2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Precord
A French occupational surname for a town crier or herald.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Precord. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Precord surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Precord in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Precord, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Two or More Races (6.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Precord
The surname PRECORD originated from England, with its earliest known roots tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "precorder," which means "to record or take note of." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with occupations related to record-keeping, such as clerks or scribes.
One of the earliest documented references to the PRECORD name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where a certain Robert Precord is mentioned as a landowner. This indicates that the name had already established itself in the region by the late 12th century.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Precord, Precorde, and Precort, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. Records from this period show PRECORD family members residing in counties such as Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset.
The PRECORD name gained further prominence in the 14th century, with notable individuals including John Precord, a merchant from Bristol who was active in the wool trade during the reign of King Edward III (1312-1377). Another notable figure was William Precord, a scholar and theologian who lived from 1340 to 1412 and served as a canon at Salisbury Cathedral.
In the 15th century, the PRECORD family spread to other parts of England, with records showing their presence in counties like Wiltshire and Dorset. One noteworthy individual from this time was Thomas Precord, a landowner from Gloucestershire who was born in 1428 and served as a magistrate in his local community.
By the 16th century, the PRECORD name had become more widespread across England, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions. One prominent figure was Sir John Precord (1512-1587), a renowned lawyer and member of Parliament who served as a judge during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
As time progressed, the PRECORD surname continued to be associated with various professions and occupations, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of its bearers throughout the centuries. From record-keepers and merchants to scholars and lawyers, the PRECORD name has left an indelible mark on the history and culture of England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Precord
Among Census respondents with the surname Precord, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Two or More Races (6.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Precord bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Precord surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.5% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino7.8% · 8
- Two or more races6.8% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Precord
Precord appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-8 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,932 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 413 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 17,932 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 413 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Precord surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #154,182 | -0.3% |
| Count | 106 | 103 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Precord bearers went from 106 to 103 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 413 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #154,182.
FAQ
Precord surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Precord?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Precord. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Precord?
Precord ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 103 people with the surname Precord. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Precord.
Has Precord become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Precord went from 106 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #153,769 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Precord?
Among Census respondents with the surname Precord, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Two or More Races (6.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Precord in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.5% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Precord appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.5%), Hispanic (7.8%), Two or More Races (6.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Precord (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Precord mean?
A French occupational surname for a town crier or herald. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Precord (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Precord?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Precord at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.