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

Penny, 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 Penny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Penny in America

Penny is the 3485th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Penny surname appeared 10,249 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Penny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Penny 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 Penny

The surname Penny is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "penig," meaning a penny or small coin. This name likely originated in the medieval period, possibly during the 12th or 13th century, when surnames began to be adopted in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Penny can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a William Peny. Another early reference is in the Lancashire Assize Rolls from 1285, where a Thomas Peny is mentioned.

The name Penny may have initially been an occupational name, referring to someone who worked as a moneylender, moneychanger, or coin maker. It could also have been a nickname for a wealthy individual or someone who frequently handled coins.

The Penny surname has been found in various parts of England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, and Somerset. Some early bearers of the name include John Penny, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327, and William Penny, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1379.

One notable historical figure with the surname Penny was Thomas Penny (c. 1530-1589), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and played a significant role in the theological debates of the Elizabethan era.

Another important person was Edward Penny (1714-1791), an English ironmaster and industrialist who established the Penny and Rea Ironworks in Birmingham, contributing to the industrial development of the region.

In the literary world, Edward Penny (1836-1923) was a British writer and journalist who authored several books, including "The Church in Madras" and "The Romance of the Heavens."

John Penny (1807-1868) was a British architect and civil engineer who designed notable buildings such as the Royal Holloway College in Egham, Surrey.

Finally, Thomas Penny (1837-1902) was a British politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull from 1885 to 1900.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Penny

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

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

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

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