 Pembina is a name derived from a Native American language meaning a type of cranberry.According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.6 square miles (94.8 km²), of which 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.27%) is water.As of the census of 2000, there were 471 people, 178 households, and 142 families residing in the township.