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

Piker, 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 Piker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Piker in America

Piker is the 53913th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Piker surname appeared 383 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 Piker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Piker 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 Piker

The surname "Piker" is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Middle English word "piker," which referred to a person who traveled on foot or a pedestrian.

The name may have originated as a nickname or occupational name for someone who frequently walked or hiked long distances. Some scholars suggest that the name could also be related to the Old English word "pic," meaning a pickaxe or mattock, implying a possible connection to miners or quarrymen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Piker" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire, England, where a John Piker is mentioned in the year 1598. Another early record dates back to 1611, when a William Piker was listed in the Hearth Tax Rolls for the county of Oxfordshire.

In the 17th century, the surname "Piker" appeared in various spellings, such as "Pyker," "Pycker," and "Picker," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common during that time period.

One notable individual with the surname "Piker" was Sir Thomas Piker (1638-1707), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Bridgnorth in Shropshire. He was also a prominent landowner and held the position of High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1677.

Another individual of note was Robert Piker (1712-1788), a successful merchant and ship owner from the city of Bristol. He played a significant role in the growth of Bristol's maritime trade during the 18th century and was a influential figure in the city's commercial circles.

In the 19th century, the surname "Piker" continued to appear in various records and documents. One notable example is John Piker (1824-1901), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and made significant contributions to the study of the region's flora and fauna.

Another individual worth mentioning is Mary Piker (1845-1923), a prominent social reformer and advocate for women's rights. She was actively involved in the suffragette movement and played a key role in campaigning for women's right to vote in the United Kingdom.

The surname "Piker" also found its way to other parts of the world, likely through emigration and migration patterns. In the United States, for instance, records show individuals with the surname "Piker" arriving in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, primarily from England and Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Piker

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

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

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

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