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

Prunty, 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 Prunty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prunty in America

Prunty is the 11319th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prunty surname appeared 2,789 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 Prunty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prunty 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 Prunty

The surname Prunty has its origins in Ireland, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó Proinntigh, which itself derived from the Irish word "proinnteach," meaning "quarrelsome" or "contentious."

Historically, the name was prevalent in County Donegal, particularly in the Inishowen Peninsula. This region was once a stronghold of the influential O'Doherty clan, with whom the Pruntys may have been associated as tenants or followers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by Franciscan monks in the 17th century. It mentions a figure named "Brian O'Prunty" who was involved in a conflict in Inishowen in the late 15th century.

The Prunty name can also be found in various historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Census of Ireland (1659). These documents provide evidence of the family's presence in counties such as Donegal, Tyrone, and Derry.

One notable figure bearing the Prunty surname was Reverend John Prunty (1617-1670), a Catholic priest and historian from County Donegal. He is best known for his work "The Life of the Most Reverend Oliver Plunkett," a biography of the celebrated Archbishop of Armagh who was martyred during the reign of King Charles II.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Prunty (1723-1801), a British Army officer and landowner from County Tyrone. He served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of the Irish Parliament.

In the 19th century, John Prunty (1847-1924) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from County Donegal. He made his fortune in the shipping industry and later funded the construction of several churches and schools in his hometown of Buncrana.

Additionally, Mary Prunty (1881-1968) was a renowned Irish writer and poet. Born in County Sligo, she gained recognition for her works celebrating the natural beauty of the Irish landscape and its rural traditions.

Lastly, Michael Prunty (1910-1995) was a prominent Irish politician who served as a member of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish parliament) for over three decades, representing various constituencies in County Donegal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prunty

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

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

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

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