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

Pirkle, 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 Pirkle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pirkle in America

Pirkle is the 15700th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pirkle surname appeared 1,858 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 Pirkle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pirkle 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 Pirkle

The surname Pirkle originates from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pyrc" or "pirkle," which referred to a small enclosure or a small enclosed area of land.

Pirkle is thought to have been an occupational surname, given to someone who lived or worked near a small enclosure or a piece of enclosed land. The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pirkle can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where a person named Robertus de Pirkele is mentioned. The name appears to have been prevalent in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland.

In the 13th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Perkill," can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of Northumberland from 1258. This spelling likely reflects the local dialect and pronunciation of the name in that region.

During the 14th century, the surname Pirkle was also recorded in various manorial records and court rolls across England, indicating its widespread use throughout the country.

One notable figure bearing the surname Pirkle was Sir John Pirkle, a knight who lived in the late 14th century and served as a member of Parliament for Northumberland in 1382 and 1384.

Another prominent individual with the name Pirkle was William Pirkle, who was born around 1520 in Yorkshire. He was a successful merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to hold significant estates in the region for several generations.

In the 16th century, the surname Pirkle was also found in Scotland, possibly due to migration from England. One example is Robert Pirkle, who was born in Edinburgh in 1568 and became a respected clergyman in the Church of Scotland.

The name Pirkle has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Pirkle Hill in Northumberland and Pirkle Green in Lancashire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself or vice versa, reflecting the connection between the name and the land.

As the centuries passed, the Pirkle family continued to be well-represented in various parts of England, with members achieving prominence in various fields, including law, politics, and the military.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pirkle

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

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

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

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