Explore the Family Name Penfold
The meaning of Penfold
English (Sussex, Surrey and Kent): from Middle English pin-fold, pen-fold, pun(d)-fold ‘animal pound’, applied as a topographic name for someone who lived by a pound for stray animals or, most likely, a metonymic occupational name for someone in charge of such a pound. Compare Pinder.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Penfold in the United States?
The surname Penfold has seen a slight increase in popularity within the United States, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked as the 27,313th most popular surname, with 832 individuals carrying the name. This represented a proportion of approximately 0.31 per 100,000 people. By 2010, its rank had risen slightly to 27,110, with the count increasing to 893, representing a growth of 7.33%. However, its proportion per 100k decreased slightly by -3.23%, indicating that while more people carry the Penfold name, its prevalence compared to other surnames has diminished.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,313 | #27,110 | 0.74% |
| Count | 832 | 893 | 7.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.3 | -3.23% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Penfold
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the Penfold surname is predominantly associated with individuals identifying as White. In 2000, this group made up 96.39% of those with the Penfold surname; however, this percentage dropped slightly to 92.83% by 2010. Over the same decade, the percentage of individuals with the Penfold surname who identify as Hispanic doubled from 2.28% to 4.70%. Notably, there was also an increase in individuals identifying with two or more ethnicities, which rose by 63.54% between 2000 and 2010. There were no recorded individuals with the Penfold surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.39% | 92.83% | -3.69% |
| Hispanic | 2.28% | 4.7% | 106.14% |
| Two or More Races | 0.96% | 1.57% | 63.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |