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

Pointdexter, 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 Pointdexter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pointdexter in America

Pointdexter is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pointdexter surname appeared 124 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 Pointdexter.

The history of the last name Pointdexter

The surname Pointdexter is believed to have originated in England during the late Middle Ages. It is thought to derive from the Old French words "point" meaning "sharp" or "pointed" and "dextre" meaning "right-hand". Together, these words suggest a meaning along the lines of "skillful" or "dexterous".

The earliest known recording of the name dates back to the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire. An entry in the Pipe Rolls of 1273 mentions a Roger Poyntedexter. This provides evidence that the name was in use by that time among the gentry class in northern England.

By the 14th century, variations like Poyndexter and Poindexter start appearing in historical records across different regions. The Hundred Rolls of 1275 list a Walter Poynitdexter as a landowner in Bedfordshire. A century later, the Poll Tax returns of 1379 record a John Ponderextre residing in Oxfordshire.

The surname is thought to have referred originally to someone highly skilled with their right hand, possibly an archer, craftsman or clerk. Some scholars believe it may have been an occupational name denoting expertise with a quill pen for writing or illuminating manuscripts.

Notable early bearers of the name include Robert Poyndexter who served as Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1421. Around 1485, a Thomas Poynsdexter is recorded as holding lands in Gloucestershire. Later, in 1585, a Joan Poindexter married William Shakespeare's father John Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon.

As the surname spread across the British Isles over the centuries, spelling variations emerged such as Pointdexter, Poyntdextre and Poindextra. The Domesday Book of 1086 does not appear to contain any recognizable variations, suggesting the name originated somewhat later during Norman times.

Other famous individuals with this last name were John Poindexter (1610-1691) an early Puritan settler in Virginia, and Miles Poindexter (1868-1923) a U.S. Senator from Washington state. Elizabeth Pointdexter (1874-1968) was a distinguished educator who served as the first female president of Whittier College in California.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pointdexter

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

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

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

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