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

Puryear, 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 Puryear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Puryear in America

Puryear is the 7655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Puryear surname appeared 4,339 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 Puryear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Puryear 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 Puryear

The surname Puryear has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Somerset, where it first emerged in the late 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "pyr" and "hyrig," which together translate to "pear tree" or "pear enclosure." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an individual who lived near a pear tree or a settlement surrounded by pear orchards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Puryear can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset, dated 1327. These rolls were tax records that documented the names of individuals liable for paying taxes to the crown. The presence of the name in these records indicates that the Puryear family had already established itself in the region by the early 14th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Pyryere, Pyryar, and Pyriere. These variations were common due to the inconsistent nature of spelling and record-keeping practices at the time. It is worth noting that the name Puryear is also reminiscent of the Old English word "pur," meaning a small stream or brook, which may have contributed to its origins.

One notable figure associated with the Puryear name was Sir Thomas Puryear, who lived in the 16th century. He was a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Somerset, owning estates in the village of Puriton, which may have derived its name from the same root as the surname.

In the 17th century, the Puryear family extended its reach beyond Somerset, with records indicating that members of the family had settled in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire and Norfolk. One such individual was John Puryear, born in 1618 in Lincolnshire, who later became a successful merchant and served as a alderman in the city of Norwich.

Another notable figure with the Puryear surname was Sir William Puryear, who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was a prominent lawyer and judge, serving as a Justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1689 to 1718. Sir William was born in Somerset in 1654 and died in London in 1722.

In the 18th century, the Puryear family continued to maintain a presence in various parts of England, with records indicating individuals bearing the surname in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. One notable figure from this period was Richard Puryear, born in 1732 in Oxfordshire, who served as a captain in the British Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War.

As the British Empire expanded, members of the Puryear family also ventured to other parts of the world, including North America and the Caribbean. In the late 18th century, records show that a branch of the family had settled in Virginia, where they became prominent landowners and planters.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Puryear

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

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

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

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