2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pipenger
A surname potentially derived from an occupation involving pipes or pipemaking.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Pipenger. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pipenger surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Pipenger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pipenger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pipenger
The surname Pipenger is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely deriving from an occupational name referring to a pipe maker or seller. The name is a variant of the more common "Piper," with the "-enger" suffix indicating someone associated with a particular trade or profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a John Pypenger. This document provides valuable insight into the distribution of surnames and occupations in medieval England.
The Pipenger name appears to have been concentrated in the West Midlands region of England, particularly in Worcestershire and neighboring counties. This suggests that the family may have been involved in the production or trade of pipes, which were essential items for various purposes, including water transportation and musical instruments.
In the 15th century, the Pipenger name is mentioned in the records of the Worcestershire town of Evesham. A William Pipenger is listed as a landowner in the town's rental rolls from 1462, indicating that the family had achieved a certain level of prosperity and social standing.
During the Tudor period, a notable figure bearing the Pipenger name was John Pipenger (c. 1490-1560), a merchant and alderman in the city of Gloucester. He played an active role in the city's governance and was involved in various trade and civic affairs.
Another prominent individual was Thomas Pipenger (1602-1677), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Chilcompton in Somerset. He was known for his theological writings and sermons, some of which were published during his lifetime.
The Pipenger surname can also be found in historical records associated with place names, such as Pipenger's Green, a hamlet in the parish of Upton Snodsbury, Worcestershire. This suggests that the family may have had ties to specific locations within the region.
Other notable individuals with the Pipenger surname include:
1. Richard Pipenger (1570-1638), a wealthy landowner and magistrate in Worcestershire.
2. Elizabeth Pipenger (c. 1620-1685), a Quaker activist and writer who published several religious tracts.
3. William Pipenger (1712-1789), a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Bristol, known for his support of various charitable causes.
4. Henry Pipenger (1784-1862), a respected lawyer and judge in the county of Herefordshire.
5. Alice Pipenger (1829-1912), a pioneering educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in Birmingham.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pipenger
Among Census respondents with the surname Pipenger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Pipenger bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Pipenger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 100
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pipenger
Pipenger appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-5 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,386 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 4,386 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Pipenger surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #147,253 | #151,639 | -3.0% |
| Count | 112 | 107 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pipenger bearers went from 112 to 107 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 4,386 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #151,639.
FAQ
Pipenger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pipenger?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Pipenger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Pipenger?
Pipenger ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Pipenger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pipenger.
Has Pipenger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pipenger went from 112 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Pipenger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pipenger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Black (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pipenger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pipenger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Black (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Pipenger (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Pipenger mean?
A surname potentially derived from an occupation involving pipes or pipemaking. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Pipenger (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Pipenger?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.