2000
#5,626
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,659
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.10
Rare Last name
Penney
An English occupational surname referring to a moneychanger or treasurer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,460 Americans carry the last name Penney. That puts it at #5,896 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.88 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 53,058 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Penney 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 Penney with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.5K
1 in 53,058
Census rank
#5,896
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,633 bearers of the surname Penney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.88 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5896th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Penney, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Penney
The surname Penney has its origins in the United Kingdom, where it emerged as an English surname derived from the Old French word "pennier," meaning "maker or seller of pens." This occupational name first appeared in England in the late 12th century, with records indicating its presence in various regions, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Gloucestershire.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Penney can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1202, where a certain William le Pennier is mentioned. This record suggests that the name was already established in the region at the time. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Penner, Pennere, and Pener, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period.
The Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire, a valuable source for medieval English history, recorded the name Penney in 1273. This document provides insights into the distribution of the surname across different counties and the social status of those bearing it. The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297 also mention individuals with the surname Penney, indicating its presence in the northern regions of England.
As the surname spread across England, it became associated with various place names, such as Penney Stratford in Buckinghamshire and Penney Bridge in Lancashire. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the Penney surname or from the occupation of pen-making itself.
Notable individuals throughout history who carried the surname Penney include:
1. John Penney (c. 1520-1593), an English politician and member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. Thomas Penney (1608-1675), an English Puritan clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Ipswich.
3. Edward Penney (1667-1737), a British naval officer and explorer who commanded several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the early 18th century.
4. John Penney (1739-1819), an English industrialist and entrepreneur who established a successful textile manufacturing business in Lancashire.
5. William Penney, Baron Penney (1909-1991), a British physicist and mathematician who played a significant role in the development of Britain's nuclear weapons program during the Cold War era.
While the surname Penney has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Penny, Pennie, and Peny, its origins can be traced back to the occupational roots of pen-making in medieval England. The name's enduring presence in historical records and its association with notable figures highlight its rich heritage and enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Penney
Among Census respondents with the surname Penney, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Penney 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 Penney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 4,919
- Two or more races3.9% · 218
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 204
- Black or African American3.5% · 197
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 49
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 46
Timeline
Historical Census data for Penney
Penney appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,982
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,752
+93 bearers (+1.6%)
Per 100,000 1.95
Rank movement Down 356 places
2020
#5,896
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,633
-119 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 1.88
Rank movement Up 86 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,626 | 5,659 | 2.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,982 | 5,752 | 1.95 | +93 bearers (+1.6%) | Down 356 places |
| 2020 | #5,896 | 5,633 | 1.88 | -119 bearers (-2.1%) | Up 86 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 Penney 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 | #5,982 | #5,896 | 1.4% |
| Count | 5,752 | 5,633 | -2.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.95 | 1.88 | -3.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Penney bearers went from 5,752 to 5,633 (-2.1% change). The surname moved up 86 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,982 to #5,896.
FAQ
Penney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Penney?
Name Census estimates that about 6,460 living Americans carry the surname Penney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 53,058 residents.
How common is Penney?
Penney ranks #5,896 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.88 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,633 people with the surname Penney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,460), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.88 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.88 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Penney.
Has Penney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Penney went from 5,752 recorded bearers to 5,633. That is a decrease of 119 (-2.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,982 to #5,896.
What does the Census say about the background of Penney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Penney, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Penney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (4,919 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Penney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Two or More Races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Penney (2000, 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 Penney mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a moneychanger or treasurer. 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 Penney (1.88 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 common is the surname Penney?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Penney on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.