The Pugh surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 39,559 people carried this name — #879 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 7,460 people counted. That is up 2% from 38,691 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Pugh surname

From Welsh ap (“son of”) + Huw (“Hugh”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Pugh» (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: ‘Ap- Hugh’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 625 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 437 people named Pugh 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 Chubut.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Chubut 312
Santa Fe 52
Neuquén 21
Buenos Aires Province 18
City of Buenos Aires 13
Santa Cruz 11
Río Negro 10

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

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 29 people named Pugh.

Most of them — 25 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Paris.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 25
Paris 2
Meurthe-et-Moselle 1
Nord 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Pugh was found among the farmers of 6 counties.

It was most frequent in North Wales: 160 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 63. 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 160
Shropshire 48
Worcestershire 26
Monmouthshire 22
South Wales 22
Herefordshire 17

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 Scotland’s registers today

Pugh was recorded 17 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1299th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 12. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

127 families named Pugh, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 704 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 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

Virginia 37
North Carolina 31
Pennsylvania 30
South Carolina 18
New York 5
Maryland 5
Massachusetts 1

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

In print

Pugh in American newspapers,
1884–1916.

Newspaper page from The Farmer And Mechanic carrying the name Pugh
The Farmer And Mechanic 1884-08-13
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-Herald carrying the name Pugh
The Birmingham Age-Herald 1906-05-27
Newspaper page from The Day Book carrying the name Pugh
The Day Book 1916-08-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 198,600 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Pugh in Australian newspapers,
1800s–2000s.

29,581 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Pugh. The most, 5,282, 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 2.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 12,814
New South Wales 6,997
Western Australia 3,191
Victoria 2,881
South Australia 2,116
Tasmania 1,371
ACT (Canberra) 137
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named Pugh,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Pugh
    William Pugh 1783–1842 · industrialist
  • Sarah Pugh
    Sarah Pugh 1800–1884 · teacher
  • Hugh Pugh
    Hugh Pugh 1803–1868 · teacher
  • James L. Pugh
    James L. Pugh 1820–1907 · lawyer
  • George E. Pugh
    George E. Pugh 1822–1876 · lawyer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 252 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Pugh,
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 States3,122 records

3,122 records of the Pugh name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,465
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 541
  • Other U.S. records 1,116
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Richard Carl Pugh

    Born 1947; from Sherman Oaks, California. U.S. Army, helicopter pilot; died in an accident 1968 in Darlac, South Vietnam. Buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    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 Vincent R. Pugh

    Born 1917 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1941 at Fort George G Meade, Maryland; transport worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1969, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Catherine Pugh

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Berlin from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 3,122 records for Pugh 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, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · 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) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). 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).

Australia1,113 records

1,113 records of the Pugh name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 451
  • Tasmanian Names Index 269
  • Other Australian records 393
  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 Harriet Pugh

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Sea Queen, sailing from Woolwich in 1846. Native of Hereford, Herefordshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847. Married 1848 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Pugh

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Hungerford, sailing from England in 1821. Native of Market Drayton, Shropshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1839.

    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 William Pugh

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Maidstone, aged 50; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,113 records for Pugh 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). 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).

Canada178 records

178 records of the Pugh name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 102
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 18
  • Other Canadian records 58
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record David Pugh

    Came to Ontario in 1876 aboard the Gamma, bound for London, 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 Peter James Pugh

    Buried in 1978 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 29.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Elenora Pugh

    Died 1984, aged 74; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 178 records for Pugh 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. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. 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).

United Kingdom167 records

167 records of the Pugh name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 77
  • Welsh wills index cards 69
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 21
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ellen Pugh

    Will proved in 1927; of Carnarvon, 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 Mary Pugh

    Buried in 1816 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 96.

    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 S. Pugh

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 167 records for Pugh in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · 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 Zealand38 records

38 records of the Pugh name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 31
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Pugh

    Buried in 1878 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 35.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James McKay Pugh

    Died 2000, aged 77; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Pugh

    Died 1920, aged 91; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 38 records for Pugh in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District 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).

France7 records

7 records of the Pugh 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 Rose Ernestine Pugh

    Born 1905 in Paris; died 1985 in Dun-les-Places (Nièvre).

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

    Born 1939 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Pessac (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Pugh 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).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Pugh name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch population registers 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Frank Henry Pugh

    Married in 1920 in Zandvoort; engineer.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Alton Robert Pugh

    In the population register of Zaanstad; born 1908 in Kanuh.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Zaanstad (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Pugh 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Pugh.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Pugh 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 Pugh volume
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