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

Pulcifer, 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 Pulcifer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pulcifer in America

Pulcifer is the 136449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pulcifer surname appeared 123 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pulcifer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pulcifer 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 Pulcifer

The surname Pulcifer has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pulcan" meaning "demon" and "fere" meaning "companion" or "mate." The name was initially used to refer to someone with a mischievous or troublesome nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a Richard Pulcifer is mentioned. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, listing a Hugo Pulcifer as a taxpayer.

During the 14th century, the surname Pulcifer was found predominantly in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. It is possible that the name originated from a place name that has since been lost or altered over time.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was John Pulcifer (c. 1420-1490), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bristol. He was a prominent member of the city's guild and served as its mayor in 1472.

Another individual of note was William Pulcifer (1560-1624), a clergyman and author from Gloucestershire. He wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Doctrine of Predestination" and "Sermons on the Book of Revelation."

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Thomas Pulcifer (1615-1678) fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was known for his bravery and tactical skills on the battlefield.

In the 18th century, the Pulcifer surname spread to other parts of England, as well as to the American colonies. One notable figure was Sarah Pulcifer (1720-1802), a prominent Quaker minister and activist from Pennsylvania.

By the 19th century, the surname had also found its way to other parts of the world, including Australia and New Zealand. A notable individual from this time was Sir Robert Pulcifer (1825-1892), a British explorer and adventurer who led several expeditions to the Pacific region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pulcifer

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

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

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

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