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

Pelt, 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 Pelt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pelt in America

Pelt is the 14392nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pelt surname appeared 2,077 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Pelt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pelt 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 Pelt

The surname PELT has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pelt," which referred to the skin or fur of an animal, particularly one used for clothing or trade. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with pelts or furs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Robert le Pelter is mentioned. The prefix "le" indicates the French influence on English surnames during this period. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled for the King, listing landowners and their holdings.

The surname PELT is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which were tax records for the county of Worcestershire. These records list a John le Pelter and a William le Pelter, further solidifying the occupational connection of the name.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family in Norfolk. In 1451, a letter mentions a John Pelte, indicating the gradual transition from the earlier "le Pelter" spelling to the more modern form.

During the Tudor period, the PELT surname gained prominence with the birth of Richard Pelt (c. 1500-1588), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London. He served as Sheriff of London in 1549 and was known for his philanthropic efforts, establishing several charitable trusts.

Another notable figure was Sir Edward Pelt (1615-1679), a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire during the English Civil War. He supported the Parliamentarian cause and was knighted by Oliver Cromwell in 1655.

In the 18th century, the PELT name found its way to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John Pelt (1720-1794), a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania who fought in the Battle of Brandywine.

The 19th century saw the birth of Catherine Pelt (1817-1892), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, one of the first institutions in the United States dedicated to providing higher education for women.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pelt

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

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

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

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