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

Pincus, 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 Pincus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pincus in America

Pincus is the 16195th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pincus surname appeared 1,783 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 Pincus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pincus 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 Pincus

The surname Pincus has its origins in the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Russia. It is believed to have derived from the Yiddish word "pinkas," which means "record book" or "register." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who kept records or worked as scribes or clerks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pincus surname can be found in the 19th century, when it appeared in various Jewish community records and documents. For example, in 1835, a man named Chaim Pincus was listed as a resident of the town of Bialystok, in what is now northeastern Poland.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe emigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States and Western Europe. As a result, the Pincus surname can be found among Jewish communities in various countries.

One notable individual with the Pincus surname was Lionel Pincus (1915-2009), an American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the investment firm Warburg Pincus and was involved in various charitable endeavors, including support for education and Jewish causes.

Another prominent figure was Gregory Pincus (1903-1967), an American biologist and researcher who played a key role in the development of the first oral contraceptive pill. His work revolutionized the field of reproductive health and family planning.

In the literary world, Walter Pincus (1932-2023) was an American journalist and author who spent much of his career covering national security and intelligence matters for The Washington Post. He was known for his in-depth reporting on issues such as the Iran-Contra affair and government surveillance programs.

Robert Pincus (1910-1997) was a British writer and screenwriter who worked on several notable films, including "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" and "The Battle of Britain." He also wrote several novels and non-fiction works.

Theodor Pincus (1875-1956) was a German-American jurist and legal scholar who made significant contributions to the field of international law. He served as a judge on the Permanent Court of International Justice, which was a predecessor to the International Court of Justice.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Pincus surname throughout history, highlighting the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pincus

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

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

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

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