2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pirre
An ecclesiastical surname derived from the Norman French word "pire" meaning stone or rock.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Pirre. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pirre 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Pirre in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pirre, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.3%. The next largest groups are Black (37.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pirre
The surname Pirre originates from France, with its earliest records dating back to the 11th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old French word "pierre," meaning "stone" or "rock," suggesting a connection to occupations related to masonry or quarrying.
One of the earliest known references to the Pirre surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus Pirre, who held properties in Gloucestershire.
During the Middle Ages, the name Pirre was prominent in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central areas. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries show variations in spelling, such as Pire, Pyre, and Pyere, which were common during that period.
Notable individuals bearing the Pirre surname include Jean Pirre (1509-1589), a French cleric and philosopher who served as the Bishop of Rennes. Another prominent figure was Pierre Pirre (1646-1718), a French mathematician and astronomer renowned for his contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics.
In the 18th century, Jacques Pirre (1712-1776) gained recognition as a skilled architect and urban planner, responsible for designing several notable buildings and public spaces in Paris. His work played a significant role in shaping the city's architectural landscape during that era.
The name Pirre also has ties to various place names across France. For instance, the village of Pierry in the Marne department is believed to have derived its name from the Pirre family, who were once prominent landowners in the region.
Throughout history, the Pirre surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artists, and professionals. Notable examples include the French writer and poet Jean-Luc Pirre (1925-2005), renowned for his literary works exploring themes of identity and human nature.
While the Pirre surname may not be as widespread as some others, its rich history and connection to French culture and heritage make it a significant part of the country's onomastic tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pirre
Among Census respondents with the surname Pirre, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.3%. The next largest groups are Black (37.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Pirre 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 Pirre surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White55.3% · 57
- Black or African American37.9% · 39
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pirre
Pirre appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-9 bearers (-7.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,029 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-7 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,787 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.6%) | Down 18,029 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 4,787 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 Pirre 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 | #149,395 | #154,182 | -3.2% |
| Count | 110 | 103 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pirre bearers went from 110 to 103 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 4,787 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #154,182.
FAQ
Pirre surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pirre?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Pirre. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Pirre?
Pirre ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Pirre. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Pirre.
Has Pirre become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pirre went from 110 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Pirre?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pirre, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.3%. The next largest groups are Black (37.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). 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 Pirre in the 2020 Census, accounting for 55.3% (57 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pirre appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (55.3%), Black (37.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). 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 Pirre (2000, 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 Pirre mean?
An ecclesiastical surname derived from the Norman French word "pire" meaning stone or rock. 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 Pirre (0.03 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 have the surname Pirre?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.