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

Peebles, 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 Peebles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peebles in America

Peebles is the 4021st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peebles surname appeared 8,843 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Peebles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peebles 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 Peebles

The surname Peebles has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Peebles, located in the Scottish Borders region. The name is thought to come from the Brythonic word "pebyll," meaning a tent or temporary dwelling, referring to the early settlements in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Willi'am de Pebbles" is likely one of the first documented uses of the surname.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Peebles was a monk and chronicler at the Abbey of St. Albans in England. He authored a chronicle of events from 1323 to 1368, providing valuable insights into the period.

During the 16th century, Andrew Peebles (c. 1505-1558) was a Scottish politician and judge who served as Lord Clerk Register of Scotland under Mary, Queen of Scots. He played a significant role in the legal and administrative affairs of the time.

In the 18th century, Samuel Peebles (1719-1796) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Virginia, United States. He was involved in the colonial trade and held several public offices, including serving as a justice of the peace.

Another notable figure was William Peebles (1853-1923), a Scottish-born Australian poet and writer. He gained recognition for his works depicting life in the Australian outback and contributed to the development of Australian literature.

The name Peebles has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Peeblesshire, a historic county named after the town of Peebles, and Peebles Water, a river that flows through the area.

While the surname Peebles originated in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and descent. However, its roots remain firmly tied to the historic town and region of Peebles in the Scottish Borders.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peebles

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

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

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

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