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

Pokras, 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 Pokras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pokras in America

Pokras is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pokras surname appeared 103 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 Pokras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pokras 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 Pokras

The surname Pokras has its origins in the Eastern European region, specifically in the area that is now modern-day Belarus. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th century, derived from the Belarusian word "pakrasa," which means "beauty" or "grace."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pokras can be found in the historical records of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which once encompassed parts of present-day Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland. In a document dated 1587, a reference is made to a landowner named Mikołaj Pokras, who held a sizable estate in the region of Grodno, now part of western Belarus.

During the 17th century, the Pokras surname began to spread beyond Belarus, with individuals bearing this name appearing in historical records from neighboring areas such as Ukraine and Russia. In a register from the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, dated 1643, there is an entry for a monk named Fyodor Pokras, indicating the presence of the surname in the region.

One notable figure with the surname Pokras was Ivan Pokras, a Ukrainian Cossack leader who lived in the late 17th century. He played a significant role in the uprising against Polish rule, leading a contingent of Cossack forces in the battles against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

In the 18th century, the Pokras surname gained further prominence with the birth of Mikhail Pokras (1720-1789), a Russian nobleman and influential landowner in the Smolensk region. He was known for his philanthropic endeavors, establishing several schools and hospitals in the area.

Another individual of historical significance was Yekaterina Pokras (1802-1878), a Russian painter celebrated for her portraits and landscapes. Her works were widely exhibited in St. Petersburg and Moscow during the mid-19th century, earning her recognition as one of the most accomplished female artists of her time.

While the surname Pokras is still present in Eastern Europe today, its historical roots can be traced back to the region of Belarus, where it originated as a descriptor of beauty and grace. The name's journey through the centuries has been marked by its association with notable figures in various fields, from military leaders to artists and landowners.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pokras

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

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

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

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