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

Percell, 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 Percell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Percell in America

Percell is the 24718th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Percell surname appeared 1,009 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 Percell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Percell 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 Percell

The surname Percell originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pearroc" and "well," which combined to form the place name Parrock Well or Parrock's Well, referring to a local well or spring owned by someone named Parrock.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the name Percell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, where a certain Richard de Percell is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the family had established itself in the region by the late 12th century.

The Percell name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire from 1201, where a Robert Percell is recorded as a party in a land transaction. This further underscores the family's presence in northern England during the early medieval period.

By the 14th century, the name had spread to various parts of the country, with different spellings emerging over time. In the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire from 1327, a John Pershill is listed, while a Ralph Perselle is recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332.

One notable figure bearing the Percell surname was Sir John Percell (c. 1480 - 1545), a member of the English gentry who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in 1529. He played a role in the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII.

Another prominent individual was William Percell (1535 - 1604), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Peterborough from 1591 until his death. He wrote several theological works and was involved in the Hampton Court Conference of 1604, which addressed issues within the Church of England.

In the 17th century, a member of the Percell family, Thomas Percell (1620 - 1675), emigrated to the American colonies and settled in Virginia. He became a successful planter and landowner, establishing a branch of the family in the New World.

Moving forward to the 18th century, Samuel Percell (1707 - 1789) was a notable figure in the American Revolution. He served as a captain in the Virginia militia and participated in several battles against the British forces.

Finally, one of the more recent individuals with the Percell surname was Mary Percell (1892 - 1976), an American author and educator who wrote several books on history and literature. She taught at various universities and was known for her contributions to the field of education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Percell

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

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

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

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