The Peak surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,713 people carried this name — #4,076 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 33,900 people counted. That is up 8% from 8,034 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Peak surname

As an English surname, from several placenames in England derived from the noun peak or its source.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Peak» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the peak’.

An early record he cites: Isabella del Pek, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Peak, Peake, Peek and Peeke.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 592 · public domain.

In print

Peak in American newspapers,
1890–1895.

Newspaper page from The Lafayette Advertiser carrying the name Peak
The Lafayette Advertiser 1890-07-12
Newspaper page from Fort Worth Gazette carrying the name Peak
Fort Worth Gazette 1895-06-01
Newspaper page from Fort Worth Gazette carrying the name Peak
Fort Worth Gazette 1895-05-30

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,526 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Peak in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

28,731 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Peak. The most, 7,298, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 3.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 18,630
New South Wales 6,035
South Australia 1,609
Victoria 1,154
Western Australia 887
Tasmania 347
ACT (Canberra) 42
Northern Territory 8

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Peak.

Who carried it

People named Peak,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Katherine Worthington 1627–
  • James Peak 1729–1782 · engraver
  • James Peak 1730–1782 · engraver
  • Elias Peak 1859–1916 · baseball player
  • Marion Van Buren Peak 1874–1929
  • Helen Peak 1900–1985 · psychologist

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Peak,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States536 records

536 records of the Peak name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 250
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 130
  • Other U.S. records 156
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Samuel W. Peak

    Born 1919 in Alabama. Enlisted 1945 at Fort McClellan; farmer from Winston County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1991, buried at Ashbridge Cemetery, Haleyville, Alabama.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Peak

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 23; housekeeper. From Oldham, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record David Francis Peak

    Born 1947; from Hollandale, Minnesota. U.S. Army, machinist; died in service 1969 in Phong Dinh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 536 records for Peak in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia234 records

234 records of the Peak name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 128
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 61
  • Other Australian records 45
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record George Peak

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Lord Lyndoch, arriving 1833; ticket of leave 1838.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mabel E. Peak

    Arrived in Queensland in 1914 aboard the Osterley, aged 35.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Roberts Peak

    Engine driver of Benalla, Victoria; died 1923.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 234 records for Peak in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada12 records

12 records of the Peak name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 5
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Peak

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Circassian, landing at Quebec, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Frederick Peak

    Died in service in 1945.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Philip Peak

    Listed at Halifax, Nova Scotia in the census and tax rolls of 1775.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 12 records for Peak in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Peak name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 4
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Ann Peak

    Will proved in 1941; of Shrewsbury, Shorpshire.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann Peak

    Buried in 1810 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 50.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Peak

    Essex Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Peak in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Peak name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Harriet Peak

    Died 1869 in Rotterdam, aged 36.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Harriët Peak

    In a population register; born 1833 in Ipswich / Engd.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Peak in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Peak name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Evelyn Peak

    Died 1986, aged 83; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ellen Peak

    Died 1908; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Peak name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Edithe Juliette Louise Peak

    Born 1928 in Amiens (Somme); died 1995 in Lille (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Peak name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Theodor Peak

    From Brattian, Löbau. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 25 November 1914 (Infantry Regiment No. 53).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Peak.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Peak is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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