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

Plummer, 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 Plummer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plummer in America

Plummer is the 1382nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plummer surname appeared 25,596 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Plummer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plummer 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 Plummer

The surname Plummer is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "plumere," which referred to a worker who dealt with lead, particularly in the making of lead pipes and vessels. The name first emerged in England, where it was commonly associated with the trade of plumbing.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Plummer can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners and tenants in England after the Norman Conquest. The name appeared as "Plumer" in Norfolk and Suffolk counties.

During the Middle Ages, the Plummer surname was prevalent in various regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Several historical records from this period mention individuals with this surname, such as William le Plumer, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

One notable bearer of the Plummer name was Walter Plummer, a 14th-century English merchant and alderman of the City of London, who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1330.

In the 16th century, the spelling variations of the surname included Plomer, Plumer, and Plumber. One notable figure from this era was Robert Plumer, an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Canterbury in 1558.

During the 17th century, the Plummer family established roots in various parts of England, including Essex, Kent, and Suffolk. One prominent member was Nathaniel Plummer, a British naval officer who commanded several ships during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

The 18th century saw the Plummer name spread across the British Empire. Sir Thomas Plummer was an English baronet and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Rye in the late 1700s.

In the 19th century, the Plummer surname gained recognition in the literary world with the English novelist and playwright Caroline Plummer, who was born in 1819.

As the centuries progressed, the Plummer name continued to be associated with various professions, including politics, military, and academia. Notable individuals include Rear Admiral Charles Plummer Chenhall, a British naval officer born in 1810, and Charles John Plummer, an English historian and scholar born in 1851, who made significant contributions to the study of Anglo-Saxon literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plummer

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

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

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

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