2010
#108,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Penev
A surname of Bulgarian origin likely derived from the word "pena" meaning foam or froth.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 185 Americans carry the last name Penev. That puts it at #115,151 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,852,726 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Penev 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
185
1 in 1,852,726
Census rank
#115,151
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
161
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 161 bearers of the surname Penev in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 115151st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Penev, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Penev
The surname "PENEV" is of Bulgarian origin, tracing its roots back to the 9th century. It is derived from the Old Bulgarian word "pena," which means "foam" or "froth." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near foamy rivers or worked with foamy substances such as soap or beer.
The earliest recorded instance of the name "PENEV" dates back to the 12th century, appearing in a manuscript of the Rila Monastery, one of Bulgaria's most significant cultural and historical sites. This document mentions a man named Petko Penev, who was a prominent landowner in the region.
In the 14th century, the name "PENEV" was found in the records of the town of Pernik, located in western Bulgaria. During this period, the town was known for its thriving soap-making industry, which could explain the connection between the name and the foamy nature of soap.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname "PENEV" was Ivan Penev (1858-1936), a Bulgarian revolutionary who played a crucial role in the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. He was a prominent figure in the April Uprising of 1876 and later served as a member of the National Assembly.
Another significant figure with this surname was Simeon Penev (1890-1966), a Bulgarian botanist and academician. He made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and authored numerous scientific publications.
In the field of sports, Hristo Penev (1934-2012) was a renowned Bulgarian football player and coach. He played for the national team and later managed several clubs, including CSKA Sofia and the Bulgarian national team.
The surname "PENEV" has also been associated with notable writers and artists. Boyan Penev (1882-1927) was a prominent Bulgarian writer and poet who was part of the Symbolist literary movement. His works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Lastly, Georgi Penev (1933-2016) was a renowned Bulgarian painter and sculptor. His works were heavily influenced by traditional Bulgarian art and culture, and he is considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century in Bulgaria.
While the surname "PENEV" has its roots in Bulgaria, it has since spread to other countries due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical significance and connection to the foamy nature of soap and beer remain an integral part of its etymology.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Penev
Among Census respondents with the surname Penev, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Penev 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 Penev surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.3% · 155
- Black or African American1.2% · 2
- Two or more races1.2% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Penev
Penev 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
#115,151
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 161
-2 bearers (-1.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,417 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #108,734 | 163 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #115,151 | 161 | 0.05 | -2 bearers (-1.2%) | Down 6,417 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 Penev 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 | #108,734 | #115,151 | -5.9% |
| Count | 163 | 161 | -1.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -10.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Penev bearers went from 163 to 161 (-1.2% change). The surname moved down 6,417 positions in the national ranking, going from #108,734 to #115,151.
FAQ
Penev surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Penev?
Name Census estimates that about 185 living Americans carry the surname Penev. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,852,726 residents.
How common is Penev?
Penev ranks #115,151 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 161 people with the surname Penev. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (185), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Penev.
Has Penev become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Penev went from 163 recorded bearers to 161. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #108,734 to #115,151.
What does the Census say about the background of Penev?
Among Census respondents with the surname Penev, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Penev in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (155 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Penev appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.3%), Black (1.2%), Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Penev (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 Penev mean?
A surname of Bulgarian origin likely derived from the word "pena" meaning foam or froth. 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 Penev (0.05 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 Americans have the surname Penev?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.