who served as the Lord of the Manor of Peckham in Kent. Another notable figure was Archbishop John Peckham (c. 1230-1292), a prominent prelate who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1279 until his death.

As the surname spread across England, it underwent various spellings, including Peckham, Peckam, and Peccham. These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the Peckham name was Sir George Peckham (c. 1516-1608), an English merchant and adventurer who played a significant role in the early voyages and colonization efforts of the English in the Americas.

Another prominent individual was Sir Robert Peckham (1564-1636), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1624 to 1636.

During the 17th century, the Peckham family had a strong presence in Virginia, one of the original thirteen colonies of British North America. Robert Peckham (c. 1617-1663) was an early settler and landowner in Virginia, and his descendants continued to play important roles in the colonial and post-colonial history of the region.

In the 18th century, Reverend Joseph Peckham (1711-1786) was a notable clergyman and educator in New England, serving as the rector of King's Chapel in Boston and later as the first Vice President of Brown University.

As the Peckham surname spread across different regions and countries, it continued to be associated with various notable individuals, including scientists, artists, and politicians, further enriching its historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peckham

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

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

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

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