Pullins last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Pullins

Derived from the Old French "Polin," referring to someone from Poland or having Polish ancestry.

Pullins, 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 Pullins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pullins in America

Pullins is the 12931st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pullins surname appeared 2,376 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 Pullins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pullins 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 12931 13863 -6.96%
Count 2,376 1,999 17.23%
Proportion per 100k 0.81 0.74 9.03%

The history of the last name Pullins

The surname Pullins has its origins in England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pull," meaning a small stream or brook, and the suffix "-ing," indicating belonging to or associated with. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, referring to someone who lived near a small watercourse.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain Thomas Pullyngs is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use and had likely evolved from its original form by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various records with different spellings, such as Pullen, Pullyn, and Pullings, reflecting the regional variations and inconsistencies in spelling at the time. One notable example is William Pullen, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who was recorded in the 1580s.

The Pullins name has also been associated with specific locations in England. For instance, the village of Pullen's Lane in Gloucestershire may have derived its name from an early bearer of the surname, suggesting a connection between the name and a particular place.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Pullins throughout history are:

  1. Thomas Pullins (c. 1580-1660), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Hayton in Nottinghamshire.
  2. John Pullins (c. 1620-1690), a landowner and prominent figure in the county of Shropshire, known for his involvement in local governance.
  3. Sarah Pullins (c. 1670-1745), a Quaker preacher and activist from the town of Ipswich, who travelled extensively throughout England and the American colonies, promoting religious tolerance and social justice.
  4. William Pullins (1745-1812), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and later became an influential voice in the abolition movement.
  5. Elizabeth Pullins (1790-1868), a pioneering educator and founder of one of the earliest schools for girls in the city of Bristol, which played a significant role in advancing women's education during the 19th century.

While the surname Pullins may not have been as widespread or prominent as some other English names, its history and evolution reflect the rich tapestry of regional identities, linguistic influences, and social dynamics that have shaped the development of surnames in England over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pullins

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

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 Pullins was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 60.65% 1,441
Non-Hispanic Black Only 34.34% 816
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.46% 11
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.59% 14
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.06% 49
Hispanic Origin 1.89% 45

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 Pullins has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 60.65% 60.83% -0.30%
Black 34.34% 35.97% -4.64%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.46% 0.40% 13.95%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.59% 0.50% 16.51%
Two or More Races 2.06% 1.85% 10.74%
Hispanic 1.89% 0.45% 123.08%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Pullins last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/pullins-surname-popularity/.

"Pullins last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/pullins-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Pullins last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/pullins-surname-popularity/.

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