2000
#6,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,475
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.66
Rare Last name
Pelkey
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Old French word "pelc" meaning "fur" or "animal skin."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,854 Americans carry the last name Pelkey. That puts it at #7,567 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 70,613 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pelkey 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.
Bearers in the US
4.9K
1 in 70,613
Census rank
#7,567
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,233 bearers of the surname Pelkey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7567th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pelkey
The surname Pelkey is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy, France, during the Middle Ages. It is a locational surname derived from the place name "Pelkey," which likely referred to a small village or hamlet in that area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pelkey surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Pelkey, indicating that the name existed in Normandy prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
As the Normans expanded their influence across Europe, the Pelkey name spread to various regions, including England and Scotland. In the 13th century, records show a John de Pelkey residing in the county of Essex, England. The spelling variations during this period included Pelkey, Pelkie, and Pelky.
One notable historical figure with the Pelkey surname was Sir William Pelkey (1412-1487), a knight and landowner in the county of Gloucestershire, England. He served as a member of parliament and was known for his military exploits during the Wars of the Roses.
Another individual of note was Robert Pelkey (1570-1641), a merchant and explorer from Scotland. He is credited with establishing trade routes between Scotland and the Netherlands, contributing to the economic growth of his homeland.
In the 17th century, the Pelkey name crossed the Atlantic as some members of the family immigrated to the American colonies. One of the earliest arrivals was John Pelkey, who settled in Virginia in 1635.
As the name spread across North America, it underwent further variations in spelling, including Pelky, Pelkie, and Pelkee. One notable American with the Pelkey surname was William Pelkey (1821-1895), a lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a state senator and judge.
Throughout its history, the Pelkey surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, authors, and military personnel. Some notable examples include the French painter Henri Pelkey (1836-1918), the American author Elizabeth Pelkey (1896-1968), and Major General Robert Pelkey (1902-1984), a decorated officer in the United States Army.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pelkey
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Pelkey 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 Pelkey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 3,895
- Two or more races3.6% · 154
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 108
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 24
- Black or African American0.2% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pelkey
Pelkey 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
#7,279
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,579
+104 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 1.55
Rank movement Down 361 places
2020
#7,567
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,233
-346 bearers (-7.6%)
Per 100,000 1.42
Rank movement Down 288 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,918 | 4,475 | 1.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,279 | 4,579 | 1.55 | +104 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 361 places |
| 2020 | #7,567 | 4,233 | 1.42 | -346 bearers (-7.6%) | Down 288 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 Pelkey 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 | #7,279 | #7,567 | -4.0% |
| Count | 4,579 | 4,233 | -7.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.55 | 1.42 | -8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pelkey bearers went from 4,579 to 4,233 (-7.6% change). The surname moved down 288 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,279 to #7,567.
FAQ
Pelkey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pelkey?
Name Census estimates that about 4,854 living Americans carry the surname Pelkey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 70,613 residents.
How common is Pelkey?
Pelkey ranks #7,567 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.42 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 4,233 people with the surname Pelkey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,854), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.42 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 Pelkey.
Has Pelkey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pelkey went from 4,579 recorded bearers to 4,233. That is a decrease of 346 (-7.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,279 to #7,567.
What does the Census say about the background of Pelkey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Pelkey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (3,895 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pelkey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Pelkey (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 Pelkey mean?
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Old French word "pelc" meaning "fur" or "animal skin." 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 Pelkey (1.42 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 have the surname Pelkey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.