Get access to Penno family records.Start a free trial

Penno Family History

Penno Name Meaning

O. J. Padel suggests it may be a hypocoristic form (with the Cornish suffix -ow) of a name in Pen- such as Pentec ‘fair head’ (Cornish pen ‘head’ + tec ‘fine fair’) attested in Roger Richard and William Pentec about 1230-5 in Cornish Deeds (Pydar Hundred) or Pengwyn ‘white head’ (Cornish pen + gwyn) attested in John Pengwyn 1514 in Cornish Deeds (Saint Columb Major Pydar Hundred Cornwall). Apart from the Saltash example below all the earliest bearers of Penno(w) etc. are located in places in Pydar Hundred.alternatively perhaps a variant of Penn (3) a pet form of the Middle English female personal name Pernel (see Parnell ) + the Cornish hypocoristic suffix -ow. Since Parnell is an especially common surname in Devon and Cornwall it is reasonable to suppose that Pernel was used as a given name there.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021

Similar surnames: Penna, Penny, Penn, Penso, Penne, Panno, Perno, Nenno, Denno, Peno

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Penno family from?

You can see how Penno families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Penno family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Penno families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 2 Penno families living in Rhode Island. This was about 50% of all the recorded Penno's in USA. Rhode Island had the highest population of Penno families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Penno surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Penno

What Penno family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Penno. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penno census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Penno
Passenger Lists
There are 586 immigration records available for the last name Penno. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Penno immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 279 military records available for the last name Penno. For the veterans among your Penno ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Penno military records

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Penno. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penno census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Penno

Passenger Lists

There are 586 immigration records available for the last name Penno. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Penno immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 279 military records available for the last name Penno. For the veterans among your Penno ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Penno military records

You've only scratched the surface of Penno family history

Discover More

What is the average Penno lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Penno life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Penno in 1955 was 45, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Penno

Browse profiles of historical people with the Penno last name

Start a 14-Day Free Trial