Poda last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Poda is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Poda.

Meaning of Poda

A surname of Indian origin, possibly derived from the word "podina" meaning mint.

Poda, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Poda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poda in America

Poda is the 145220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poda surname appeared 114 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Poda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poda to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

20102000Change (%)
Rank1452201378165.23%
Count1141121.77%
Proportion per 100k0.040.040.00%

The history of the last name 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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poda

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Poda.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Poda was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only91.23%104
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only6.14%7
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races0.00%0
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Poda has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White91.23%88.39%3.16%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander6.14%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races0.00%4.46%-200.00%
Hispanic(S)%(S)%(S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Poda was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Poda, please contact us.

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