2000
#5,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,426
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.01
Rare Last name
Pridgen
An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of skewers for roasting meat.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,898 Americans carry the last name Pridgen. That puts it at #6,360 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 58,114 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pridgen 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
5.9K
1 in 58,114
Census rank
#6,360
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,143 bearers of the surname Pridgen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6360th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pridgen, the largest self-reported group is White at 62.9%. The next largest groups are Black (29.4%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pridgen
The surname Pridgen is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "prydan," which means "to be proud or haughty." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a proud or arrogant demeanor.
The earliest recorded instances of the Pridgen surname date back to the late 12th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Pridgen, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. These rolls were financial records kept by the English Crown, indicating that the Pridgen family may have held some notable status or wealth during that time.
In the 13th century, the Pridgen surname began to appear in various parts of England, with variations in spelling such as Prydgen, Prydgyn, and Pridegin. These variations likely arose due to the inconsistencies in written records and regional dialects during that era.
There are records of the Pridgen name being associated with various locations in England, including Pridgenwell in Somerset and Pridgen Manor in Dorset. These place names suggest that the Pridgen family may have owned or lived in these areas, further establishing their presence and influence.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Pridgen surname. One such figure was Sir John Pridgen (1567-1628), a prominent English merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers. He played a significant role in the trade between England and the Netherlands during the Elizabethan era.
Another notable Pridgen was Robert Pridgen (1638-1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Willingale Doe in Essex. He published several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Resurrection Explained and Defended" in 1697.
In the 18th century, William Pridgen (1727-1795) was a successful farmer and landowner in Somerset. He was known for his innovative agricultural practices and his contributions to the local community.
Moving into the 19th century, James Pridgen (1812-1887) was a British entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Pridgen Ironworks in Birmingham. His company played a vital role in the manufacturing of iron and steel products during the Industrial Revolution.
Lastly, Mary Pridgen (1871-1953) was a notable British artist and painter known for her landscapes and still-life works. She was a member of the Royal Society of British Artists and had several of her paintings exhibited at the Royal Academy.
While the Pridgen surname may have evolved from a nickname describing a proud or arrogant individual, it has since been carried by numerous individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pridgen
Among Census respondents with the surname Pridgen, the largest self-reported group is White at 62.9%. The next largest groups are Black (29.4%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Pridgen 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 Pridgen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White62.9% · 3,236
- Black or African American29.4% · 1,510
- Two or more races4.6% · 236
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 122
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pridgen
Pridgen 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
#6,127
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,591
+165 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 1.90
Rank movement Down 286 places
2020
#6,360
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,143
-448 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 1.72
Rank movement Down 233 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,841 | 5,426 | 2.01 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,127 | 5,591 | 1.90 | +165 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 286 places |
| 2020 | #6,360 | 5,143 | 1.72 | -448 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 233 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 Pridgen 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 | #6,127 | #6,360 | -3.8% |
| Count | 5,591 | 5,143 | -8.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.90 | 1.72 | -9.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pridgen bearers went from 5,591 to 5,143 (-8.0% change). The surname moved down 233 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,127 to #6,360.
FAQ
Pridgen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pridgen?
Name Census estimates that about 5,898 living Americans carry the surname Pridgen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 58,114 residents.
How common is Pridgen?
Pridgen ranks #6,360 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,143 people with the surname Pridgen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,898), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Pridgen.
Has Pridgen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pridgen went from 5,591 recorded bearers to 5,143. That is a decrease of 448 (-8.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,127 to #6,360.
What does the Census say about the background of Pridgen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pridgen, the largest self-reported group is White at 62.9%. The next largest groups are Black (29.4%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Pridgen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 62.9% (3,236 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pridgen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (62.9%), Black (29.4%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Pridgen (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 Pridgen mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of skewers for roasting meat. 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 Pridgen (1.72 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 common is the surname Pridgen?
If you just want to know how many people are called Pridgen, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.