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

Pinkley, 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 Pinkley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pinkley in America

Pinkley is the 20871st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pinkley surname appeared 1,263 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 Pinkley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pinkley 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 Pinkley

The surname Pinkley is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "pinca" meaning "small bird" and "leah" meaning "a clearing or meadow." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a meadow or clearing where small birds were found.

One of the earliest recordings of the name Pinkley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1205, where a certain William Pinkley is mentioned. This provides evidence that the name was already in use in England during the early 13th century.

The name Pinkley has also been found in various medieval records, such as the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1277, where a Robert de Pinkley is listed. The use of the prefix "de" in this instance indicates a connection to a specific place or location.

In the 14th century, the surname Pinkley appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a John Pynkelay is recorded. This variation in spelling was common during that time period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

One notable individual bearing the surname Pinkley was Sir Thomas Pinkley, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Nottinghamshire during the 16th century. He was born around 1520 and played a significant role in local affairs during his lifetime.

Another noteworthy individual was Robert Pinkley, a scholar and clergyman who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in 1568 and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, where he gained recognition for his literary works and sermons.

In the 18th century, the name Pinkley can be found in various parish records, such as the baptismal records of St. Michael's Church in Somerset, where a child named Elizabeth Pinkley was baptized in 1724.

During the 19th century, the name Pinkley was also associated with several notable figures, including William Pinkley, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist born in 1812 in Lancashire. He made significant contributions to the local community through his business ventures and charitable endeavors.

Additionally, the surname Pinkley has been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Pinkley Green in Oxfordshire, which likely derived its name from the presence of individuals bearing the Pinkley surname in the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pinkley

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

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

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

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