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

Peery, 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 Peery surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peery in America

Peery is the 7224th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peery surname appeared 4,620 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 Peery.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peery 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 Peery

The surname Peery is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "peor," which means pear tree. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely lived near a pear orchard or had some association with the cultivation of pears.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Peery can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Perie." This ancient record provides a valuable glimpse into the history of the name and indicates that it was already in use during the 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Pery, Perie, and Perrie, before eventually evolving into its modern form, Peery. These variations reflect the lack of standardized spelling during earlier times and the influence of local dialects.

Historically, the name Peery was concentrated in certain regions of England, particularly in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. This regional concentration suggests that the name may have originated in one of these areas and then spread to other parts of the country over time.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Peery throughout history is Sir John Peery (1525-1592), a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was William Peery (1683-1746), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. Mary-le-Bow Church.

In the literary world, the name Peery is associated with the English poet and playwright, Robert Peery (1612-1679), who was known for his satirical works and contributions to the Restoration era theater. Additionally, John Peery (1745-1814) was a celebrated English botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life.

The name Peery also has a connection to the American colonies, with one of the earliest recorded instances being that of Thomas Peery (1670-1732), who immigrated to Virginia in the late 17th century and established a successful farming operation.

While the surname Peery is not among the most common in any particular region, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and is associated with various notable individuals who have left their mark on various fields, including law, architecture, literature, and science.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peery

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

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

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

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