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

Poi, 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 Poi surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Poi in America

Poi is the 132259th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poi surname appeared 118 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Poi.

The history of the last name Poi

The surname Poi is believed to have its roots in Italy, specifically from the northern regions such as Lombardy and Piedmont. Tracing its origins back to the medieval period, the name is possibly derived from the Old Italian word "poi," which roughly translates to "after" or "then." The term could have been used to denote someone who lived at the end of a village or came after in some sequence or family lineage.

In historical records, the surname Poi appears in various old manuscripts and documents. One of the earliest mentions of the surname is found in a 13th-century tax register under the name Giovanni Poi, a landowner in the region of Lombardy, around the year 1275.

By the 14th century, variations of the surname such as Poa and Po emerged in different dialects across northern Italy. In a 1382 legal document, another bearer of the surname, Luca di Poi, is listed as a witness in a property dispute, signifying the spread and recognition of the name within legal frameworks of the time.

The 15th century saw an expanded use of the surname in ecclesiastical records. Father Bartolomeo Poi, born in 1421 and died in 1489, served as a well-documented parish priest in northern Italy, frequently mentioned in church annals for his contributions to the local community and church rebuilding efforts.

In the 16th century, a notable figure was Elena Poi, born in 1543, who was a renowned midwife in the region of Piedmont. Her I named in several birth records due to her high demand and unique skills, making her a historic figure associated with the Poi surname.

Skipping ahead to the 18th century, the name gained prominence again with the advent of Giuseppe Poi, an artist born in 1721 in Milan. His paintings and sculptures, many of which are still displayed in museums today, contributed significantly to the Italian Renaissance and Baroque art movements. Giuseppe Poi passed away in 1790, leaving behind a plethora of artwork that bears his signature.

Overall, the Poi surname has a rich history tied predominantly to northern Italy, with documented evidence showcasing its recurrent appearance across different historical periods and contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poi

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Poi 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.

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

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

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