The Pemberton surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,272 people carried this name — #3,207 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,200 people counted. That is up 4% from 10,842 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Pemberton surname

From Cumbric/Old Welsh pen (“head, summit”) + Old English bere (“barley”) + Old English tūn (“village, town”). Or else, the second element may be Old Welsh byr (“short”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Pemberton» (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: ‘of Pemberton’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 594 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Pemberton was found among the farmers of Lancashire: 8 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Lancashire 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

38 Pemberton families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 176 people lived in those households, 4.6 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 11
Pennsylvania 7
North Carolina 6
South Carolina 6
New Hampshire 2
Massachusetts 2
Connecticut 2
Maryland 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 256 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Pemberton in American newspapers,
1903–1908.

Newspaper page from Goodwin's Weekly : A Thinking Paper For Thinking People carrying the name Pemberton
Goodwin's Weekly : A Thinking Paper For Thinking People 1903-07-18
Newspaper page from Albuquerque Evening Citizen carrying the name Pemberton
Albuquerque Evening Citizen 1905-10-30
Newspaper page from Grant County Herald carrying the name Pemberton
Grant County Herald 1908-03-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 94,865 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Pemberton in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

17,770 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Pemberton. The most, 3,831, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 6,434
New South Wales 3,991
Queensland 2,557
Western Australia 1,835
Tasmania 1,464
South Australia 1,352
ACT (Canberra) 93
Northern Territory 5

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

Who carried it

People named Pemberton,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Catherine Harris Smith Pemberton
    Catherine Harris Smith Pemberton d. 1751
  • Isabel Pemberton d. 1896
  • Ellen Pemberton d. 1947
  • Valerie Pemberton d. 1969
  • Margaret Pemberton d. 1950
  • Frances Eleanor Pemberton d. 1902

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Pemberton,
in the records of 7 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 States880 records

880 records of the Pemberton name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 386
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 165
  • Other U.S. records 329
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Larry Pemberton

    Born 1947; from Chattanooga, Tennessee. U.S. Marine Corps, motor vehicle operator; died of wounds 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Daniel Le R. Pemberton

    Born 1913 in Delaware. Enlisted 1943 at Camden, New Jersey; salesman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1976, buried at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, Delaware.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the City of Montreal from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 23; laborer. From Durham, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 880 records for Pemberton in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia567 records

567 records of the Pemberton name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 299
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 156
  • Other Australian records 112
  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 Herbert Howley Pemberton

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Fairlie, sailing from Plymouth in 1852. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 31.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Reginald Sertease Pemberton

    Died 1936 in Tasmania, aged 74. Will registered in Tasmania in 1936.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sarah Pemberton

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1853. Married 1853 in New Norfolk, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 567 records for Pemberton in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada180 records

180 records of the Pemberton name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 157
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 8
  • Other Canadian records 15
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Basil Pemberton

    Buried in 1952 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 34.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Margaret Pemberton

    Died 1933 in Beaver Brook, Colchester, Nova Scotia.

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

    Died in service in 1901.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 180 records for Pemberton in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom35 records

35 records of the Pemberton name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 31
  • Welsh wills index cards 4
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Pemberton

    Will proved in 1941; of Wrexham, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Pemberton

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

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Horsefall Pemberton

    Will proved in 1906; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 35 records for Pemberton in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Pemberton name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Pelina Pemberton

    Died 1916, aged 79; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record T. Pemberton

    Lance Corporal, New Zealand Cyclist Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Pemberton

    Died 2000, aged 43; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Pemberton in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the Pemberton name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ernest Montague Pemberton

    Married in 1905 in Amsterdam; "hofmeester".

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Michael John Pemberton

    Died 1957 in Schiedam; born in Grew (Gb).

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Schiedam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Alfred Pemberton

    In the population register of Vlissingen; born 1885 in Liverpool.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Vlissingen (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Pemberton in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France3 records

3 records of the Pemberton 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 Jean Henri Yvon Pemberton

    Born 1920 in Camiers; died 1973 in Saint-Léonard (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Joan Athlene Pemberton

    Born 1945 in Soufriere (Dominique); died 1986 in Dominique.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Pemberton in France.

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Pemberton.

When the index is not enough

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

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