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

Perec, 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 Perec surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perec in America

Perec is the 65964th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perec surname appeared 300 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 Perec.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perec 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 Perec

The surname PEREC is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, specifically in the regions of Poland and Ukraine. It is thought to have derived from the Slavic word "perec," which means "ginger" or "redhead," likely referring to a person's physical appearance or hair color.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PEREC can be found in the historical records of the town of Lviv, in modern-day Ukraine, dating back to the 16th century. During this time, the name was often spelled as "Perez" or "Peretz," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in those days.

In the 17th century, the PEREC surname appeared in various Polish records and documents, indicating a presence in the region. Some notable individuals from this period include Jan PEREC, a merchant from Krakow (born around 1620), and Michał PEREC, a landowner in the village of Żyrardów (born circa 1650).

As the centuries progressed, the PEREC surname spread throughout Eastern Europe, with families bearing this name settling in various parts of Russia, Belarus, and other neighboring countries. One noteworthy figure was Yakov PEREC, a prominent rabbi and scholar from Minsk, who lived in the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the PEREC name gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of Georges PEREC (1936-1982), a renowned French novelist and filmmaker. Although born in Paris, his family roots can be traced back to Eastern Europe, reflecting the migration patterns of the PEREC lineage.

Another famous bearer of the PEREC surname was Issachar PEREC, a influential Hasidic rabbi and author from the town of Ostroh, in present-day Ukraine. He lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and wrote several influential works on Jewish mysticism and Hasidic thought.

Throughout history, the PEREC surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, landowners, rabbis, and intellectuals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and pursuits of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perec

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

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

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

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