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

Pepper, 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 Pepper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pepper in America

Pepper is the 3178th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pepper surname appeared 11,374 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Pepper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pepper 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 Pepper

The surname Pepper is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "pipor", which means pepper. It first emerged as an occupational name for someone who grew or traded pepper, a highly prized and expensive spice during medieval times.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century, with one of the first bearers being William Piper, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the spice trade.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its modern spelling of Pepper, as evidenced by references to individuals such as Richard Pepper in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1278 and John Pepper in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

The Pepper surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Pepper Hill in Oxfordshire and Pepper Street in Chester, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have derived it from these locations.

One notable early bearer of the Pepper name was Sir Robert Pepper (c. 1460-1530), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London who served as Lord Mayor in 1522. He was involved in the spice trade and owned extensive properties in the city.

Another prominent figure was Roger Pepper (1561-1639), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Richmond during the reign of King Charles I. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a staunch Royalist.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Pepper family established themselves as landowners and gentry in various counties across England, including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.

In the literary world, Samuel Pepys (1633-1703), the famous diarist and Member of Parliament, is perhaps the most well-known bearer of the Pepper name, despite the slight variation in spelling.

Another notable individual was Robert Pepper (1713-1787), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout history, the Pepper surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, politicians, architects, and writers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pepper

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!