Explore the Family Name Pek
The meaning of Pek
1. Hungarian (Pék); Croatian and Slovenian: occupational name for a baker, from Hungarian pék, Croatian dialect and Slovenian pek ‘baker’, a word of South German origin (see Beck, compare Bek 2 and Peck 7). The Hungarian form of the surname is also found in Slovakia. 2. Polish and Czech: from a pet form of local variants of the personal name Peter, or a surname of German origin, meaning ‘baker’ (see Beck, compare 1 above). 3. Polish (Pęk): nickname from pęk ‘bunch, tuft’, pękać ‘to crack’, or a short form of the Old Polish compound names such as Pękosław. 4. Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from pek ‘hard, firm’. 5. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 白 and 柏, based on their Teochew or Hokkien pronunciations, see Bai 1 and 2.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pek in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Pek' increased between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Pek was ranked as the 79,394th most popular name, but by 2010 it had jumped to the 68,949th spot, demonstrating a 13.16% increase in ranking. The actual count of individuals with this surname also rose from 223 to 285 during this period, marking an impressive 27.8% uptick. Similarly, the proportion per 100k people increased by 25%, indicating that the name's prevalence grew over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #79,394 | #68,949 | 13.16% |
| Count | 223 | 285 | 27.8% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.1 | 25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pek
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals a diverse array of ethnic identities tied to the Pek surname. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a slight increase (1.38%) in its association with individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, moving from 51.57% to 52.28%. Those identifying as two or more races also increased by 43.49%, rising from 2.69% to 3.86%. There was a considerable jump in Hispanic affiliations, which soared by 87.95% from 2.24% to 4.21%. However, the percentage of White individuals bearing the Pek surname saw a decrease of -9.66% during this time frame, dropping from 43.50% to 39.30%. The name had no recorded ties to Black individuals or those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native during both census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 51.57% | 52.28% | 1.38% |
| White | 43.5% | 39.3% | -9.66% |
| Hispanic | 2.24% | 4.21% | 87.95% |
| Two or More Races | 2.69% | 3.86% | 43.49% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |