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

Pilant, 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 Pilant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pilant in America

Pilant is the 43885th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pilant surname appeared 491 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 Pilant.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pilant 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 Pilant

The surname PILANT has its origins in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pil" and "ant", which together translate to "hill ant" or "ant on a hill". This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a distinct hill or mound where ants were commonly found.

One of the earliest documented instances of the PILANT surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Radulphus Pilant is listed as a landowner. This early spelling variation, "Pilant", lends credence to the theory that the name originated as a descriptive term related to a specific geographical feature.

In the 13th century, the PILANT surname appears to have been concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland. A record from 1273 mentions a William Pilant who was a tenant farmer in the village of Rowton, near York.

By the 14th century, the name had spread to other parts of England, with notable bearers including John Pilant (1325-1387), a wool merchant from Bristol, and Thomas Pilant (1349-1412), a scholar and cleric who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Oxford.

In the 15th century, the PILANT surname is found in various historical documents, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1428, which lists a Robert Pylant as a taxpayer. This spelling variation, "Pylant", suggests that the name may have been influenced by the Old French word "pille", meaning "pillar" or "column".

Notable individuals with the PILANT surname from later centuries include:

1. Henry Pilant (1565-1634), an English explorer and navigator who accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh on several expeditions to the Americas.

2. Elizabeth Pilant (1678-1742), a renowned author and poet from Kent, known for her collection of romantic sonnets titled "Love's Labyrinth".

3. James Pilant (1723-1789), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was captured by Continental forces at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.

4. Samuel Pilant (1802-1878), a prominent industrialist from Manchester who pioneered the use of steam power in textile mills.

5. William Pilant (1856-1924), a renowned architect from London who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Opera House.

While the PILANT surname has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has a rich and diverse background, reflecting the fascinating stories and accomplishments of its bearers across centuries of English history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pilant

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

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

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

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