Most common surnames starting with P

According to the 1940 census, Peterson was the most common last name beginning with the letter 'P', followed by Phillips and Parker. Click on the names below to learn more about their meaning, history and origins.

Surname Rank*
Peterson 1
Phillips 2
Parker 3
Price 4
Perry 5
Powell 6
Patterson 7
Porter 8
Palmer 9
Peters 10
Pierce 11
Payne 12

* Based on population in the 1940 U.S. Census