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

Preble, 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 Preble surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Preble in America

Preble is the 14184th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Preble surname appeared 2,117 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Preble.

We can also compare 2010 data for Preble 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 Preble

The surname Preble is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "prable," meaning "meadow" or "prairie." It is believed to have first emerged in the 11th century, following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Preble name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry refers to a landowner named Roger de Prable, whose estate was located in the county of Shropshire.

Throughout the Middle Ages, variations of the name were commonly found in various regions of England, including Preble, Preeble, and Prable. These variations likely arose due to local dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

In the 14th century, records show a notable figure named John Preble, who served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of Edward III. He was born around 1310 and represented the county of Somerset.

The Preble name also has strong associations with several place names in England, such as Prebles Marsh in Nottinghamshire and Preble's Farm in Kent. These place names likely originated from early Preble settlers or landowners in those areas.

One of the most famous individuals to bear the Preble name was Commodore Edward Preble, a prominent American naval officer who lived from 1761 to 1807. He played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and is credited with leading the first successful offensive campaign against the Barbary pirates.

Another notable figure was George Henry Preble, an American historian and genealogist born in 1816. He authored several books on the history of New England and was a prominent member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

In the 19th century, Joseph Preble, born in 1810, was a respected educator and author who served as the principal of Westbrook Seminary in Maine. He wrote several influential textbooks on mathematics and surveying.

The Preble name also has connections to the American Revolutionary War, with Jedediah Preble, born in 1707, serving as a colonel in the Continental Army. He played a significant role in the defense of Fort Pownall in Maine during the war.

Finally, William Pitt Preble, born in 1783, was a prominent lawyer and politician from Maine. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and played a crucial role in the negotiations that led to the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Preble

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

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

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

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