2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Pentycofe
A surname derived from a Welsh place name combining the elements "pen" meaning top or end, and "cob" meaning top or peak.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Pentycofe. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pentycofe 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Pentycofe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pentycofe, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pentycofe
The surname Pentycofe has its origins tracing back to the early medieval period in England. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "pent" meaning "enclosed" and "cofe" meaning "cottage" or "hut". This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in an enclosed or protected dwelling.
The earliest known record of the name Pentycofe appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and populations across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as a locational surname, indicating that it likely originated from a specific place or settlement.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Pentycofe surname was William Pentycofe, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1196. These rolls were administrative records maintained by the English Exchequer, documenting tax payments and financial transactions.
In the 13th century, the surname appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset, where various spellings such as Pentecoste, Pentecost, and Pentycost were used. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized orthography.
A notable figure from history bearing the Pentycofe surname was Sir John Pentycofe (c.1420-1488), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Henry VI. He was known for his involvement in local governance and his support for the Lancastrian cause during the Wars of the Roses.
Another individual of note was Alice Pentycofe (c.1530-1594), who was recorded as a prominent benefactor and patron of the arts in Gloucestershire during the Elizabethan era. She was instrumental in supporting the construction of several churches and charitable institutions in the region.
In the 16th century, the surname Pentycofe appears to have evolved into various spellings such as Pentycost, Pentycross, and Pentecross, reflecting the influence of local dialects and regional variations in pronunciation.
One notable bearer of the name during this period was Richard Pentycross (c.1560-1628), a renowned scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Bristol. He was known for his extensive writings on theological and philosophical subjects.
Another figure of historical significance was Captain John Pentecross (c.1585-1642), a military officer who fought for the Royalist forces during the English Civil War. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Edgehill in 1642.
By the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname had evolved into its more modern spelling of "Pentycofe", and it continued to be found primarily in the southwestern regions of England, particularly in Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pentycofe
Among Census respondents with the surname Pentycofe, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Pentycofe 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 Pentycofe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.0% · 97
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pentycofe
Pentycofe 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
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-2 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,750 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 2,750 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 Pentycofe 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 | #158,432 | #155,682 | 1.7% |
| Count | 102 | 100 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pentycofe bearers went from 102 to 100 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 2,750 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #155,682.
FAQ
Pentycofe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pentycofe?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Pentycofe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Pentycofe?
Pentycofe ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Pentycofe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Pentycofe.
Has Pentycofe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pentycofe went from 102 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 2 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Pentycofe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pentycofe, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Pentycofe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.0% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pentycofe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Pentycofe (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 Pentycofe mean?
A surname derived from a Welsh place name combining the elements "pen" meaning top or end, and "cob" meaning top or peak. 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 Pentycofe (0.03 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 people have the last name Pentycofe?
Want to know how many people have the surname Pentycofe? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.