Explore the Family Name Penton
The meaning of Penton
English (mainly Hampshire): 1. habitational name from Penton Grafton or Penton Mewsey (both Hanmpshire), or from a shortened form of Pennington 2. The placenames denoted a farm or estate for which a penny tax was payable (Old English pening ‘penny’ + tūn). 2. in northwest England, a shortened form of Pennington 1, from either of the places called Pennington in Lancashire. 3. in the West Midlands, from a lost place called Pinton, in Alvechurch (Worcestershire). It denoted ‘Pinna’s farm’, from an Old English personal name + Old English genitival -ing- + tūn. 4. in Norfolk, it may be a variant of Panton.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Penton in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Penton has slightly increased between 2000 and 2010. The rank moved from 9817 in 2000 to 9760 in 2010, a change of 0.58%. Additionally, the count of individuals with this surname went up by 9.21% during the same time frame, from 3041 individuals to 3321. However, the proportion per 100k remained static at 1.13.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,817 | #9,760 | 0.58% |
| Count | 3,041 | 3,321 | 9.21% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.13 | 1.13 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Penton
The ethnicity of people with the last name Penton experienced some shifts according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. White individuals represented the largest percentage, although it decreased from 81.06% in 2000 to 76.87% in 2010. There were increases seen among those who identify as Hispanic (from 10.00% to 12.59%), Black (from 6.28% to 7.38%), and those identifying with two or more races (from 1.64% to 1.81%). The most significant increase was among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, which went from 0.30% to 0.69%. Meanwhile, there was a slight decrease among those of Asian/Pacific Islander descent, moving from 0.72% to 0.66% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.06% | 76.87% | -5.17% |
| Hispanic | 10% | 12.59% | 25.9% |
| Black | 6.28% | 7.38% | 17.52% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 1.81% | 10.37% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.3% | 0.69% | 130% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.72% | 0.66% | -8.33% |