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

Pillard, 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 Pillard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pillard in America

Pillard is the 47706th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pillard surname appeared 444 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 Pillard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pillard 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 Pillard

The surname PILLARD originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "pillard," which means "plunderer" or "pillager." This name likely arose as a descriptive nickname for someone who engaged in looting or pillaging activities, perhaps as a soldier or during times of conflict.

The earliest recorded instances of the PILLARD surname can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where a Robert Pillard is mentioned. Additionally, a Walter Pillard is documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

During the 14th century, the PILLARD surname was particularly prevalent in the southeastern counties of England, such as Sussex, Kent, and Surrey. This suggests that the name may have originated in this region before spreading to other parts of the country.

One notable historical figure bearing the PILLARD name was John Pillard, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in London during the 15th century. Records indicate that he was born around 1420 and served as an alderman for the City of London in the late 1400s.

Another individual of note was William Pillard, a landowner and local official who lived in the village of Peasmarsh, Sussex, during the 16th century. He is mentioned in various parish records and court documents from the mid-1500s.

In the 17th century, the PILLARD surname can be found in the records of the Port Books of Southampton, which documented the names of merchants and sailors involved in maritime trade. This suggests that some members of the PILLARD family were involved in seafaring and coastal commerce during this period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PILLARD surname in North America dates back to the late 17th century. Thomas Pillard, born in 1665 in England, is documented as having immigrated to Virginia Colony in the 1680s.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Pillard, a wealthy English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived during the 18th century. He was born in 1720 and represented the borough of Hastings in the House of Commons from 1768 until his death in 1792.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pillard

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

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

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

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