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

Poe, 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 Poe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poe in America

Poe is the 1522nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poe surname appeared 23,563 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Poe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poe 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.

The history of the last name Poe

The surname POE is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pohha" or "poge," meaning "a small bag or pouch." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who carried a small bag or pouch, perhaps a merchant or peddler.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "le Pogh" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating its early usage as a surname. The name also appeared in various other medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, where it was spelled as "Poge."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname POE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1195, where a person named Richard Poge is mentioned. This suggests that the surname had already been established by the late 12th century.

The surname POE is also connected to several place names in England, such as Poehouse in Derbyshire and Poehole in Lancashire. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "pohha" or "poge," further reinforcing the surname's origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname POE. One of the most famous is Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), the renowned American writer, poet, and literary critic known for his works such as "The Raven" and "The Fall of the House of Usher." His ancestors were likely of English descent, and the surname POE may have originated from the Old English word.

Another notable figure with the surname POE was John Poe (1637-1718), an early American settler who established a plantation in Maryland and played a significant role in the colony's development. His descendants went on to become prominent figures in various fields, including military and politics.

In the field of sports, Leroy Poe (1906-1974) was an American baseball player who played for the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1930s. He was known for his defensive skills and had a successful career in Major League Baseball.

Thomas Poe (1855-1928) was an American architect who designed several notable buildings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Maryland State House in Annapolis.

Finally, Andrew Poe (1834-1914) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, serving as a brigadier general and earning distinction for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poe

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

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 Poe was:

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 Poe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Poe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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