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

Peleg, 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 Peleg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peleg in America

Peleg is the 89753rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peleg surname appeared 206 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 Peleg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peleg 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 Peleg

The surname Peleg has its origins in the Hebrew language, derived from the Hebrew word "peleg" which means "division" or "stream." It is believed to have originated in ancient Israel, likely during the biblical period.

The name Peleg is first mentioned in the Book of Genesis, where it is attributed to one of the descendants of Noah. According to the biblical account, Peleg was given his name because "in his days the earth was divided" (Genesis 10:25). This is thought to be a reference to the dispersion of peoples and the division of the earth into different regions and languages after the Tower of Babel incident.

In the Jewish tradition, Peleg is considered an important figure, as he is believed to have lived during a time of significant geographical and linguistic change in the ancient world. The name Peleg has been found in various ancient Hebrew manuscripts and records, indicating its use as a surname among Jewish communities.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Peleg was Rabbi Judah ben Peleg, a prominent Jewish scholar who lived in the 12th century CE. He was known for his commentary on the Talmud and his contributions to Jewish legal literature.

Another notable figure with the surname Peleg was Solomon ben Peleg, a 14th-century Jewish philosopher and scholar from Provence, France. He wrote extensively on topics such as metaphysics, ethics, and Kabbalah.

In the 16th century, there was a Jewish community in the town of Pielgrzymka, Poland, where the surname Peleg was prevalent. The name Pielgrzymka is believed to be derived from the Polish word "pielgrzym," which means "pilgrim," possibly reflecting the town's history as a place of pilgrimage.

During the 17th century, the surname Peleg was also found among Jewish communities in the Netherlands and Germany. One notable individual from this period was Isaac Peleg, a Dutch Jewish scholar and writer who lived in Amsterdam and was known for his works on Jewish law and philosophy.

In more recent history, Gershon Peleg was a renowned Israeli artist and sculptor who lived from 1926 to 2019. His works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, and he is celebrated for his contributions to the Israeli art scene.

While the surname Peleg has its roots in the Hebrew language and biblical history, it has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and regions over the centuries, reflecting the dispersal and migration of Jewish communities throughout the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peleg

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

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

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

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