Explore the Family Name Pira
The meaning of Pira
1. Italian: nickname or topographic name from the southern regional word pira ‘pear (tree)’. 2. Italian (Sardinia): nickname or metonymic occupational name from pira ‘(wood) pile’. 3. Catalan (Balearic Islands): perhaps a habitational name from a place so named in Tarragona province, Catalonia (Spain). Alternatively, it may be of Italian origin (see 1 above). 4. Assyrian/Chaldean: from a variant of the personal name Pera ‘lamb’. 5. Indian (Tamil Nadu): perhaps from a shortened form of Tamil piramalai ‘spy’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pira in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Pira saw a slight decrease in rank in terms of popularity from 2000 to 2010, moving from 59,916 to 60,196. This represents a drop of 0.47%. However, the count of people with the surname increased by 6.35% over the same period, growing from 315 to 335. The proportion per 100,000 people dropped slightly by 8.33%, indicating that while the absolute number of people with the surname has grown, it has become slightly less common in relation to the total population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #59,916 | #60,196 | -0.47% |
| Count | 315 | 335 | 6.35% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.11 | -8.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pira
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pira also showed changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The proportion identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased slightly from 26.98% to 27.46%, an increase of 1.78%. Those reporting two or more races decreased significantly from 3.81% to 2.09%, a drop of 45.14%. The percentage identifying as White also decreased from 62.86% to 59.40%, a change of -5.50%. The most significant change was seen in those identifying as Hispanic, which rose from 5.08% to 11.04%, an increase of 117.32%. There were no individuals with the surname Pira who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either 2000 or 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 62.86% | 59.4% | -5.5% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 26.98% | 27.46% | 1.78% |
| Hispanic | 5.08% | 11.04% | 117.32% |
| Two or More Races | 3.81% | 2.09% | -45.14% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |