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

Pruitt, 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 Pruitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pruitt in America

Pruitt is the 777th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pruitt surname appeared 44,365 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 15 people would have the surname Pruitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pruitt 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 Pruitt

The surname Pruitt is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "pruet," which means "little meadow" or "small field." This surname was likely given to someone who lived near or worked on a small meadow or field.

The earliest recorded instance of the Pruitt surname was found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, England, from 1273, where it was spelled as "Pruet." This document was a census-like record of landowners and their holdings in the county.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Pruett," "Pruitt," and "Pruet," in several historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1348.

The Pruitt surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Pruett's Bridge in Lancashire and Pruett's Farm in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derived from individuals with the Pruitt surname who owned or lived on those properties.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Pruitt surname was John Pruett, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1460. He was mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Tewkesbury.

Another notable figure was Sir William Pruett (1534-1611), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Pruitt surname spread across the Atlantic as some members of the family immigrated to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded Pruitts in America was John Pruitt, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

During the American Revolutionary War, Captain Joseph Pruitt (1743-1817) served in the Virginia Militia and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.

In the 19th century, James Pruitt (1812-1890) was a prominent businessman and landowner in Tennessee, known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting education and religious institutions.

Throughout history, the Pruitt surname has been associated with various professions, including farmers, merchants, soldiers, and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pruitt

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

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

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

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