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

Pinkham, 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 Pinkham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pinkham in America

Pinkham is the 8841st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pinkham surname appeared 3,706 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 Pinkham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pinkham 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 Pinkham

The surname Pinkham has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "pinc" meaning "hill" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village". The name likely referred to a settlement or homestead located on a hill or elevated ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pinkham can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population conducted in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The document mentions a place called "Pyncham" in the county of Wiltshire, which is believed to be the origin of the surname.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Pyncham, who was a landowner in the village of Pyncham, now known as Pinkham near Sherborne, Dorset. This provides evidence of the surname's use and its connection to the place name.

Moving forward to the 16th century, there are records of a William Pinkham, born in 1547, who was a merchant and ship owner in the town of Sandwich, Kent. His involvement in maritime trade suggests that the name had spread beyond its original location.

Another notable figure is Richard Pinkham, born in 1635, who was a Puritan minister and one of the early settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He played a significant role in the establishment of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts, and his descendants continued to use the surname in the New World.

In the 18th century, Sir Robert Pinkham, born in 1712, was a prominent naval officer and served as the Governor of Newfoundland from 1776 to 1783. His contribution to the British Empire during this period highlights the surname's presence in positions of authority and influence.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the surname have been observed, including Pyncham, Pynkham, and Pinkum, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pinkham

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

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

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

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