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

Perrigo, 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 Perrigo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perrigo in America

Perrigo is the 16555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perrigo surname appeared 1,734 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Perrigo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perrigo 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 Perrigo

The surname Perrigo is of English origin, deriving from the Old French word "perriere," which means a quarry or stone quarry. This suggests that the name likely originated from individuals who lived near or worked in a quarry. The name can be traced back to the 12th century in England, with early recordings of variations such as Perrygo, Perrigo, and Perrigoe.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded individuals with the surname Perrigo residing in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This suggests that the name was established in these regions during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, records show a John Perrigoe listed as a resident of Somerset in 1379. The Perrigo surname also appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, indicating its presence in the northern regions of England during this period.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Perrigo. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Perridge in Somerset and Perriton in Worcestershire.

Notable individuals with the surname Perrigo throughout history include:

1. Thomas Perrigo (c. 1570-1634), an English clergyman and writer who served as the rector of St. Olave's Church in London.
2. William Perrigo (1720-1796), a British officer in the Royal Navy who participated in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
3. John Perrigo (1790-1865), an English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style.
4. Elizabeth Perrigo (1825-1899), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who co-founded the Illinois Industrial School for Girls in 1857.
5. James Perrigo (1858-1923), an American businessman and philanthropist who established the Perrigo Company, a leading manufacturer of over-the-counter health and wellness products.

While the surname Perrigo has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to the United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perrigo

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

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

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

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