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

Peers, 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 Peers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peers in America

Peers is the 38050th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peers surname appeared 583 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Peers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peers 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 Peers

The surname Peers is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "per," which means "equal" or "peer." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to denote someone of equal rank or status.

During the Middle Ages, the term "peer" was commonly used to refer to members of the nobility who held a specific rank within the feudal system. It is possible that the surname Peers was initially given to individuals who held such a position or were considered peers among their social circles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Peers can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical document mentions individuals with the surname Peers in various counties across England, including Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire.

Throughout the centuries, the Peers surname has been associated with notable figures from various walks of life. One such individual was Sir Robert Peers (c. 1588-1670), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1638. Another prominent figure was Richard Peers (1643-1690), an English clergyman and scholar who became the Bishop of Raphoe in Ireland.

In the 18th century, John Peers (1721-1784) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London. Meanwhile, Charles Peers (1868-1952) was a renowned British architect and archaeologist who specialized in the study of Spanish architecture and contributed significantly to the restoration of historical buildings in Spain.

The Peers surname also has connections to literary figures, including Mary Peers (1862-1944), an English writer and translator who was renowned for her translations of works by Spanish authors such as Miguel de Cervantes and Juan Valera.

While the name Peers has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of emigration and exploration. The surname continues to be carried by individuals from various backgrounds, each with their own unique stories and contributions to their respective communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peers

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Peers, 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!