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

Pranger, 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 Pranger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pranger in America

Pranger is the 26189th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pranger surname appeared 934 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 Pranger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pranger 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 Pranger

The surname Pranger is of German origin, originating in the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "phrenger," which referred to an enclosure or a fenced area used for confining or punishing criminals.

The earliest recorded instances of the Pranger surname can be traced back to the 14th century in regions of modern-day Germany, particularly in Bavaria and areas surrounding Frankfurt. It is likely that the name was originally an occupational surname, referring to individuals who worked as jailers or oversaw the maintenance of these punishment enclosures.

In the 16th century, the Pranger name appears in various municipal records and chronicles from cities like Nuremberg and Augsburg, indicating the presence of families bearing this surname in urban centers. One notable early figure was Hans Pranger, a magistrate in Nuremberg who lived from 1512 to 1578.

As the Pranger surname spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, it also evolved into various spellings, such as Prangner, Prengner, and Prenger. In the 17th century, records show Pranger families residing in areas like Saxony and Thuringia.

One prominent individual bearing this name was Johann Gottfried Pranger, a German composer and organist who lived from 1677 to 1738. He served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of Weimar and contributed to the development of the early German Baroque music style.

In the 19th century, Wilhelm Pranger, a German writer and journalist born in 1818, gained recognition for his works on social and political issues. He was an advocate for democratic reforms and played a role in the revolutions of 1848-1849.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Pranger, a German military officer who served in World War I. Born in 1875, he rose to the rank of General and was awarded the Pour le Mérite, one of the highest military honors in Prussia.

While the Pranger surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond through migration and diaspora. However, its roots can be traced back to the German-speaking regions and the historical occupational ties to law enforcement and punishment enclosures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pranger

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

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

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

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