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

Poke, 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 Poke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poke in America

Poke is the 39887th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poke surname appeared 550 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 Poke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poke 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 Poke

The surname POKE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "pohha," which referred to a small sack or bag. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as an occupational surname to someone who worked as a maker or seller of bags or pouches.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pohha." This record indicates that individuals bearing this name were present in various parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th century, the surname began to appear in various spellings, such as "Poke" and "Pooke," reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

In the 14th century, the surname POKE can be found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists individuals named "William Poke" and "Reginald Poke" residing in different parts of England.

One notable individual bearing the surname POKE was Sir John Poke (1390-1456), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of King Henry VI.

Another historical figure with this surname was Richard Poke (1609-1692), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Bramshott in Hampshire. He wrote several religious works, including "A Spiritual Perspective, or, A Glasse to View Christ in" (1655).

In the 18th century, the surname POKE was also associated with places like Poke Street in Staffordshire, which likely derived its name from individuals bearing this surname residing in the area.

One notable example from this period is John Poke (1730-1805), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and was involved in several notable engagements against the French and Spanish fleets.

The 19th century saw the emergence of individuals like James Poke (1810-1887), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and surrounding areas.

While the surname POKE is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich historical legacy that can be traced back to medieval England and the various occupations and individuals who bore this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poke

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

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

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

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