2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Poda
A surname of Indian origin, possibly derived from the word "podina" meaning mint.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Poda. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Poda 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Poda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Poda, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.5%) and Black (9.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Poda
The surname PODA finds its origins in the Indian subcontinent, where it can be traced back to the 16th century. One of the earliest references to the name can be found in ancient Sanskrit texts, where it is believed to have derived from the word "Poda," meaning "a person of small stature."
The name was predominantly found in the northern regions of India, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It is believed that the PODA family may have been part of the Brahmin community, which was known for its scholarly pursuits and religious leadership.
In the 17th century, historical records show the presence of a renowned scholar named Vishwanath PODA (1585-1648), who was renowned for his contributions to the field of Hindu philosophy and theology. His works, which included commentaries on ancient Sanskrit texts, were widely studied and revered during his time.
As the PODA family expanded and migrated to different parts of the subcontinent, variations in the spelling of the name emerged. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Podha, Poddar, and Podar, which were found in various regional manuscripts and administrative records.
One notable figure from the PODA lineage was Govind PODA (1720-1789), a prominent trader and entrepreneur who established a successful business empire in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata) during the British colonial era. His entrepreneurial ventures, which included textile trading and banking, played a significant role in the economic development of the region.
Another notable member of the PODA family was Shyam Sundar PODA (1835-1912), a renowned educator and social reformer. He established several educational institutions in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and was a strong advocate for women's education and the eradication of social evils such as child marriage.
In the 20th century, the PODA name gained further prominence with personalities like Raghunath PODA (1907-1982), a celebrated poet and writer who contributed significantly to the literary landscape of Hindi literature. His works, which explored themes of social justice and human emotions, earned him numerous accolades and awards.
Lastly, Shanti PODA (1923-2010), a prominent politician and social activist, played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement. She was actively involved in various social and political organizations and worked tirelessly towards empowering women and promoting education in rural areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Poda
Among Census respondents with the surname Poda, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.5%) and Black (9.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Poda 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 Poda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.1% · 89
- Asian and Pacific Islander10.5% · 12
- Black or African American9.6% · 11
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Poda
Poda 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,404 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,275 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,404 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,275 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 Poda 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 | #145,220 | #146,495 | -0.9% |
| Count | 114 | 114 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Poda bearers went from 114 to 114 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,275 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #146,495.
FAQ
Poda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Poda?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Poda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Poda?
Poda ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Poda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Poda.
Has Poda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Poda went from 114 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Poda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Poda, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.5%) and Black (9.6%). 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 Poda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.1% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Poda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (10.5%), Black (9.6%). 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 Poda (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 Poda mean?
A surname of Indian origin, possibly derived from the word "podina" meaning mint. 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 Poda (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 surname Poda?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.