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

Plunkett, 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 Plunkett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plunkett in America

Plunkett is the 3335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plunkett surname appeared 10,758 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Plunkett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plunkett 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 Plunkett

The surname Plunkett is of Anglo-Norman origin and is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is derived from the Old French word "plonquet," meaning a small clump or thicket of trees. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a small grove or wooded area.

The Plunkett family is one of the few Anglo-Norman families that became fully integrated into Irish society during the Middle Ages. They held significant lands and power in counties Louth, Meath, and Dublin. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a Richard Plunkett mentioned in the Irish Annals of 1216.

In the 14th century, the Plunketts gained prominence when Sir Christopher Plunkett was appointed Deputy Governor of Ireland in 1358. He later became Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1370. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Plunkett, who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1486 to 1492.

One of the most famous Plunketts in history was Oliver Plunkett (1625-1681), the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He was martyred for his faith during the Protestant Reformation and was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1975.

Other notable Plunketts include:

• William Conyngham Plunket (1764-1854), an Irish lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
• Liam Plunkett (born 1985), an English cricketer who played for England's national team.
• Patricia Plunkett (1923-2019), an American actress and former wife of actor Edmund O'Brien.
• Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (1878-1957), an influential Irish writer and dramatist known for his work in fantasy literature.

The name Plunkett has endured through the centuries, and its origins can be traced back to the Norman conquest of Ireland, where the family established itself as a prominent Anglo-Irish dynasty.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plunkett

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

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

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

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