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

Peles, 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 Peles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peles in America

Peles is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peles surname appeared 269 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 Peles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peles 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 Peles

The surname Peles has its origins in Romania, tracing back to the late 19th century. It is derived from the Romanian word "piele," which means "skin" or "fur." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for those involved in the fur trade or leather-working industries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Peles name appears in the Romanian city of Sinaia, where the famous Peles Castle was constructed between 1873 and 1914. This grand neo-Renaissance castle served as the summer residence of the Romanian royal family and was commissioned by King Carol I, who reigned from 1866 to 1914.

The name Peles gained prominence during the reign of King Carol I, as he was instrumental in the construction of the castle and the surrounding town. It is possible that some residents or workers associated with the castle or its construction adopted the name Peles during this time period.

One notable figure bearing the Peles surname was Ion Peles, a Romanian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Romania from 1930 to 1931. He was born in 1877 and played a significant role in shaping Romania's foreign policy during the interwar period.

Another individual with the Peles name was Mihail Peles, a Romanian writer and journalist who lived from 1904 to 1978. He is best known for his works depicting the struggles and resilience of the Romanian people during World War II and the subsequent communist regime.

In the field of sports, Mihai Peles was a Romanian footballer who played as a defender for various Romanian clubs, including Steaua București, between 1985 and 2002. He earned over 50 caps for the Romanian national team and represented his country in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

The Peles name has also been associated with the town of Peles, located in the Hunedoara County of Romania. This town may have contributed to the surname's origins or served as a place of residence for early bearers of the name.

While the Peles surname is not among the most common in Romania, it has left a notable mark on the country's history, particularly through its association with the iconic Peles Castle and the individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peles

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

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

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

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