2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Perfitt
An English surname possibly derived from the Old French word "parfit," meaning perfect or complete.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Perfitt. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Perfitt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Perfitt with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Perfitt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Perfitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Perfitt
The surname Perfitt has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "parfit," meaning "perfect" or "complete." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who was considered perfect or flawless in some aspect.
The earliest recorded instances of the Perfitt surname can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where a person named Robert Perfith is mentioned. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a certain John Parfyt.
Over time, the surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Parfitt, Parfytt, Parfit, and Perfett, among others. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and the influence of local dialects.
One notable historical figure bearing the Perfitt surname was Sir William Parfitt, a prominent English merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Bristol in 1523 and played a significant role in the city's mercantile activities, amassing considerable wealth through trade.
Another individual of note was John Perfitt, a renowned English clergyman and scholar who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1634 in Oxfordshire, he studied at Oxford University and later became a highly respected minister and academic.
In the 18th century, a certain Thomas Perfitt gained recognition as a skilled architect and builder. He was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in London, including the Guildhall and Mansion House, which still stand today.
Moving into the 19th century, Elizabeth Perfitt, born in 1812 in Gloucestershire, became a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement. She actively campaigned for women's right to vote and was a vocal advocate for gender equality.
Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir Robert Perfitt, a distinguished British military officer who served in the First World War. Born in 1885 in Yorkshire, he rose through the ranks and was awarded numerous honors for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
While the Perfitt surname may not be among the most common in England, its historical significance and the accomplishments of those who have carried it are undeniable. The name has left an indelible mark on various aspects of British history, from commerce and architecture to academia and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Perfitt
Among Census respondents with the surname Perfitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Perfitt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Perfitt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 108
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Perfitt
Perfitt appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+14 bearers (+14.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,216 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 950 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+14.0%) | Up 5,216 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 950 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Perfitt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #145,220 | #144,270 | 0.7% |
| Count | 114 | 117 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Perfitt bearers went from 114 to 117 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 950 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #144,270.
FAQ
Perfitt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Perfitt?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Perfitt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Perfitt?
Perfitt ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Perfitt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Perfitt.
Has Perfitt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Perfitt went from 114 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #145,220 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Perfitt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Perfitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Perfitt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Perfitt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Hispanic (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Perfitt (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Perfitt mean?
An English surname possibly derived from the Old French word "parfit," meaning perfect or complete. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Perfitt (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Perfitt?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.