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

Penick, 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 Penick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Penick in America

Penick is the 9912th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Penick surname appeared 3,259 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 Penick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Penick 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 Penick

The surname Penick is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "penican," which means "a small enclosure or pen for animals." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived near or worked at such an enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Penick can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, a set of records documenting tax payments made to the Crown in the late 12th century. In these rolls, the name appears as "Penyk," which is likely an early spelling variation.

The Penick surname is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, a collection of documents from the late 13th century that recorded taxes levied on the population. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by that time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Penick appeared in various parish records and legal documents across Yorkshire and neighboring counties. For example, a William Penick was recorded as being born in the village of Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, in 1587.

One notable individual with the surname Penick was Robert Penick, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of York during the late 17th century. He was known for his involvement in local politics and civic affairs.

In the 18th century, the Penick surname spread beyond Yorkshire as families migrated to other parts of England and, eventually, to other parts of the world. For instance, John Penick (1702-1781), a farmer from Lincolnshire, is recorded as having immigrated to the American colonies in the 1730s, settling in Pennsylvania.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Penick (1790-1865), a pioneer and settler in the American Midwest. She and her family were among the early settlers in the state of Indiana, establishing a farm in the region known as the "Penick Settlement."

In the 19th century, the Penick family continued to spread across the United States and other parts of the world, with individuals bearing the surname appearing in various historical records and accounts. For example, James Penick (1825-1899) was a prominent businessman and landowner in Texas, known for his involvement in the cattle industry.

Overall, the surname Penick has a rich history that can be traced back to its origins in medieval England, where it was likely associated with individuals who lived or worked near small animal enclosures. Throughout the centuries, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from merchants and landowners to pioneers and settlers, leaving a lasting impact on the communities they called home.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Penick

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

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

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

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