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

Pillsbury, 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 Pillsbury surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pillsbury in America

Pillsbury is the 13887th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pillsbury surname appeared 2,174 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Pillsbury.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pillsbury 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 Pillsbury

The surname Pillsbury is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "pylle" meaning a small stream or creek, and "burg" meaning a dwelling or fortified town. It is believed to have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, England, during the medieval period.

The name Pillsbury first appeared in historical records in the late 13th century, with references to individuals bearing the name in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a census-like survey conducted in 1273-1274. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Robert de Pyllesburye, who resided in the village of Pilsbury, near the town of Louth.

In the 14th century, the name Pillsbury was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire, which were tax records compiled between 1327 and 1332. These records mention several individuals with variations of the name, such as John de Pillesbury and William de Pyllesbury.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Pillsbury was associated with various prominent figures in English history. One notable individual was Sir William Pillsbury (1535-1603), a member of the English gentry and landowner in Lincolnshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Grantham in 1584 and 1586.

Another influential figure was John Pillsbury (1563-1625), a merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1612.

In the 18th century, the Pillsbury family established itself in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Joshua Pillsbury (1703-1786), who immigrated from England to Massachusetts in the 1720s. He settled in Newbury, Massachusetts, and his descendants played a significant role in the development of the region.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Pillsbury was Charles Alfred Pillsbury (1842-1899), an American businessman and co-founder of the Pillsbury Company, one of the largest flour milling companies in the United States. He was born in Warner, New Hampshire, and was instrumental in establishing the company's headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Another notable figure was John Sargent Pillsbury (1828-1901), a businessman, politician, and benefactor from Minnesota. He served as the eighth Governor of Minnesota from 1876 to 1882 and was instrumental in the establishment of the University of Minnesota.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pillsbury

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

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

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

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