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

Pellow, 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 Pellow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pellow in America

Pellow is the 41728th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pellow surname appeared 521 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 Pellow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pellow 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 Pellow

The surname PELLOW is believed to have originated in Cornwall, England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Cornish place name "Pellow", a township in the parish of St. Breward, which itself is derived from the Cornish words "pell" meaning "remote" or "distant", and "loo" meaning "place".

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name PELLOW can be found in the parish records of St. Breward, where a John Pellow was listed as a resident in 1598. The surname also appears in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a document listing those who swore allegiance to the Protestant faith during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the PELLOW name began to spread beyond Cornwall, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in various parts of England, including London and the surrounding counties. One notable figure from this era was William PELLOW, a merchant and ship owner from Cornwall who was active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

As the PELLOW family grew and dispersed throughout England, various spellings of the name emerged, including Pellowe, Pelowe, and Pellaw. In the 19th century, several members of the PELLOW family achieved distinction, such as Henry PELLOW (1785-1870), a renowned architect responsible for designing numerous churches and public buildings in Cornwall.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Walter PELLOW (1821-1892), a British naval officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a Member of Parliament. His son, Sir Walter PELLOW (1854-1936), followed in his footsteps and had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, rising to the rank of Admiral.

In more recent times, the PELLOW surname has been carried by individuals such as John PELLOW (1907-1982), a British politician and Member of Parliament, and Richard PELLOW (born 1942), an English actor known for his roles in television and film.

While the PELLOW surname originated in Cornwall, it has since spread throughout the United Kingdom and beyond, with descendants bearing the name found in various parts of the world. Despite its humble beginnings, the name has a rich history and has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pellow

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

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

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

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