Plimpton
A locational surname derived from the place name Plympton in Devon, England.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 651 Americans carry the last name Plimpton. That puts it at #38,948 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 526,504 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Plimpton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
651
1 in 526,504
Census rank
#38,948
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
566
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 566 bearers of the surname Plimpton in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 38948th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Plimpton, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Plimpton
The surname Plimpton is of English origin, and its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the county of Warwickshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "plum" and "tun," which together refer to a "plum farm" or a settlement where plums were grown and cultivated.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Plimpton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Plumtun." This historical record suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Plimpton family was prominent landowners in Warwickshire, with their name appearing in various charters and manorial records of the time. The earliest known bearer of the name was William de Plumpton, who lived in the latter half of the 13th century.
As the Plimpton family members migrated to other parts of England, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, including Plumpton, Plympton, and Plymton. One notable individual from this era was Sir Robert Plympton, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Plimptons continued to establish themselves as respected members of the gentry class in various counties across England. One prominent figure from this period was George Plimpton, a renowned poet and playwright born in 1634 in Hertfordshire.
The name Plimpton also has a connection to the United States, where it was brought by early English settlers. One of the most famous American bearers of the name was George Plimpton, the renowned writer, editor, and literary figure who founded The Paris Review. Born in 1927, he was known for his participatory journalism and for his book "Paper Lion," where he chronicled his experience training with the Detroit Lions football team.
Other notable individuals with the surname Plimpton include Martha Plimpton, an American actress born in 1970, and Oakes Plimpton, a 19th-century businessman and philanthropist from Massachusetts who donated funds for the establishment of the Plimpton Press at Amherst College.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Plimpton
Among Census respondents with the surname Plimpton, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Plimpton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Plimpton surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.8%
- Two or more races1.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Plimpton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #38,948 | #38,948 | 0.0% |
| Count | 566 | 566 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Plimpton bearers went from 566 to 566 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #38,948 to #38,948.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Plimpton
FAQ
Plimpton surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Plimpton?
The surname Plimpton holds position #38,948 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 651 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Plimpton surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Plimpton, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.