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

Peniston, 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 Peniston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peniston in America

Peniston is the 52619th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peniston surname appeared 394 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Peniston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peniston 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 Peniston

The surname Peniston originates from England, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "pening" and "tun," which together mean "the farmstead or village where rent was paid." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular settlement or area where taxes or rent were collected.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Peniston can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1189, where it appears as "Penintuna." This document, which recorded financial transactions and accounts for the English royal treasury, provides evidence of the name's existence during the late 12th century.

The surname Peniston has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Pennington, Penningthorpe, and Pennythorn, all of which share similar etymological roots. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and locations associated with rent or tax collection.

Notable individuals with the surname Peniston include:

1. Sir Thomas Peniston (1615-1679), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1667.
2. William Peniston (1626-1686), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.
3. Sarah Peniston (1698-1786), an American landowner and early settler in Pennsylvania, known for her involvement in the establishment of the city of Philadelphia.
4. Michael Peniston (1836-1901), an American businessman and politician who served as the 21st Governor of Oregon from 1887 to 1889.
5. John Peniston (1897-1968), a British soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor in the British Empire, for his bravery during World War I.

While the surname Peniston has evolved over time and may have been influenced by various linguistic and cultural factors, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in England, where it was likely associated with particular locations and the collection of rents or taxes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peniston

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

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

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

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