2000
#9,585
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.15
Rare Last name
Peirce
A surname of Norman French origin referring to a quarry worker or stone cutter.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,595 Americans carry the last name Peirce. That puts it at #9,841 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Peirce 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Peirce with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,342
Census rank
#9,841
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,135 bearers of the surname Peirce in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9841st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Peirce, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Peirce
The surname PEIRCE originated from the Norman French personal name Pierre, which ultimately derived from the Latin name Petrus, meaning "rock." This name gained popularity due to its association with Saint Peter, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.
The earliest recorded instances of the PEIRCE surname date back to the late 11th century in England, following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name appeared in various medieval records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror.
During the Middle Ages, the PEIRCE surname was widespread throughout different regions of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire. The name also appeared in various forms, such as Piers, Pierse, and Peirse, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the PEIRCE surname was William Peirce, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1199. Another notable figure was John Peirce, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Milborne Port in Somerset during the 14th century.
In the 16th century, the PEIRCE surname gained further prominence with individuals like William Peirce (c. 1540-1603), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Eggesford in Devon. Another notable bearer of the name was Richard Peirce (c. 1590-1668), a Puritan settler who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony and served as a military leader during the Pequot War.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the PEIRCE surname continued to spread across various parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. Some notable individuals from this period include Benjamin Peirce (1778-1831), an American mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics, and James Mills Peirce (1834-1906), an American philosopher and logician who was a founder of pragmatism.
In the 19th century, the PEIRCE surname gained further recognition with individuals such as Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), an American philosopher, logician, mathematician, and scientist who is considered the founder of pragmatism and a pioneer in the field of semiotics. Another notable figure was Franklin Peirce (1852-1924), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 34th Governor of New Hampshire.
Overall, the surname PEIRCE has a rich history that spans centuries, originating from the Norman French personal name Pierre and gaining prominence in various regions of England and later in the American colonies. The name has been associated with notable individuals from various fields, including literature, philosophy, science, and politics, making it a significant part of the cultural and historical tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Peirce
Among Census respondents with the surname Peirce, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Peirce 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 Peirce surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.4% · 2,802
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 112
- Two or more races3.0% · 95
- Black or African American2.8% · 87
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Peirce
Peirce 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
#10,358
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,111
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Down 773 places
2020
#9,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,135
+24 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 517 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,585 | 3,111 | 1.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,358 | 3,111 | 1.05 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 773 places |
| 2020 | #9,841 | 3,135 | 1.05 | +24 bearers (+0.8%) | Up 517 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 Peirce 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 | #10,358 | #9,841 | 5.0% |
| Count | 3,111 | 3,135 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.05 | 1.05 | -0.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Peirce bearers went from 3,111 to 3,135 (+0.8% change). The surname moved up 517 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,358 to #9,841.
FAQ
Peirce surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Peirce?
Name Census estimates that about 3,595 living Americans carry the surname Peirce. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,342 residents.
How common is Peirce?
Peirce ranks #9,841 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,135 people with the surname Peirce. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,595), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Peirce.
Has Peirce become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Peirce went from 3,111 recorded bearers to 3,135. That is an increase of 24 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,358 to #9,841.
What does the Census say about the background of Peirce?
Among Census respondents with the surname Peirce, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Peirce in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.4% (2,802 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Peirce appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.4%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Peirce (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 Peirce mean?
A surname of Norman French origin referring to a quarry worker or stone cutter. 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 Peirce (1.05 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 Peirce?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.