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

Pendergraft, 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 Pendergraft surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pendergraft in America

Pendergraft is the 11759th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pendergraft surname appeared 2,664 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 Pendergraft.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pendergraft 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 Pendergraft

The surname Pendergraft has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from an Old English term, "Pender," which referred to an occupation or role as a keeper or tender of animals. The suffix "graft" suggests a connection to a specific place or location, potentially a farm or estate where such a role was performed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Somerset County records from 1327, where a certain William Pendergraft is mentioned as a resident of the village of Cheddar. This suggests that the name may have initially taken root in the southwestern region of England before spreading to other parts of the country.

During the 16th century, the Pendergraft name appeared in various municipal records and parish registers across Somerset and neighboring counties, indicating the gradual dispersal of families bearing this surname. Notable individuals from this era include John Pendergraft (1531-1597), a landowner from Taunton, and Elizabeth Pendergraft (1562-1632), who played a role in the establishment of a local charity in Yeovil.

As the centuries progressed, the Pendergraft name found its way into various historical documents and records. One notable example is the mention of a Thomas Pendergraft in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1624, which documented taxpayers in the county of Wiltshire. This suggests that the surname had spread to other regions of England by the 17th century.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several prominent individuals bearing the Pendergraft name. Among them was Robert Pendergraft (1702-1781), a successful merchant and landowner from Bristol, and Mary Pendergraft (1727-1798), a renowned educator who established one of the earliest schools for girls in the city of Exeter.

As the British Empire expanded its reach across the globe, the Pendergraft name also found its way to various colonies and territories. One notable figure was James Pendergraft (1781-1856), a British military officer who served in the East India Company and later settled in Calcutta, where he became a respected member of the local community.

Overall, the surname Pendergraft has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with its origins dating back to medieval times. While the name may have evolved in spelling and geographical distribution over the centuries, it remains a testament to the enduring legacy of those who bore this surname throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pendergraft

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

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

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

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