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

Perceval, 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 Perceval surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perceval in America

Perceval is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perceval surname appeared 106 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 Perceval.

The history of the last name Perceval

The surname Perceval is of French origin, derived from the Old French personal name "Perceval" or "Percevaux". This name is believed to have originated from the Breton personal name "Peredur" or the Welsh "Peredur", meaning "hard battle" or "hard spear". The earliest recorded use of the surname dates back to the 12th century in Normandy, France.

In the late 12th century, the name gained literary fame through the character of Perceval, the central figure in Chrétien de Troyes' unfinished romance "Perceval, the Story of the Grail". This work, along with other Arthurian legends, played a significant role in popularizing the name across Europe.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Perceval de Dol, a nobleman from Brittany who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192). He was mentioned in the chronicles of the time for his bravery in battle.

Another notable figure was Perceval de Cagny (c. 1250-1310), a French knight and courtier who served under King Philip IV of France. He was also a renowned poet and author of several works, including the "Roman de la Rose".

In England, the name appeared as early as the 13th century, possibly brought by Norman settlers after the conquest in 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of Sir Perceval de Somery (c. 1240-1292), a prominent landowner and knight from Warwickshire.

The surname Perceval is also found in various spellings, such as Percival, Parchevall, and Pershall, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations over time.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname include:

1. Sir John Perceval (c. 1557-1612), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont (1683-1748), an Irish politician and author known for his contributions to the House of Lords.
3. Spencer Perceval (1762-1812), a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1809 until his assassination in 1812.
4. Alexander Perceval-Maxfield (1884-1965), a British actor and theater producer, known for his work in the early 20th century.
5. Thomas Perceval (1740-1804), an English author and soldier, best known for his work "A Narrative of the Treatment Experienced by a Gentleman, during a State of Mental Derangement".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perceval

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

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 Perceval 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.

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

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

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