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

Perkey, 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 Perkey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perkey in America

Perkey is the 23957th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perkey surname appeared 1,053 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 Perkey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perkey 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 Perkey

The surname PERKEY is of English origin, and it is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pearroc," which referred to an enclosure or a small field. The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire.

One of the earliest known references to the PERKEY name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "John de Perrok." This record suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a specific location or place name.

In the 14th century, the PERKEY surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Perrok," "Perrok," and "Parrock," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions during that period. One notable individual from this era was William Perkey, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Borough of Colchester in 1374.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the PERKEY surname continued to be documented in various records across England. In the Parish Registers of St. James, Clerkenwell, London, the name is recorded as "Perkey" in 1587, indicating a more standardized spelling.

One notable figure from this period was Sir John Perkey (c. 1550-1628), who served as a member of the English Parliament and was knighted for his service to the Crown during the reign of King James I.

In the 18th century, the PERKEY surname continued to be prevalent in various parts of England. One notable individual was Thomas Perkey (1715-1789), a renowned clockmaker from London whose work is still highly regarded by antique collectors and horologists.

Another prominent figure with the PERKEY surname was Mary Perkey (1760-1832), a philanthropist and social reformer from Yorkshire who dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor and establishing schools for children from underprivileged backgrounds.

As the centuries progressed, the PERKEY surname continued to be found in various regions of England, and its spelling became more standardized. While the name may have originated from a specific place or location, it eventually became widely dispersed throughout the country, reflecting the mobility and migration patterns of the English population over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perkey

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

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

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

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