2000
#5,240
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.27
Rare Last name
Pitre
From the French word "pître," meaning a clown, acrobat, or other entertainer, likely referring to an ancestor's occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,298 Americans carry the last name Pitre. That puts it at #5,287 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 46,966 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pitre 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
7.3K
1 in 46,966
Census rank
#5,287
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,364 bearers of the surname Pitre in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5287th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pitre, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.5%. The next largest groups are Black (19.7%) and Hispanic (11.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pitre
The surname Pitre has its origins in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It emerged sometime during the Middle Ages, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries. The name is believed to be derived from the Old French word "pitres," which means "rags" or "tatters." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who wore ragged clothing or had a disheveled appearance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pitre surname can be found in the "Regestrum Visitationum Archiepiscopi Rothomagensis," a medieval document from the Archdiocese of Rouen, dated around 1248. This document mentions a person named Petrus Pitre, indicating that the name was already in use during that time.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records from the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas around Normandy and Picardy. For instance, a man named Jehan Pitre was mentioned in the municipal records of the town of Rouen in 1380.
The Pitre surname can also be traced back to certain place names in northern France, such as the village of Pitres in the department of Eure. It is possible that some individuals who originated from this village or its surrounding areas adopted the name Pitre as a way to identify their place of origin.
One notable figure with the Pitre surname was François Pitre (1643-1718), a French playwright and actor who gained popularity in Paris during the late 17th century. He was known for his comedic plays and performances, which often satirized the societal norms of his time.
Another prominent individual was Pierre Pitre (1715-1788), a French architect and engineer who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings in Paris, including the Panthéon and the Church of St. Sulpice.
In the 19th century, Marie-Thérèse Pitre (1817-1892), a French educator and social reformer, made significant contributions to the field of education for underprivileged children in Paris. She founded several schools and established programs to provide education and support to children from impoverished backgrounds.
The Pitre surname can also be found in other parts of Europe, such as Belgium and Italy, where it may have been adopted by individuals who migrated from France or had French ancestry.
In the 20th century, one notable figure with the Pitre surname was Charles Pitre (1906-1975), a French-Canadian artist and painter known for his vibrant depictions of rural life in Quebec. His works are celebrated for capturing the essence of the Québécois culture and traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pitre
Among Census respondents with the surname Pitre, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.5%. The next largest groups are Black (19.7%) and Hispanic (11.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Pitre 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 Pitre surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.5% · 4,044
- Black or African American19.7% · 1,252
- Hispanic or Latino11.4% · 724
- Two or more races3.4% · 214
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 76
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 54
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pitre
Pitre 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
#5,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,637
+518 bearers (+8.5%)
Per 100,000 2.25
Rank movement Down 17 places
2020
#5,287
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,364
-273 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 2.13
Rank movement Down 30 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,240 | 6,119 | 2.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,257 | 6,637 | 2.25 | +518 bearers (+8.5%) | Down 17 places |
| 2020 | #5,287 | 6,364 | 2.13 | -273 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 30 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 Pitre 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 | #5,257 | #5,287 | -0.6% |
| Count | 6,637 | 6,364 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 2.25 | 2.13 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pitre bearers went from 6,637 to 6,364 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 30 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,257 to #5,287.
FAQ
Pitre surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pitre?
Name Census estimates that about 7,298 living Americans carry the surname Pitre. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 46,966 residents.
How common is Pitre?
Pitre ranks #5,287 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,364 people with the surname Pitre. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,298), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Pitre.
Has Pitre become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pitre went from 6,637 recorded bearers to 6,364. That is a decrease of 273 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,257 to #5,287.
What does the Census say about the background of Pitre?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pitre, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.5%. The next largest groups are Black (19.7%) and Hispanic (11.4%). 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 Pitre in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.5% (4,044 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pitre appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.5%), Black (19.7%), Hispanic (11.4%). 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 Pitre (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 Pitre mean?
From the French word "pître," meaning a clown, acrobat, or other entertainer, likely referring to an ancestor's occupation. 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 Pitre (2.13 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 Pitre?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.