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

Pilate, 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 Pilate surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pilate in America

Pilate is the 89753rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pilate surname appeared 206 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 Pilate.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pilate 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 Pilate

The surname Pilate has its origins in ancient Rome, dating back to the first century AD. It is derived from the Latin word "pilatus," which means "armed with a javelin." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to a soldier or a warrior who was skilled in throwing javelins.

The name Pilate is most famously associated with Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect who presided over the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Pontius Pilate's name appears in various historical records, including the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pilate can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named William Pilate in the county of Wiltshire.

In the 12th century, a wealthy merchant named Robert Pilate was granted a coat of arms by King Richard I, indicating the family's rise to prominence in medieval England. The coat of arms featured three javelins, likely a reference to the name's military origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Pilate include:

1. John Pilate (c. 1490-1556), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral.
2. Nicholas Pilate (c. 1550-1620), a French poet and translator who was part of the literary circle known as La Pléiade.
3. Eusèbe Pilate (1616-1689), a French Jesuit missionary who traveled to Canada and lived among the Huron people.
4. Jean-Baptiste Pilate (1732-1808), a French military engineer who designed fortifications in various cities across Europe.
5. Charles Pilate (1850-1919), a Belgian artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

While the surname Pilate is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history that spans centuries and continents, from its Roman roots to its presence in various European countries and their colonies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pilate

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

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

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

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