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

Pickney, 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 Pickney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pickney in America

Pickney is the 21599th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pickney surname appeared 1,208 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 Pickney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pickney 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 Pickney

The surname Pickney has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pic" and "nighe," which together mean "one who lived near a small hill or peak." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided in regions with hilly or elevated terrain.

During the 13th century, the Pickney surname can be found in various records from counties such as Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest surviving public records, there are mentions of individuals with the surname Pickney, including Robert Pickenye and William Pickenye.

The Pickney name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which were tax records compiled during the reign of King Edward III. One notable entry is that of John Pikeny, a landowner from Nottinghamshire.

In the 15th century, the Pickney surname underwent variations in spelling, with forms like Pickney, Pikney, and Pykney appearing in different historical documents. This was a common occurrence during this period, as standardized spelling was not yet established.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Pickney surname was Sir Robert Pickney, who lived in the late 14th century and served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in 1388 and 1395.

Another notable figure was Sir John Pickney, who was born in 1412 and served as a military commander during the Wars of the Roses. He fought alongside the Yorkist forces and was knighted for his valor in battle.

In the 16th century, the Pickney surname can be found in various parish records and manor court rolls. One example is Thomas Pickney, who was born in 1534 in Nottinghamshire and served as a local magistrate.

During the 17th century, the Pickney name was associated with several prominent families in England. One such family was the Pickneys of Nottinghamshire, whose ancestral home was the manor of Pickney Hall. William Pickney, born in 1612, was a member of this influential family and served as a Justice of the Peace.

Another notable individual from this era was Sir Henry Pickney, born in 1623 in Lincolnshire. He was a successful merchant and landowner and was knighted by King Charles II in 1662 for his contributions to the restoration of the monarchy.

As the centuries progressed, the Pickney surname continued to be found in various regions of England, particularly in the Midlands and the East Anglian counties. While the name has remained relatively uncommon, it has persisted as a distinct part of England's rich surname heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pickney

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

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

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

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