Explore the Family Name Pitcairn
The meaning of Pitcairn
Scottish: habitational name from a place so called in Fife, of Pictish-Gaelic origin. History: The first warring shot of the American Revolution was fired by Major John Pitcairn (1722–75) of the Royal Marines at the battle of Lexington and Concord (1775). His son, Robert Pitcairn (c.1747–70), was the first to sight the South Pacific island of this name while serving in the Royal Navy, in 1767. Some characteristic forenames: Russian Feodor.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pitcairn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Pitcairn experienced a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Pitcairn was ranked 61,207, while in 2010 it rose to 63,698, indicating a negative change of about 4.07%. The count of individuals with this surname also marginally increased from 307 in 2000 to 313 in 2010, demonstrating a positive change of 1.95%. The proportion of people with the surname Pitcairn per 100,000 remained steady at 0.11 in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #61,207 | #63,698 | -4.07% |
| Count | 307 | 313 | 1.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pitcairn
When examining the ethnicity associated with the surname Pitcairn, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that a majority identify as White. This group increased slightly from 93.16% in 2000 to 93.93% in 2010. Those identifying as Black made up 3.91% of the Pitcairn surname bearers in 2000 but decreased slightly to 3.83% by 2010. Noteworthy is the appearance of a small Hispanic presence of 1.60% in 2010, which did not exist in the 2000 data. There were no changes for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, or American Indian and Alaskan Native, as their percentages remained at zero in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.16% | 93.93% | 0.83% |
| Black | 3.91% | 3.83% | -2.05% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.6% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |