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

Pleasure, 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 Pleasure surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pleasure in America

Pleasure is the 119508th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pleasure surname appeared 145 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 Pleasure.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pleasure 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 Pleasure

The surname Pleasure originates from England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "plæs", meaning "play" or "sport". It likely emerged as a descriptive surname during the Middle Ages, referring to individuals who were known for their playful or jovial nature.

Historically, the Pleasure surname appears to have been concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly in Sussex and Kent. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the 13th-century Hundred Rolls of Sussex, where a Robert le Plesur is mentioned.

Another notable early record is the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which includes a John Plesur. The name also appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Kent from 1334, where a William Plesur is documented.

The Pleasure surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Plesur, Plesour, and Pleysour, reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional dialectal differences.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was John Pleasure, a merchant from Kent who lived in the late 14th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and held land in the area.

In the 15th century, a notable figure was Thomas Pleasure, a landowner and farmer from Sussex. He is mentioned in the Court Rolls of Cuckfield Manor in 1462, where his name is recorded as "Thomas Plesour".

During the 16th century, the Pleasure surname gained prominence in London, with several individuals bearing the name holding positions of influence. One such person was William Pleasure, a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London, who lived from 1525 to 1597.

Another notable individual was Sir Robert Pleasure, a lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer from 1584 to 1607. He was born in Kent in 1545 and played a significant role in the legal system during the reign of Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure was John Pleasure, a scholar and clergyman from Sussex. He was born in 1618 and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Rye, where he was known for his learned sermons and contributions to theological discourse.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pleasure

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

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

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

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