2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pocha
A surname possibly derived from the Spanish word meaning mud or muck.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Pocha. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pocha surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Pocha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pocha, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (19.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (13.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pocha
The surname Pocha has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "pocha," which refers to a type of small freshwater fish found in the region. The name was likely given as a nickname or descriptive term to someone who bore a resemblance or association with this fish.
One of the earliest records of the Pocha surname can be found in the Catastro de Ensenada, a census-like document compiled in Spain in the mid-18th century. This document mentions several individuals with the Pocha surname residing in various parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Castile and Andalusia.
In the late 16th century, a notable individual named Juan Pocha (1565-1630) was a Spanish architect and engineer who played a significant role in the construction of several important buildings and fortifications in Seville and other parts of Andalusia. His work showcased the architectural styles prevalent during the Spanish Renaissance.
Another historical figure with this surname was Francisca Pocha (1680-1745), a philanthropist and benefactor from Seville. She was known for her charitable works, supporting orphanages and hospitals in the city during her lifetime.
Moving into the 19th century, Francisco Pocha (1810-1882) was a Spanish military officer who participated in the Carlist Wars, a series of civil wars in Spain over the issue of succession to the throne. He achieved the rank of General and was recognized for his bravery and leadership during the conflicts.
In the early 20th century, Enrique Pocha (1892-1968) was a renowned Spanish artist and painter, known for his vibrant depictions of landscapes and scenes from rural life in Spain. His works have been exhibited in galleries across Europe and are highly regarded in the art world.
Throughout its history, the Pocha surname has also been associated with various place names and locations in Spain. For example, there are references to villages and towns with names like "Pochales" and "Pochalón," which may have derived from or influenced the surname's evolution.
While the Pocha surname is not among the most common in Spain today, it holds a rich history and legacy, spanning several centuries and encompassing notable individuals from various walks of life, including architecture, military, arts, and philanthropy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pocha
Among Census respondents with the surname Pocha, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (19.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (13.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Pocha bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Pocha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White50.0% · 53
- Asian and Pacific Islander19.8% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native13.2% · 14
- Two or more races12.3% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pocha
Pocha appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 12,326 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,895 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 12,326 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 4,895 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Pocha surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #157,234 | #152,339 | 3.1% |
| Count | 103 | 106 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pocha bearers went from 103 to 106 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 4,895 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #152,339.
FAQ
Pocha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pocha?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Pocha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Pocha?
Pocha ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Pocha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pocha.
Has Pocha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pocha went from 103 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 3 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Pocha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pocha, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (19.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (13.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pocha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.0% (53 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pocha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (50.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (19.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (13.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Pocha (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Pocha mean?
A surname possibly derived from the Spanish word meaning mud or muck. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Pocha (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Pocha?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Pocha, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.