Explore the Family Name Peary
The meaning of Peary
English (mainly northern): variant of Perry. History: Robert E. Peary (1856–1920) was a U.S.-born explorer, who in 1909 led the first successful expedition to the North Pole. Peary Land in the north of Greenland is named after him, as he explored there in 1892 and 1900.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Peary in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Peary demonstrated a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 45,403 in terms of commonality among American surnames, but by 2010, it had slipped to 53,419 - a decrease of 17.66%. The count of individuals with this surname also fell during this period, totaling 444 in 2000 and dropping to 387 by 2010, reflecting a decline of 12.84%. Furthermore, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 population dipped from 0.16 in 2000 to 0.13 in 2010, a decrease of 18.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #45,403 | #53,419 | -17.66% |
| Count | 444 | 387 | -12.84% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.13 | -18.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Peary
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Peary, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that it is most commonly found within the White demographic, which saw an increase from 84.68% in 2000 to 88.89% in 2010. The Hispanic group witnessed a minor decrease from 1.58% to 1.55% over the same decade. However, the Black demographic showed a significant decrease in the representation of the Peary surname, from 12.61% in 2000 to 8.01% in 2010, marking a 36.48% drop. There was no recorded data for the Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.68% | 88.89% | 4.97% |
| Black | 12.61% | 8.01% | -36.48% |
| Hispanic | 1.58% | 1.55% | -1.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |