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

Pel, 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 Pel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pel in America

Pel is the 67747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pel surname appeared 291 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 Pel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pel 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 Pel

The surname Pel originates from the Netherlands and dates back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "pel," which means "peel" or "skin," and may have been an occupational name for someone who worked with skins or peels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pel can be found in the Dutch town of Delft, where a Jan Pel was mentioned in records from 1587. Another early reference comes from the town of Leiden, where a Willem Pel was recorded in 1611.

In the 17th century, the name Pel began to appear in other parts of the Netherlands, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. During this time, the spelling of the name also varied, with variations like "Pelle" and "Pell" being used.

One notable person with the surname Pel was Gerrit Pel, a Dutch painter who lived from 1621 to 1681. He was known for his still-life paintings and landscapes, many of which can be found in museums across the Netherlands.

Another individual with this surname was Johan Pel, a Dutch businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1777 to 1853. He made his fortune in the textile industry and used his wealth to support various charitable causes in his hometown of Leiden.

In the 19th century, the surname Pel began to spread beyond the Netherlands, as some families emigrated to other parts of the world. For example, a family by the name of Pel settled in Cape Town, South Africa, in the 1830s.

One famous South African with the surname Pel was Martinus Pel, a politician and journalist who lived from 1854 to 1923. He played a significant role in the early days of the South African press and was a vocal advocate for Afrikaner rights.

Another notable person with the surname Pel was Gerrit Jan Pel, a Dutch physicist who lived from 1879 to 1962. He made important contributions to the field of spectroscopy and was instrumental in the development of the electron microscope.

While the surname Pel is still relatively uncommon globally, it remains most prevalent in the Netherlands and among those of Dutch descent. The name has a rich history that spans several centuries and has been associated with a variety of professions and accomplishments.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pel

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

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

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

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