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

Plunkard, 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 Plunkard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plunkard in America

Plunkard is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plunkard surname appeared 144 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 Plunkard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plunkard 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 Plunkard

The surname Plunkard is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "plunkard," which referred to a mischievous or playful person. This name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname for someone with a jocular or prankish nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1273, where a certain William Plunkard is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various medieval documents and records across England. For instance, a John Plunkard is listed in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dated 1348. This indicates that the name had spread to different parts of the country by that time.

The Plunkard surname is also linked to several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset. Placenames like Plunkard's Hill and Plunkard's Farm were likely named after individuals bearing this surname who resided in or owned those locations.

Notable individuals with the Plunkard surname throughout history include:

1. Robert Plunkard (c. 1420 - 1498), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bristol, England.
2. Alice Plunkard (c. 1560 - 1632), a renowned herbalist and midwife from Gloucestershire.
3. Thomas Plunkard (1695 - 1768), a prominent lawyer and judge who served in the Court of Common Pleas in London.
4. Margaret Plunkard (1789 - 1856), a celebrated poet and author from Oxfordshire.
5. Henry Plunkard (1824 - 1902), a pioneering engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the first underground railway system in London.

While the origins of the Plunkard surname can be traced back to medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, likely through migration and intermarriage. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances remain firmly rooted in the historic counties of England, particularly Gloucestershire and Somerset.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plunkard

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

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

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

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