The Pierce surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 138,629 people carried this name — #202 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,130 people counted. That is up 2% from 136,517 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Pierce surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Pierce» (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 baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Peter’.

An early record he cites: Richard Perys, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Piers, Pierce, Pears, Pearse, Peers, Peirce and Pierse.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 605 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 38 births for the Pierce name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 16 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 21
Munster 9
Ulster 6
Connacht 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 203 people named Pierce live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 149
Santa Fe 24
Chubut 16
City of Buenos Aires 14

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

25 people named Pierce live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Geneva.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Geneva 13
Zurich 9
Basel-Stadt 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

26 people named Pierce is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 26

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Pierce was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in North Wales: 30 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 333. 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

North Wales 30
Sussex 9

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

950 families named Pierce, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 5,440 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. 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

Massachusetts 332
North Carolina 97
Rhode Island 87
New York 66
New Hampshire 62
Pennsylvania 59
Vermont 57
Connecticut 56
Maryland 42
Virginia 39
Maine 38
South Carolina 15

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. 257 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Pierce in American newspapers,
1891–1951.

Newspaper page from Bridgeton Pioneer carrying the name Pierce
Bridgeton Pioneer 1891-01-22
Newspaper page from Hot Springs Weekly Star carrying the name Pierce
Hot Springs Weekly Star 1901-08-16
Newspaper page from The Southern Jewish Weekly carrying the name Pierce
The Southern Jewish Weekly 1951-06-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Pierce in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

46,158 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Pierce. The most, 6,831, date from the 1900s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 15,960
Victoria 13,087
Queensland 6,443
South Australia 4,114
Tasmania 3,788
Western Australia 2,510
ACT (Canberra) 129
Northern Territory 38

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

Who carried it

People named Pierce,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Samuel Eyles Pierce
    Samuel Eyles Pierce 1746–1829 · theologian
  • Benjamin Pierce
    Benjamin Pierce 1757–1839 · politician
  • Sarah Pierce
    Sarah Pierce 1767–1852 · teacher
  • Franklin Pierce
    Franklin Pierce 1804–1869 · lawyer
  • Jane Pierce
    Jane Pierce 1806–1863 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 199 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Pierce,
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 States10,432 records

10,432 records of the Pierce name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 4,740
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 2,006
  • Other U.S. records 3,686
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Merrick Robert Pierce

    Born 1947; from Portland, Oregon. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1967 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    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 Lloyd W. Pierce

    Born 1924 in West Virginia. Enlisted 1946 at Fort Hayes Columbus, Ohio; farmer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Saint Martin Cemetery, Ohio.

    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 Honora Pierce

    Arrived at New York in 1851 aboard the Racer from Liverpool, aged 25; farmer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 10,432 records for Pierce 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) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). 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).

Australia1,401 records

1,401 records of the Pierce name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 652
  • Tasmanian Names Index 326
  • Other Australian records 423
  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 William Pierce

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Coromandel, sailing from Sheerness in 1838. Native of Birmingham, Warwickshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843. Married 1844 in Launceston, 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 Ellen Pierce

    Died 1896 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 70. Will registered in Tasmania in 1896.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ellen Pierce

    Arrived in Victoria in 1889 aboard the Oroya, aged 20; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,401 records for Pierce 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) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada799 records

799 records of the Pierce name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 677
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 35
  • Other Canadian records 87
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rich'd Pierce

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Dominion, landing at Quebec, bound for P.a. Landing, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Newton Steacy Pierce

    Buried in 1975 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 73.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Emma Mattie Pierce

    Died 1967 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 799 records for Pierce in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom108 records

108 records of the Pierce name in the United Kingdom
  • Welsh wills index cards 80
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 22
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 6
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Jane Pierce

    Will proved in 1918; of Port Dinorwic, Carnarvon.

    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 Jane Pierce

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 66.

    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 G. A. Pierce

    Lance Corporal, Royal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 108 records for Pierce in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · 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. 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).

New Zealand17 records

17 records of the Pierce name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 14
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Douglas Preston Pierce

    Died 1967, aged 35; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Frederick Pierce

    Buried in 1880 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record W. E. Pierce

    New Zealand Machine Gun Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 17 records for Pierce in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Thames-Coromandel 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); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Ireland5 records

5 records of the Pierce name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dorothea Pierce

    Died 1953, aged 88; buried at St Marys, Tuam, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Pierce

    Died 1929; buried at Oranmore (Medieval), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Pierce in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County 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).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Pierce name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Ernest Pierce

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 3 records for Pierce in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Pierce 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 Gisele Alphonsa Marinette Pierce

    Born 1951 in India; died 1998 in India.

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

    Born 1964 in Germany; died 1992 in Boscamnant (Charente-Maritime).

    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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Pierce.

When the index is not enough

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

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Pierce volume
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