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

Pire, 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 Pire surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pire in America

Pire is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pire surname appeared 215 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 Pire.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pire 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 Pire

The surname Pire is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "pire," meaning "worse" or "inferior." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered inferior or of lower status.

During the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from personal characteristics, occupations, or place names. In the case of Pire, it is possible that the name was initially given to individuals who worked in less desirable or lower-status professions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pire can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named Radulfus Pire, suggesting that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name Pire appeared in various historical records, such as the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, a collection of charters and documents from the Abbey of Saint-Père de Chartres in France. This document mentions individuals with names like Petrus Pire and Johannes Pire.

One notable figure with the surname Pire was Pierre Pire, a Belgian Dominican friar born in 1909. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his work in assisting refugees and promoting peace through his organization, Aid to Displaced Persons.

Another individual with the surname Pire was Jean-Baptiste Pire, a French mathematician and astronomer born in 1809. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was a member of the French Academy of Sciences.

In the 16th century, there are records of a person named Jacques Pire, who was a French Protestant during the religious wars in France. He was persecuted for his beliefs and was forced to flee to Geneva, Switzerland, in the late 1500s.

The surname Pire can also be found in place names, such as Pire-sur-Seiche, a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany, France. This suggests that the name may have been associated with certain regions or locations within France.

Overall, the surname Pire has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages and is believed to have originated in northern France, possibly as a descriptive nickname or related to a specific occupation or status. Throughout history, individuals with the surname Pire have been noted for their contributions in various fields, including religion, mathematics, and astronomy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pire

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

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

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

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