2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pendle
A surname deriving from a geographical region, likely Pendle Hill in Lancashire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Pendle. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pendle 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Pendle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Pendle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pendle, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pendle
The surname Pendle has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the place name "Pendle Hill," located in Lancashire, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "pen" meaning hill and "hyll" meaning hill, essentially meaning "hill hill."
The Pendle area of Lancashire has a rich history, particularly in relation to the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, where several people were accused and executed for witchcraft. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pendle can be found in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from 1292, where a John de Pendhill is mentioned.
In the 14th century, records show a William de Penhull, who was a landowner in the Pendle area. This spelling variation demonstrates the evolution of the surname over time. Another notable figure from this era was Roger de Penhill, who was mentioned in the Lancashire Inquests and Extents from 1311-1333.
During the 16th century, the surname Pendle appeared in various historical documents, including the Wills and Inventories of the Archdeaconry of Richmond, where a Christopher Pendell was recorded in 1557. Additionally, a Richard Pendle was mentioned in the Ecclesiastical Court Records of the Diocese of Chester in 1592.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in the United States can be found in the passenger lists of the ship "Planter," which arrived in Virginia in 1635. The list includes a John Pendle, who was likely one of the early settlers in the Americas.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Pendle. One such figure was Sir Richard Pendle (1605-1677), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Lancashire during the 17th century. Another was William Pendle (1720-1793), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
In the 19th century, James Pendle (1823-1897) was a prominent industrialist and businessman from Lancashire, known for his contributions to the textile industry. Additionally, Mary Pendle (1845-1923) was a noted author and poet, whose works explored themes of nature and spirituality.
The surname Pendle has a rich history deeply rooted in the Lancashire region of England, with its origins dating back to the 13th century. While the spelling has evolved over time, the name's connection to the Pendle Hill area remains a defining feature of its etymology.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pendle
Among Census respondents with the surname Pendle, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Pendle 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 Pendle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 102
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pendle
Pendle appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,564 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,564 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 Pendle 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 | #153,769 | #150,205 | 2.3% |
| Count | 106 | 109 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pendle bearers went from 106 to 109 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,564 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,205.
FAQ
Pendle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pendle?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Pendle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Pendle?
Pendle ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Pendle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pendle.
Has Pendle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pendle went from 106 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Pendle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pendle, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Pendle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pendle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Pendle (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 Pendle mean?
A surname deriving from a geographical region, likely Pendle Hill in Lancashire, England. 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 Pendle (0.04 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 share the surname Pendle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.