History of your Surname
Get access to Penland family records.Start a free trial

Penland Family History

Penland Name Meaning

Possibly an altered form of Pentland or a habitational name from Penlan Hall Essex or Penlan Farm in Hereford and Worcester. There are also numerous places in Wales named Penlan notably in Dyfed and the name may have been adopted on arrival in the US by immigrants from any of these places.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Pelland, Erland, Pentland, Ueland, Helland, Neeland, Berland, Newland

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Penland family from?

You can see how Penland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Penland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Penland families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 20 Penland families living in North Carolina. This was about 59% of all the recorded Penland's in USA. North Carolina had the highest population of Penland families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Penland surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Penland ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Penland. 26% of Penland men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Penland women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Penland were Truck Driver and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Penland | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    26%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Carpenter
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Waitress
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Penland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Penland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Penland

Passenger Lists

There are 555 immigration records available for the last name Penland. 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 Penland immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Penland. For the veterans among your Penland ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Penland military records

You've only scratched the surface of Penland family history

Discover More

What is the average Penland lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Penland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Penland in 1941 was 32, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Penland

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Penland family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Penland last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial