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

Pelcher, 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 Pelcher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pelcher in America

Pelcher is the 46314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pelcher surname appeared 460 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 Pelcher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pelcher 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 Pelcher

The surname Pelcher has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "pelcher," which means "to plunder" or "to pillage." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was a plunderer or a pillager, possibly during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pelcher can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Pelchiere," which was likely an early spelling variation.

During the 13th century, the name Pelcher appears in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230, where a certain Roger Pelcher is mentioned. In the 14th century, the name is found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, with references to a John Pelcher in 1348.

Notable individuals with the surname Pelcher include John Pelcher (1556-1624), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Compton Chamberlayne in Wiltshire. Another prominent figure was William Pelcher (1678-1743), a wealthy London merchant and landowner who owned estates in Hertfordshire and Essex.

In the 18th century, Edward Pelcher (1720-1792) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Shire Hall in Monmouth and the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth in London. His contemporary, Thomas Pelcher (1730-1804), was a respected mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the calculation of eclipses and the motion of comets.

During the 19th century, John Giles Pelcher (1817-1892) was a prominent English businessman and philanthropist who established several schools and charities in his hometown of Wolverhampton. He was also a dedicated supporter of the arts and served as the president of the Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

The surname Pelcher has been associated with various place names throughout its history, such as Pelcher's Green in Hertfordshire and Pelcher's Farm in Essex, both of which were likely named after members of the Pelcher family who owned or resided in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pelcher

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

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

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

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