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

Perch, 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 Perch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perch in America

Perch is the 63373rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perch surname appeared 315 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 Perch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perch 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 Perch

The surname Perch has its origins in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "persc," which referred to a type of freshwater fish, the perch. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational name for someone who caught or sold perch.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records with spellings such as "Perche" and "Perche." One of the earliest documented instances is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1208, where a person named Roger Perche is mentioned.

The name Perch is also found in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like survey conducted in England between 1274 and 1275. This record lists individuals with the surname from various counties, indicating its spread across the country.

In the 14th century, the Perch surname can be found in the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where several individuals with the name are listed. This suggests that the name had established itself as a distinct surname by this time.

Interestingly, the name Perch also appears to have been associated with certain place names. For instance, there is a village called Perch in Wiltshire, and a hamlet called Perch Hill in Worcestershire. It is possible that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of residence.

Notable people with the surname Perch throughout history include:

1. Robert Perch (c. 1350 - c. 1420), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire.
2. William Perch (c. 1510 - c. 1580), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
3. Edmund Perch (c. 1560 - c. 1635), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
4. John Perch (c. 1620 - c. 1680), an English merchant and landowner who was active in the colonies of Virginia and Maryland.
5. Thomas Perch (c. 1770 - c. 1840), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was present at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The surname Perch, with its origins in Old English and its potential occupational and locational connections, has a rich history that spans several centuries in England. Its presence in various historical records and association with notable individuals highlight its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perch

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

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

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

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